Retired Sonos Staff

End of Software Support - Clarifications

Dec 8, 2022 11:29 AM UTC
4256 replies
270632 views
Translate All

We announced yesterday that some of our oldest Sonos products will be moving into a legacy mode in May of 2020. Our commitment is to support products with regular software updates for a minimum of five years after we stop selling them, and we have a track record of supporting products far longer.

Here is some public information we’ve shared, gathered into one place to respond to some of your questions in one easy thread, so that people can find the correct information easily.

Beginning in May, software updates and new features from Sonos will only be delivered to systems with only modern products.

After May, systems that include legacy products will continue to work as before - but they will no longer receive software updates or new features.

Sonos will work to maintain the existing experience and conduct bug fixes, but our efforts will ultimately be limited by the lack of memory and processing power of these legacy products.

We don’t expect any immediate impact to your experience, but access to services and overall functionality will eventually be disrupted, particularly as partners evolve their own services and features.

Customers with both legacy and modern products have time to decide what option is best for them. You can continue to use your whole system in legacy mode - in this case, it will stop receiving updates and new features.

You will also be able to separate your legacy products from your modern products, so that the modern products can still receive updates and new features, and legacy products can still be used separately. We’ll have more information on how to do this in May when you can take that action.

Another option available to all customers with legacy products is to take advantage of the Trade Up program, which allows you to upgrade older Sonos products to modern ones with a 30% discount. Trade Up will be open to customers at any time should they decide to upgrade.

We recognize this is new for Sonos owners, just as it is for Sonos. We are committed to help you by making options available to you to support the best decision for your home.

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate with asking.

Update 2/22: A message from our CEO

We heard you. We did not get this right from the start. My apologies for that and I wanted to personally assure you of the path forward:

First, rest assured that come May, when we end new software updates for our legacy products, they will continue to work as they do today. We are not bricking them, we are not forcing them into obsolescence, and we are not taking anything away. Many of you have invested heavily in your Sonos systems, and we intend to honor that investment for as long as possible. While legacy Sonos products won’t get new software features, we pledge to keep them updated with bug fixes and security patches for as long as possible. If we run into something core to the experience that can’t be addressed, we’ll work to offer an alternative solution and let you know about any changes you’ll see in your experience.

Secondly, we heard you on the issue of legacy products and modern products not being able to coexist in your home. We are working on a way to split your system so that modern products work together and get the latest features, while legacy products work together and remain in their current state. We’re finalizing details on this plan and will share more in the coming weeks.

While we have a lot of great products and features in the pipeline, we want our customers to upgrade to our latest and greatest products when they’re excited by what the new products offer, not because they feel forced to do so. That’s the intent of the trade up program we launched for our loyal customers.

Thank you for being a Sonos customer. Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. I hope that you’ll forgive our misstep, and let us earn back your trust. Without you, Sonos wouldn’t exist and we’ll work harder than ever to earn your loyalty every single day.

If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Patrick Spence
CEO, Sonos

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

Show previous replies

Airgetlam

There are two different versions of the CONNECT:AMP, one of which is S1 compliant, and one of which is S2 compliant. Neither will stop working. If you have the S1 version, you can keep your system on S1 and it will continue to work as it did yesterday.

Translate

Bruce

106rallye

The Sonos Port has a 12v trigger: https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3652?language=en_US

“12V trigger

Port has a 12V trigger output with a current rating of 200mA that can be connected to an amplifier with a 12V trigger input. This brings an amplifier out of standby mode when music starts playing, reducing the time it takes for the amplifier to become active and start outputting audio to your speakers.”

Translate

T

tstrooba

Lyricist III

There are two different versions of the CONNECT:AMP, one of which is S1 compliant, and one of which is S2 compliant. Neither will stop working. If you have the S1 version, you can keep your system on S1 and it will continue to work as it did yesterday.

Mine is not compatible, but I hoped that since it’s connected to a new AMP to provide a surround setup (the rear speakers are connected to it) it could be used with S2.

