Retired Sonos Staff

End of Software Support - Clarifications

December 8, 2022 at 11:29 AM
4256 replies
269593 views

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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M

Mathers

Lyricist I

II am a GOLD DEALER IN NJ and can’t get any straight answers!!!!

Other than you telling System owners their products are obsolete what is the “tag” to tell us, is it the serial # or what? I have sold 100’s of Sonos produtcts and I have clients with Connect Amps that are 3 years old and are not showing the “legacy” tag. I also have Connects that are less then a year old showing “Legacy”

WE NEED MORE DETAILS.

P

pveenhof

Lyricist II

Great BBC news picked this up. Have reached out to Consumer Reports as well to have them update their wireless speaker review. Would be good if we can get some US news to report on this too!

J

joelovero

Lyricist II

At this point, I have a house full of Play 1's, Play 3's as rears to a Playbase, a Connect/ZP90 that takes care of my living room and outdoor speakers and a Gen 2 play 5 that all look like they'll be on the chopping block next. The only stuff I think is okay for a bit are the Ones & the Beam I own.

I won't invest any new money into the system. Not at this ridiculous 30% off an upgrade. The percentage should be 30% of the retail cost of the unit if you're upgrading something. I would consider that to future proof, but 30% off of retail is insulting.

Sonos doesn't realize they just killed the brand yesterday. 2 days ago I would be telling everyone I know to get this product. Today? I'm warning them to steer clear of it and looking to sell an entire house worth of speakers. I'd rather recoup what I can while I can than invest in a company that thinks 30% off is some kind of incentive.

And for the record, I bought my ZP90's in 2017 and they were manufactured during the Legacy period. I didn't realize I should be looking at manufacture dates on these products as I bought them. I got 2 years out of them. Sonos should be ashamed of themselves.

J

Johnnydot

Enthusiast I

Just received my update message this AM but I am aware of this issue from all the bad press.

I couldn't in good conscious recommend your products to anyone anymore. I don't want your poor hardware/software decisions reflecting on me.
You have brought many new S/W features that I don't use but I understand your need to innovate and compete, but your primary value proposition is that its a “system” and that it's easy. Please try to re-remember that as you have your hands firmly around the neck of your golden goose.
Using the excuse that “technology changes rapidly” to brick your own products shows a lack of foresight that, by this admission, will inevitably continue into the future.
The solution is simple and needs one paragraph...”Everything will work just as it does today, and newer products and features will offer richer experiences and functionality beyond our legacy products.. Please be assured you will always enjoy the values that made your initial decision to buy Sonos a good one, for a lifetime of great listening.”

Now go prove you’re a great software company and do just that.

Sadly sonos is now more about dodgy shareprice manipulation than HiFi since they went all NASDAQ. Share buybacks will make the CEO more money than god and they wont need customers anymore. Shame on you, Patrick Spence, sonos CEO.

D

daddyruffe

Lyricist I

What on earth are you playing at? It’s 2020 and the world is creaking through overconsumption and you are trying to force your customers to upgrade perfectly good kit. Shame on you. #SavetheWorld

A

anjrober

Enthusiast II

I have 20 Sonos products, with 8 ConnectAmps that are impacted. I have recommend Sonos to dozens of people who have went on to buy tons of gear over the years. I have participated in many Betas and even done a USA Today interview at the request of Sonos in the early years.

This new announcement is completely and utterly unacceptable. It must change. Sonos, go back and rethink this terrible strategy.

I was just last night telling my wife i planned to buy another Beam and Sub, clearly that won’t ever happen unless this is corrected.

I’ll echo what Mark Renfrow said above “Everything will work just as it does today, and newer products and features will offer richer experiences and functionality beyond our legacy products.. Please be assured you will always enjoy the values that made your initial decision to buy Sonos a good one, for a lifetime of great listening”.

Be clear, unless you change your approach this community will never stop flaming and attacking you on social media. This will absolutely be the end of your company. You still have time to correct but now is the decision point. You went for a cheap cash grab and didn’t think it thru. Your stock is already dropping today and this is only the beginning. I pre-ordered the first Sonos products you offered before they were even available in 2004. I continued to buy more and more up until this year with the purchase of a Move. Unless you correct this terrible idea, I (and many, many, many others) will never buy another product from you.

A

AllanWhoops

Lyricist I

What is more bizarre is that they obviously haven’t told retailers as Amazon, amongst others, are still selling kit that will become obsolete.

A

AP2050

Lyricist III

In addition, you’ve also handed yourself on a silver platter to Apple, Google and Amazon.

So I suspect in May, the big 3 should change their API’s for their streaming services to you. Which then in effect cripple everyone’s legacy products and it won’t work anymore since SONOS says no more updates.

That will probably also get more people to exodus Sonos…..if they can’t stream their services.

Great move Sonos. claps!

A

attacama40

Headliner I

The world has gone mad.

I saw so much change in recent times …..Brexit, Johnson, The Trump White House and now this.

Lies and deception seem to be the new world order.

Were did it all go wrong?

Over emotional? I’m sure it is but seriously …. how can lies, lack of loyalty and commercial deception be so tolerated.

Ok let’s get back on topic. But depressing times.

M

Mr Poormouth

Lyricist I

I have gone from shock, to denial, but I am stuck in anger. I spent $10,000 on a full house installation seven years ago and now I am told that it is a “rental” for five years. We all know what “unsupported” and “legacy” means - it will stop being useful.

The website on Trade Up is pathetic: you need to commit to the trade up/recycle BEFORE understanding what the cost will be. I need to upgrade five Connects to Ports at +$1500 with the 30% discount (?!?). Why should I spend $1500 for a “five year support ‘commitment’”? I’m renting for $300/year. I had to replace one controller two years ago (arghhhh) and that one is not eligible for upgrade … what are the chances I will be treated in the same way on that unit in the next months. The dedicated tablet I purchased to run the SONOS system was blown-up after an “upgrade” that did not describe result that tech said was well known. And there are endless updates … SONOS is exhausting and expensive to own.

Where will this end?

SONOS seems to have lost their way and focuses only on new clients and and kicks current customers to the curb. I have gone from enthusiastically supporting SONOS to regret to now loudly telling anyone to stay after from purchasing any SONOS products. SONOS treats clients like fools.

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