Retired Sonos Staff

End of Software Support - Clarifications

December 8, 2022 at 11:29 AM
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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

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Show previous replies

melvimbe

It’s clearly implied from the wording around their reasoning and the vagueness of their timeframes. Sonos can’t be more specific about how long Legacy devices will last because they have no control (or a worsening relationship thanks to legal action) over the APIs and requirements of the likes of Spotify, Amazon and Google.

Well, Sonos actually using their own API’s for streaming, not the streaming services. That’s probably why I wasn’t drawing the same conclusions you were. When Sonos stated that they can’t promise all streaming services will continue to work, it’s because the API between legacy and modern may eventually differ, and a streaming service may chose to longer support the legacy API. At least, that’s what I got from the message.

in short an environment they once controlled almost completely has slowly been eroded as we all demand more Streaming and Voice services. Their failure is in not negotiating or developing a technical solution that maintains core functionally while foregoing new advancements.

I’m not exactly sure what you’re trying to say here. Sounds like your saying Sonos should ignore customer demands for more streaming and voice services and just focus on maintaining the core functionality. Doesn’t matter I suppose, we can all come up with our own theories of why Sonos is making this decision.

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Danny

K

Kumar

Please explain what you mean when you say that you will support products that you sell for at least 5 years. I bought a CONNECT:AMP in 2018 to add to the 3 CONNECT:AMPS ans 2 CONNECTS that I bought in 2015 (less than 5 years ago - but it will be 5 years in May when you discontinue support). If the one I bought in 2018 is still “Modern”, why aren’t the others?

There were apparently some hardware changes without a corresponding device name change. Sonos realizes this was a very bad idea and probably won’t do it again.

Not only was there no name change, the product also looked exactly the same. IMO, this leaves Sonos vulnerable to a legal challenge to this action. The problem is that this isn't easily done by individuals against a corporation.

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chickentender

Now you have admitted you no longer control some aspects of your own environment - having submitted to the big streaming companies - your value proposition is greatly diminished.

Huh? Did Sonos stated that they are dropping support for legacy products (at least in terms of added features) because of some sort of pressure from big streaming companies?

Is this rhetorical?

No. I have not seen a statement from Sonos stating that they had to drop support in any way because of pressure from big streaming companies.

So then, yes, it was a rhetorical question.

Official statement from Sonos is historically sparse and infrequent. Reading between the lines and the silences, particularly in lieu of the legal proceedings now underway, I’m really not sure an official statement is needed to draw some logical conclusions. I also look back at the arduous process the Sonos:ONE went through 2 or 3 years back now as even deeper software development ties to both Google and Amazon got underway. I’m not much for speculation, but all things being as they are… it’s a pretty logical thought, statement or no. And such a statement simply isn’t one a public company would say outright.

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D.LaRusso

Lyricist I

Just had this from Sonos .…

Hello Michael,

My name is Matthew. I'm a supervisor in Sonos Customer Care.

Your entire system will still work after May, it just won't update anymore. As time goes on there may be services that stop working, but you could use your system for years before any of that happens. Legacy and newer products will be able to separate so the newer products can continue to update. I don't know the details of that. There will be more in May.

You don't have to even think about possibly upgrading anything until those older products can no longer do something you need them to do. If a time comes where you do need to upgrade we can talk about discount options. But there is no reason to spend any money while the system is still doing what you need it to do.

Every Sonos device does have a small computer running inside. It is not static AV equipment that never has to update software. Sonos systems have to communicate with each other, other devices on the local network, and 60+ cloud services.

I'm certainly willing to answer any other questions you have about this.

Matthew G

Whilst this is good to know, we still have 4 out of 6 Sonos products at home that will 1) not work as well as they could 2) no longer work as a whole house system if newer devices are to be separated 3) not be the system we purchased originally and therefore no longer fit for purpose.

Will Sonos refund me the cost of our system set up as they will no longer be fit for purpose, despite being in perfect (as new) working order?

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bonervz

Enthusiast II

Please explain what you mean when you say that you will support products that you sell for at least 5 years. I bought a CONNECT:AMP in 2018 to add to the 3 CONNECT:AMPS ans 2 CONNECTS that I bought in 2015 (less than 5 years ago - but it will be 5 years in May when you discontinue support). If the one I bought in 2018 is still “Modern”, why aren’t the others?

There were apparently some hardware changes without a corresponding device name change. Sonos realizes this was a very bad idea and probably won’t do it again.

