End of Software Support - Clarifications

End of Software Support - Clarifications
Ryan S
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  • Ryan S
  • Retired Sonos Staff
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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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4256 replies

E

Not sure what ‘totu’ means, ...

That was a mistype, which I corrected after I posted.  You just replied too fast!  :-)

Airgetlam

LOL! I completely understand. I edit about 95% of my posts after I’ve hit “send” as well :)

Bruce
T
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Hi,

 

I did a trade up of an original Zoneplayer 100 to the new AMP, and connected a Connect:Amp for the surround speakers.  Is this setup something that will continue to work with the new software version?  

 

Regards,

Tim

 
Airgetlam

Yes, the Sonos Amp is S2 compliant. Have you checked on “manage your account” at the bottom of this page and clicked on “System” to ensure that your CONNECT:AMP is also S2 compliant? 

Bruce
T
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The CONNECT:AMP is not S2 compliant but I was hoping, since it only serves as a “driver” for the surround speakers and the new AMP is controlling them, this setup would keep working.  But having read through this it looks like it won’t.

So I assume I’ll need to revert back to my surround amplifier, maybe buy a Port, and find a way to turn on the amp if the port starts playing?

 
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.

Bruce
106rallye
Userlevel 7
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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.”

T
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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 :( 

 
A
Userlevel 6
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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!

A
Userlevel 6
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Apologies that was meant be an edit to previous post to show SonosOS S1 and Version 11.2

106rallye
Userlevel 7
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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.

J

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

U

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.

User228754
Userlevel 1
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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.

IAS, (arc/Beam)with 2x PLAY3s, 2x PLAY1s, 2x Sonos One!
D
Userlevel 7
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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.

Smilja

@DK_Madsen, Does the Play:5 show up in this app? What does ‘About my Sonos system’ say?

»And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space, Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind.« (›Windmills Of Your Mind‹ [1967]. Music by Michel Legrand ; English lyrics written by Alan & Marilyn Bergman)
D
Userlevel 7
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@DK_Madsen, Does the Play:5 show up in this app? What does ‘About my Sonos system’ say?


Yes i can see and control the Play 5, it is in the about system list.

I am just a bit afraid if all of the other units will be shifted to S2, i have decided to stay on S1 for all my units and stop investing in Sonos.

Right now i only have the Play 5, that are obsolete, but i also have 4 play 1 first generation and 3 play 3’s.

I know that if i upgrade the Play 5 to stay “modern” it will only be a matter of time before i have to sink more money into my working system to upgrade the play 1’s and 3’s.

Also i have a playbar, that i know will be obsoleted now that the new arc is released.

 

In my country there is a saying “Dont throw good money, after bad” so i stepped off of the train and will stay on platform S1, where all of my units will be able to do sync play. I have not seen any features that the S2 platform offers, for my units, that will give me any benefit of updating anyway.

 

But if the update i am offered is just the last S1 update and my units will all stay at S1 i will offcourse apply it.

Smilja

@DK_Madsen, Please post a screenshot of ‘Settings → System → About my Sonos system’.

»And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space, Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind.« (›Windmills Of Your Mind‹ [1967]. Music by Michel Legrand ; English lyrics written by Alan & Marilyn Bergman)
D
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

@DK_Madsen, Please post a screenshot of ‘Settings → System → About my Sonos system’.

 

Why is that important, such a screenshot will include MAC, IP, sonos names and so on.

 

Smilja

@DK_Madsen, Please post a screenshot of ‘Settings → System → About my Sonos system’.

 

Why is that important, such a screenshot will include MAC, IP, sonos names and so on.

 

I’d like to know what firmware version each of the Sonos devices is currently running. You can blur MAC and IP addresses if you like. Are the names your Sonos speakers are labelled with big, big secret? If so, blacken them too.

»And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space, Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind.« (›Windmills Of Your Mind‹ [1967]. Music by Michel Legrand ; English lyrics written by Alan & Marilyn Bergman)
jgatie

You will not be upgraded to S2 unless you download the S2 app, initiate the upgrade, and physically choose to take the legacy models off your system. 

