End of Software Support - Clarifications

Highly unlikely it is fixed for S1.  S1 uses a kernel from before SMB v2 existed, and there’s not enough resources on the old units to fit a newer kernel.

i understand why you would stop updating older system hardware but as someone with 2 x g1 play 5, 2 x play 3, a connect and a sound bar why bring out a different app. Just because some functionality is not available on older speakers does not mean you need 2 apps as any good application developer will tell you.  Why would I now buy any new sonos hardware which would require me to use a different controller app and which will not work with my older hardware. I have no problems with my older play 5 speakers they work beautifully so there is no advantage to updating them. I was looking at purchasing additional speakers (play 1s and a move) but if I have to use 2 controllers Imay as well go to another premium speaker supplier. 

There is no technical reason for a new app, the UPnP APIs are identical. Sonos did it so they could drop support for the old S1-only hardware. The desktop S2 apps took about twenty minutes to create: make a new branch in PerForce, replace the icon with a terrible one, and #define SWVER 1 to #define SWVER 2.

Setup took longer as S1 and S2 apps share the same library service.

Mobile apps have a different UX so not doubt took a lot longer.

Third party apps do support both S1 and S2 systems from the same app.

so i work in retail , i believe our store had the highest sales of sonos products over last peak ( xmas2019) in the UK , i have  a few s1 products used for 5+years at least.. would have liked to buy some new boxes to increase  locations around the house ..occasionally staff offers are hard to resist , but now it seems its pointless as i cannot control my old stuff and new stuff in my app!!!  sorry i havn’t read ALL 165 pages of this thread or the previously canxd one !!  , but i am to believe that i won’t be able to play my song on ALL speakers at the same time if i have s1 and s2 speakers??? 

I can tell you that when bose did this with their new soundbase speakers ( couldn't group them with the previous series ) customers just simply didn't buy them… HOW in the world do you propose i can sell the new speakers to long time customers of sonos if they cannot be grouped with their old speakers??? 

I hope i have misunderstood the compatibility of old and new speakers , because if i havnt  , then i KNOW this will affect sonos sales , and ive been selling them for about 12+ years..

do you care?

sorry if i am totally wrong about this.. please someone enlighten me , as store are reopening in the next few weeks i need to know where i stand with this issue .

thank you.

You aren't being forced to split your system into S1 and S2.  Keep everything at S1 and you can go on just as you do today.  The only thing you can't do is add S2 only speakers like the Arc or Five to an S1 system, anything made before S2 can be added just fine.

Also, this is very different from what Bose did.  Bose cancelled an entire line of speakers that were currently being sold and replaced them with another line that wasn't compatible at all.  Sonos is relegating decade plus old designs that haven't been sold in years to a legacy status, but they still will work with newer products (some still being sold today) if you keep them at S1.

But third party apps is still unable to make S1 and S2 speakers play the same music in sync right ?

You have not misunderstood.

Me for example, i have 9 sonos units, one is not upgradeable to S2 (Play 5 generation 1) so i am stuck on S1.

I also have a Playbar and 2 Play 1’s that is used as sorround in the living room.

I am not able to buy the new SUB and add it to the system as all Sonos models, released from now on is unable to run S1, and buying the “old” sub would be a mistake as it will Probably not be able to move to S3, in 5 years when sonos decides to go there.

Buying a Play 5 generation 2 or 3 would also be like peeing my pants as i have play 3’s play 1’s (first generation) and the play 1’s were replaced with Sonos one 2-3 years ago so they are probably going in “the bin” in a few years and needs replacing to get to S3 as well.

Personally i am staying at S1, and have firmly decided to keep the speakers until they die and not replace them with sonos at such a time. I suspect that you will see the same thing with a lot of your costumers as well..

I’m locked down at 10.4, as going any further would ‘retire’ yet another controller. Sticking with S1 would be good, but the main argument is about security and, as I don’t let my kit anywhere near the internet (local streaming only), I’m not too bothered.

Like you, I’ll run the hardware until it dies. Sonos kit seems quite well made, and there are now places that can repair common problems, so they might last a while yet. When they fail, I’ll re-evaluate what’s on the market at that time. Right at the moment, it’s unlikely to be Sonos kit.

In my book the problem is not so much with Sonos, as with something that Sonos has brought to the forefront - of bundled/integrated smart products at high price points. To me it now makes no sense to go for these, be they Sonos or any other, for home audio and for other needs, if an alternative that offers a modular and equally good solution is available. The good thing about the present set of legacy Sonos products is that all offer line in jacks to which current generation smart third part front end modules can be wired, leaving Sonos to be a dumb audio player like all legacy Hifi kit is. Often, as if the front end module is an Echo Show, features that are missing even in the latest Sonos S2 kit, are available, that will work with all Sonos legacy products, leap frogging these ahead of S2 kit.

And I give Sonos credit for the hardware longevity of their legacy kit, that looks like it will comfortably exceed my expectations on that front for it, when I bought it in 2011. 

Correct.