The Sonos Port has a 12v trigger: https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3652?language=en_US

“12V trigger

Port has a 12V trigger output with a current rating of 200mA that can be connected to an amplifier with a 12V trigger input. This brings an amplifier out of standby mode when music starts playing, reducing the time it takes for the amplifier to become active and start outputting audio to your speakers.”

My amp doesn’t have a 12v trigger but it does have an IR in (3,5mm jack). I’ll try to write some Arduino code to convert the 12V signal to an IR signal. Or I’ll buy a new surround amplifier :(

Translate

A

attacama40

Headliner I

Probably panicking here unnecessarily but just saw an update which we applied.

When it was a screen away from completion, it flashed up a page saying S1.

One part of brain was a bit excited, then the other half experienced mild fear!

I have a good few legacy parts of system and a load of very new stuff. Not tested yet, just about to but I’m thinking this is the long awaited software update to address our lengthy conversation here?

But there were no details and explanations or warnings. Will of course look for notes now but just to ask more experienced hands if this our long expected delivery and have I just walked down a one way street from which there is no return? :-)

Also got offer details of the new ARC stuff from Sonos which I have to admit, it very hard not to like!

Translate

A

attacama40

Headliner I

Apologies that was meant be an edit to previous post to show SonosOS S1 and Version 11.2

Translate

106rallye

As I understand it the only way you can update to S2 is by installing the S2-app on your Phone and asking it to update your devices. As long as you do not do that, you're in the clear.

Translate

J

John B

Here is the thread you need. What is your desired outcome at this point? Split system or all S!?

https://en.community.sonos.com/announcements-228985/introducing-s2-new-app-and-os-for-sonos-6841762?postid=16434545#post16434545

Translate

U

User999232

Lyricist II

I was thinking of getting a Sonos Arc for my second living room. Just found out that my Connect is S1 only and the Arc is S2 only. Do I dump my Connect and spend £800 on the Arc or keep the Connect and buy a different soundbar? Ha Ha, tough one?

I can’t believe they are not allowing older kit to work alongside newer kit, albeit with reduced functionality. They have now forced me to never buy another piece of Sonos hardware, moronic.

Translate

User228754

Avid Contributor III

I just had a upgrade message from Sonos, but I see reading I would need S1 & S2 app for one play5 gen1 out of 10 SONOS products, and the transition is IRREVERSIBLE. ! So beware !!!!!

Like many I have one unit (Play5 gen1), that does not conform to S2 app, and as the first item I bought on my Sonos journey of almost 10 items now, it is out of date :(

Let us hope the latest units on offer have some degree of future proofing, and the excuse of lack of memory (pah!) or processing power does not befall the death of my 2x Play3 / Playbar or multiple Play 1s and One in a couple of years.

I don't change my phone every time Apple produces a new one, (they are no different) and I can live with an element of redundancy, as I don't buy 10 and link them; but Sonos products are different they have always been designed to link together. I would happily accept limited functionality only on the one that is lagging, but to have two apps for the house installation will be fraught with issues.

I expect what is on offer with S2 will make no difference, other than reduce my bank account on trade-in and I’m still left with a unit that nobody wants and I can’t use elsewhere for the same split app reasons.

Sticking with S1 and being able to listen on all my units on one app, I feel.

Be interesting to see the take up on new app.

Translate

IAS, (arc/Beam)with 2x PLAY3s, 2x PLAY1s, 2x Sonos One!

D

DK_Madsen

Enthusiast II

So i have 9 units of which 8 is “modern” and one, my Play 5 is “obsolete”.

The app on my phone just updated and is not called S1.

When i open the app, it says that there is an update, i disabled the autoupdate feature a long time ago to avoid suddenly having a mixed system that would not work seemlessly.

But what about the update i am offered, will this irreversibly update all products to the latest firmware, and then i have 8 units that are S2 and one that is still S1 ?

The app does not give any clear indication if this is just one final S1 firmware for all my units or it will in fact make 8/9 of them S2.

Translate

Show more replies

Sign up

Login to the community