Now why we need a lecture on purchasing habits or doom and gloom predictions of what is to come that have no basis in reality in order to ask for that simple answer is something I’ll never understand.

D
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

@DK_Madsen, Please post a screenshot of ‘Settings → System → About my Sonos system’.

 

Why is that important, such a screenshot will include MAC, IP, sonos names and so on.

 

I’d like to know what firmware version each of the Sonos devices is currently running. You can blur MAC and IP addresses if you like. Are the names your Sonos speakers are labelled with big, big secret? If so, blacken them too.

Speakers are named with kids names so i left them out.

This is what i have.


Play 3

SONOS OS : S1

Versíon 11.1 (version 56076060

HW : 1.8.1.3-2

 

Play 3

SONOS OS : S1

Versíon 11.1 (version 56076060

HW : 1.8.1.3-2

 

Play 3

SONOS OS : S1

Versíon 11.1 (version 56076060

HW : 1.8.1.3-2

 

Play 5

SONOS OS : S1

Version 11.1 (Version 56076060)

HW : 1.16.4.1-2

 

Play 1

SONOS OS : S1

Version 11.1 (Version 56076060)

HW : 1.8.3.7-2

 

Play 1

SONOS OS : S1

Version 11.1 (Version 56076060)

HW : 1.8.3.7-2

 

Playbar

SONOS OS : S1

Version 11.1 (Version 56076060)

HW : 1.9.1.10-2

 

Play 1

SONOS OS : S1

Version 11.1 (Version 56076060)

HW : 1.20.1.6-2

 

Play 1

SONOS OS : S1

Version 11.1 (Version 56076060)

HW : 1.20.1.6-2

Smilja

@DK_Madsen, You can safely update to v11.2 (S1). As @jgatie stated, you’d have to install the S2 app on purpose in order to migrate the system’s firmware to v12 (S2).

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sonos.acr&hl=us

»And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space, Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind.« (›Windmills Of Your Mind‹ [1967]. Music by Michel Legrand ; English lyrics written by Alan & Marilyn Bergman)
D
Userlevel 7
Badge +5

@DK_Madsen, You can safely update to v11.2 (S1). As @jgatie stated, you’d have to install the S2 app on purpose in order to migrate the system’s firmware to v12 (S2).

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sonos.acr&hl=us


Ok, great.

 

Is there actually a changelog for 11.1 to 11.2 ?

 

Never mind, google helped me, the only difference is some update to voice assistants, and none of my sonos has a built in microphone because if choose to avoid these products so there is no benefit of updating it seems.

 

When setting up a voice assistant, the response chime will now be turned off by default. You can still choose to enable the chime during setup or in your app’s Settings menu.

A
Userlevel 6
Badge +11

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

 

Many thanks John. Unfortunately it’s split. 

From memory I have 4-5 devices that will not upgrade to S2 but are perfectly serviceable music wise otherwise, and used a lot.

The other 8 odd devices are very new and unaffected.

I’m also using the web based controller on Win10 in the main with occasional Android tablet use. I’m also one of those that ‘’assumed Sonos would work on our Pixelbook (poor research on my part although did work quite a while before deciding not to) and I'm hoping in the future this will return and would ideally be our main controller but understand this may be a long while coming, if ever.

To complicate things specifically for me, I do have an interest in the new products announced just (despite having dabbled with other devices and playback software) and would go HD going forward … we have top end speakers attached to the Sonos box … B&W in ceiling. 

So even after 164 pages of reading I’m still struggling a bit how to move forward.

In summary:

  • I have to split until can afford do something with those 5 legacy devices.
  • I do want buy new Sonos devices with focus on HD & am in position to do so
  • I can move some devices physically around to help splits
  • I don’t know if can install S1 & S2 or have to commit to one or the other

I should know more the time I’ve been reading and discussing but still not entirely clear save to say we have more options open than earlier year. 

Any approach suggestions very gratefully received. In the meantime I’m off to read the link you kindly sent.

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