End of Software Support - Clarifications

I took the clarification email/statement to supersede the original statement, and one of the reasons the original thread was closed while this second thread was not.  Even if it doesn’t, the two statements, on this specific issue, are not in conflict.  Sonos can make attempts to keep streaming services running within the limitations of the hardware AND there can be a point were Sonos can’t fix it and the service will no longer run.

I also think it’s worth noting that there are going to be other factors that keep a service from running on legacy systems, or modern systems for that matter.  The service provider could fold, or decide that they don’t want to work on Sonos anymore for whatever reason.  The service could change their rate structure, or decide they aren’t going to hold your personal tracks in the cloud the way they used to (like Amazon did previously).  Sirius XM recently bought Pandora, so I wouldn’t be too surprised to see Pandora absorbed into XMs service in some way (though probably still with a free version).  

I think Sonos could clarify what an ‘experience’ is, but I think they are going to avoid making any specific guarantees since they can’t control the hardware limitations or what changes streaming services are going to make.  

I did as well, but when an original email says that streaming music services will stop working, and the subsequent email doesn’t say that they won’t, that doesn’t mean that the music services will continue. It just means they omitted to reiterate that they would stop.

I think most people understand that the connection between Sonos and various services is a cooperation between two companies and not entirely under Sonos’ control. I understand that its not possible for Sonos to guarantee that these type of circumstances won’t arise, but a simple commitment to continue to update their code to allow streaming music services to run on both legacy and modern devices would suffice.  

Perhaps this is true, but I’m not aware of any need for larger amounts of RAM or processing power to stream music from these services at this point. I’m dubious about this. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’d gladly sacrifice any of the new features introduced since I purchased my equipment that may take up additional code and RAM for the the continuation of streaming music services.

Sonos has set a clear expectation that the “Legacy” experience will degrade over time…  Why is this up for debate?

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/4786?language=en_US

It’s hard to know because we don’t know what Sonos is planning on doing to keep them going. Its possible they mean that they will keep them going as long as technologically possible or its possible they mean that they will keep them going until they don’t feel like it anymore and would prefer customers to buy new equipment. We do have this little tidbit from 1 month ago and the 10.6 update:

• Ryan S

• Community Manager
• 12081 replies

• 1 month ago

This sort of change could, however, all legacy devices should have already gotten this update, and certainly will have the chance to do so between now and May when they stop receiving future updates.

So as recent as 1 month ago there was a change with Spotify that could have resulted in the service no longer working with Legacy devices had it come in June instead of a month ago. I don’t know how often these types of changes occur, but from Ryan’s response, it makes it sound like Sonos would not have patched their software in the form of an update to allow Spotify to continue to work.

Anyway, even this is conjecture and my interpretation of the situation I suppose. I also don’t know how much management information the Community Managers are privy to.

There is no ‘what if’ in the support article.  It says (many times) ‘over time functionality of features and services will be impacted’

Again, I think there statements have made the commitment you’re asking for.  It comes down to whether considers music services to be part of the ‘experience’.  I can’t really debate your point because I don’t except your premise.  Without further clarification from Sonos, can’t do anything but agree to disagree.

I agree with that.  That is part of the basis why I find it rather unlikely that a music service will stop working on Sonos anytime soon.  Not impossible, but unlikely.

Dubious about what?  Sonos stated that they won’t fix a problem that can’t be fixed given the hardware.   Are you saying that it’s impossible that a change won’t fit in the hardware (I’d say highly unlikely), or that Sonos is just lying and using this as an excuse not to fix a broken streaming service.  And if the later is the case, why would they need to say that if music service fixes aren’t promised at all, and why would you want clarification if you aren’t going to believe what Sonos says anyway.  I’m not saying the later is your position, just wondering how you’re dubious.

Some people purchased their equipment before the iPhone existed, much less streaming services.

I don’t know if anyone is arguing whether it will happen or not. I think the question is whether “over time” means a few months, a few years, or a decade when technology that we haven’t even imagined for these services have evolved beyond what they are now.

On the other hand Spotify could choose to 'pull’ their streaming music service from any streaming audio system, including a Sonos 'modern' system, or any 'other’ device-manufacturers system for that matter, that’s if they so choose. It’s ludicrous to begin speculating about such things in this way.

My own thoughts are Spotify will want to keep as many consumers of their service as they can ...and we should perhaps keep in mind that Sonos sell many hundreds, if not thousands of products, every single day of the year to people worldwide … that’s now a very large customer base that Spotify will not want to upset, or lose.

I, for one, would likely move my custom to a Spotify competitor in that given situation anyway, like Amazon Music HD or Deezer HiFi (just as examples), as that would be far easier than having to get rid of my home audio system ..so I think Spotify are not going to suddenly choose to “shoot themselves in the foot” by pulling out of the Sonos system, legacy, or modern.

In any event, I really see no point in any of us trying to debate, or speculate, over such things, as the answer to this is simply “not foreseeable” by any of us.

Those here who are speculating that a company ‘partner', like Spotify, may choose to drop their service in the near-term and upset their own customers, is really doing nothing other than 'scaremongering' the community here and I sincerely hope that the genuine members, with an ounce of sense, who read these things, are not being fooled into believing such utter unfounded guesswork … particularly as many of us actually see these type of claims as being in the “highly unlikely to happen” category for the foreseeable future.

I’m dubious that soon to be legacy hardware couldn’t continue to stream music services for the foreseeable future if Sonos wanted to continue patching the code. I’m not saying Sonos won’t. I’m saying I’d be dubious if in 1 year a service broke when no major upgrades to the service were announced (like discontinuation of non-Hi-Res audio or conversion to only 24 bit audio or something of that nature). I’m also suspicious because of what I posted earlier about the Community Moderator (Ryan) saying that a change that happened just 1 month ago with Spotify could have broken the streaming service working with Sonos devices and if it had, there would not be updates to fix it for Legacy devices. Had it happened in June, it sounds like we would have been SOL. This implies that updates to streaming music services wouldn’t be updated despite the hardware obviously being able to support it.

I don’t get the point of this? Usually people only have one phone, not dozens like some Sonos consumers. Companies who have dozens of Apple devices have the option of being taken care of by their business division that includes leasing equipment that will be replaced with new equipment on a regular basis. Sonos doesn’t have such a program that I am aware of.

You seem to be arguing your point with @melvimbe as he is the one who brought that up, but not in a way to scare the community. His point, I believe, was simply to explain that Sonos doesn’t have control over what services like Spotify do and therefore can’t make any absolute guarantees as far as keeping streaming music services going. I don’t think that anyone is trying to say that Spotify is going to intentionally make their service stop working with Sonos. My concern is that Sonos won’t put enough effort in on their part to keep them going for Legacy devices long before there are real insurmountable hurdles.