According to my sources the original Connect and Play 5 had 32mb of memory, the connect:amp and play 1 have 64. The newer connect has 256mb as does the Gen 2 play 5.
The newest models have 1024mb (1 gig) so it is safe to say that the older models with 64 and 256mb are likely not long for this world. And when 1 gb is not enough, they will get tossed too. This will NEVER end and the cost of ownership it through the roof.

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Sonos from leader to loser in 2020.

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damoench

Contributor I

This is total BS! We need to unite and send a message to a company that thinks they can exploit our loyalty. We helped make this company with our money and free sales and marketing by convincing our friends, neighbors and countrymen to buy into the WIFI revolution of HiFi and home control. I say we help erase the pain we all feel by seeing this once cutting edge upstart to feel the wrath of a lover scorn! I say February is the boycott SONOS month! And March is the class action lawsuit month.

February, we spend the same effort convincing unaware victims from making the same mistakes we made and insure SONOS has little or no sales for at least 1 month. Inform all you know of the wrongs we have paid and the embarrassment of a 30% off from a once “cool” high tech future we lament.

March is getting the underbelly of this nation to rise and put together a class action suit to hold accountable those who have sold is a pig in a poke.

what say you? Are you in? I’m fed up and going to spread the negativity wide and far, while I enlist any and all class action lawyers to make the glysophate problems Roundup has look like Girl Scout cookies.

hell has no furry like a woman scorned!

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KBS1033

Lyricist I

I’ve convinced so many friends to buy Sonos. I’m ashamed and super angry while sitting in my house full of their products.

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Ctrlcv

Lyricist II

Now you have admitted you no longer control some aspects of your own environment - having submitted to the big streaming companies - your value proposition is greatly diminished.

Huh? Did Sonos stated that they are dropping support for legacy products (at least in terms of added features) because of some sort of pressure from big streaming companies?

This is my guess...The big companies..Google Amazon..etc are squeezing Sonos for cash to allow them to stream their services...so for Sonos to stay relevant they pay licensing costs. I think Google would prefer that we bought their speakers instead...

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C

Ctrlcv

Lyricist II

This is total BS! We need to unite and send a message to a company that thinks they can exploit our loyalty. We helped make this company with our money and free sales and marketing by convincing our friends, neighbors and countrymen to buy into the WIFI revolution of HiFi and home control. I say we help erase the pain we all feel by seeing this once cutting edge upstart to feel the wrath of a lover scorn! I say February is the boycott SONOS month! And March is the class action lawsuit month.

February, we spend the same effort convincing unaware victims from making the same mistakes we made and insure SONOS has little or no sales for at least 1 month. Inform all you know of the wrongs we have paid and the embarrassment of a 30% off from a once “cool” high tech future we lament.

March is getting the underbelly of this nation to rise and put together a class action suit to hold accountable those who have sold is a pig in a poke.

what say you? Are you in? I’m fed up and going to spread the negativity wide and far, while I enlist any and all class action lawyers to make the glysophate problems Roundup has look like Girl Scout cookies.

hell has no furry like a woman scorned!

We are all with you...this is a desperate last move of a company that is close to going bankrupt. I read somewhere that one of the main execs sold 1/3 of their shares a few months ago....they know what's coming but it may be too late for all of us. Perhaps someone like Amazon will buy them out?

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chickentender

Please explain what you mean when you say that you will support products that you sell for at least 5 years. I bought a CONNECT:AMP in 2018 to add to the 3 CONNECT:AMPS ans 2 CONNECTS that I bought in 2015 (less than 5 years ago - but it will be 5 years in May when you discontinue support). If the one I bought in 2018 is still “Modern”, why aren’t the others?

There were apparently some hardware changes without a corresponding device name change. Sonos realizes this was a very bad idea and probably won’t do it again.

According to my sources the original Connect and Play 5 had 32mb of memory, the connect:amp and play 1 have 64. The newer connect has 256mb as does the Gen 2 play 5.
The newest models have 1024mb (1 gig) so it is safe to say that the older models with 64 and 256mb are likely not long for this world. And when 1 gb is not enough, they will get tossed too. This will NEVER end and the cost of ownership it through the roof.

Posted by another forum member (apologies I can’t locate that original post… it’s a swirling vortex of post activity the past 48 hrs.)

Oh how I now wish I’d purchased my Connects just 13 months later.

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