Skip to main content
Ryan S
Ryan S
Retired Sonos Staff
Jan 22, 2020 3:20 PM UTC

End of Software Support - Clarifications

  • Dec 8, 2022 11:29 AM UTC
  • 4256 replies
  • 270651 views
  • Translate All
End of Software Support - Clarifications

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.

    4256 replies

    Show previous replies
    Kumar
    Jun 17, 2020 2:18 AM UTC

    The company deserves go bust.

    Perhaps, but I hope very much that it does not. I am looking forward to a supported S1 environment for many more years - till that last of my Sonos hardware dies of old age!

    Translate
    Veeper
    Prominent Collaborator I
    Jun 17, 2020 3:29 AM UTC

    My god I’m just learning about this mess. Why wouldn’t SONOS just keep it all on one app and gray out devices or rooms that don’t support a feature that’s in use?

    What on earth? Why would anyone throw a perfectly functional Play5 Gen1 in the trash? It’s essentially what they’re asking people to do when S1 and S2 won’t even link or crosstalk.

    SONOS should consider trying new Devs, not this brand-impacting mess. (IMO)

    Translate
    AMPx2, One SLx6, Play5x2, SUBx2, Play1x2, Move, Roam (Yuck), ARC, PlayBar, Beam, SYMFONISKx2, Awful New App.
    Veeper
    Prominent Collaborator I
    Jun 17, 2020 3:43 AM UTC

     

     

     


     i dont want speakers with microphones so opted for the first generation ones.

    I dont mind that my “old” speakers will not get some of the features of the new speakers, but that sonos, one day would make it so that a product i bought would not be able to stream simple MP3 audio from my NAS together with an “old” product is baffling.

    This is 100% a choice

     

    I *will not* add SONOS speakers with mics to my dwellings. Ever. Full stop. If the SL ever goes away or only Mic equipped speakers are sold offered by SONOS, it’s either AMP devices or the highway for me.

     

    Translate
    AMPx2, One SLx6, Play5x2, SUBx2, Play1x2, Move, Roam (Yuck), ARC, PlayBar, Beam, SYMFONISKx2, Awful New App.
    User999232
    Lyricist II
    Jun 17, 2020 2:50 PM UTC

    I just got the new Ikea speaker by Sonos, ordered well before I knew anything about the S1/S2 debacle. I’m glad it works on S1 otherwise it would have been sent back. One thing the S1 software did was force me to update to the latest version before it would allow me to connect it. I have lost all faith in this company, I never understood why they forced you to register devices before they work. No S2 only speakers will be bought by me, I’ll be buying from other vendors.

     

    They must have a lot of customers to be able to be able to disregard the early adopters.

    Translate
      smallstool
      Enthusiast I
      Jun 17, 2020 4:04 PM UTC

      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

      lets hope this decision you made will backfire on this company, never buy a single product after this. Customers are not stupid falling for this con. The company deserves go bust.

      I’m with you Lizzy - I shall not be buying anymore sonos products - S1 until they get replaced by something else.

      Translate
      Connect Amp x 3, Connect x 1, Sub x 2, Playbar x 2, Beam x 1, Play 1 x 4, Play 3 x 2, Play 5 x 2, Boost x 1, Amp, Arc, 2 x Era 100, 2 x Era 300, Symfonisk x 2, Roam
      John B
      Jun 17, 2020 9:50 PM UTC

      I am certainly struggling to understand how a graph that ends in September 2019 sheds light on market reaction to an announcement made in February 2020.

      Translate
      T00LF00L
      T00LF00L
      Prodigy I
      Jun 18, 2020 4:41 PM UTC

      Thanks for this bad icon Sonos, is this what I have to look at forever now? You just keep giving the middle finger to your customers.

      Translate
      I am just a worthless liar. I am just an imbecil.
        attacama40
        Headliner I
        Jun 20, 2020 6:36 PM UTC

        OK.  First.  Use your Android mobile controller, not the desktop.  You need Android 7 or later.

        As at now, what software version is your app on, and what version is the system on?

        (Check in About my System.)

        I have split my system - it’s no big deal.  Post back with those version numbers and we’ll take it from there.

         

         

        Apologies for the slow reply John. Turned out our Nexus 7 (only used for Sonos really) was not Android 7.

        The wife’s Sony smartphone was but had a hissy fit (pure coincidence) with the Sonos app that’s took a few days resolve. Never happened before and nothing to do with S1.

        I don’t have a smartphone yet (Nokia E61 … don,t laugh ….. 17 years old and still hanging in there)

        Right at last I have the data. Version: 11.2 Sonos OS: S1 Build 57377289.

        Ironically the solution to the one off Sony/Sonos app problem was to delete app and re-install.

        I started the re-install and then realised the default Google App Store install was S2! I stopped it before any actual install and then selected Sonos S1.

        Apols it took a while come back.

        Installed and all looking good.

        Translate
        sjw
        Local Superstar
        Jun 21, 2020 9:18 AM UTC

        @Ryan S  when the change of heart happened, Patrick said that:

        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.

        Sonos have not delivered the ability to split the system AND have legacy products remain in their current state.  Current state means as they are, which means settings, Playlists, services - everything really.

        What Sonos have rolled out is nothing of the sort and actually necessitates a Factory reset of the Legacy devices and the complete loss of all above. Playlists especially are very time consuming to recreate and this is the reason I cannot update to S2.

        What is the reason Sonos haven't delivered what was promised and are there any plans to allow users to split their system and allow the legacy components to maintain their current state?

        Translate
          Kumar
          Jun 21, 2020 9:30 AM UTC

          @sjw: Sonos could claim that you can retain S1 with playlists...they never promised that S2 will get the existing playlists, if one was to parse the Spence words:-)

          Translate
            Show more replies
            Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement