Contributor I

Answered

SONOS ALEXA Integration?

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Been waiting to hear news about when this will happen and am starting to think it never will. I have Sonos and Alexa in every room. I did this with the assurance that Sonos and Alexa are going to work together. There has been next to no news regarding integration for the past 6 months.... When can we expect to hear about Sonos and Alexa integration? Is it still happening? Please any update would be appreciated.

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Ryan SAnswer

Retired Sonos Staff

Hi everyone, there's a lot of interesting discussion going on here and I love the energy you all have around voice control and Alexa. My message from way earlier in this thread is still very much still the case, so I'll quote it here:

Thanks for jumping in everyone. Great answers already. As suggested, I can't really provide any extra details today, but I assure you, we're as excited about this as you are. It is coming. We'll let the world know as soon as there's more to say, and we'll announce here on the community (and elsewhere) if there are any opportunities to help us beta test.

On top of that, I just want to take a moment to make sure everything is clear about a few things. First off, to use voice control with Sonos, you will need to have a device with Alexa built in. We're largely talking about Amazon Echos and Dots here, but you never know what other fun gadgets may work as well, at launch or after it.

Second, once the software is live, it will work with every updated Sonos component. As long as you already have an Alexa-enabled device, you aren't going to need to buy any new hardware to use Alexa with Sonos. Just make sure your players are updated to the latest version of the Sonos software (when Alexa control comes out for Sonos), you will be able to take advantage of the voice commands sent by your Alexa-enabled devices. We're not going to go into the magic right now, but there have been some pretty good ideas here in the thread already.

That's all for now. More to come later, so stay tuned!

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jgatie

An update from the Sonos folks would be appreciated. I love my Sonos equipment, and continue to invest (I have 2 play 5s, 3 play 1s, soundbar, subwoofer, a connect, and a connect amp). As a paying customer whose been told this feature is coming, at least SOME sort of an update would be appropriate.

From 2 days ago:

https://en.community.sonos.com/music-services-and-sources-228994/alexa-echo-yet-6769174/index4.html#post16131181

The Alexa integration already has the highest priority here and the team's working to bring it out with all necessary fires burning under the right seats. While we're not sharing a timeline beyond the promise that it'll be out this year, that doesn't mean it's far out, just that it isn't here yet. We tend not to give timelines but wanted everyone to know this was the direction we're heading, so in this case, the company broke the usual silence and let slip some plans.

As soon as we have any further details to share we'll be letting everyone know.

If you are looking for things like exact dates or specific timelines, you aren't going to get them. Sonos does not schedule by calendar date, they schedule according to testing goals met.

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hgmobile

Avid Contributor I

It would appear that some info is leaking out. See http://www.aftvnews.com/beta-testers-can-now-control-sonos-speakers-through-any-alexa-enabled-device/

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Steven Colucci

Contributor II

Just piling on. When the press release (almost a year ago) states "the companies will begin rolling out the experience through an invite-only beta test later this year, with general availability in 2017.", it leads you to believe early 2017. And with no announced date, I am growing skeptical myself. I've been a beta multiple times before, it doesn't take this long and I've heard no chatter from beta users. If the intent was to boost holiday sales with a something far far away, Amazon hit with me, Sonos did not. With 7 zones already, I am fully invested in Sonos but I did drop coin on a six pack of dots with the primary purpose to voice enable Sonos throughout my home. Will it ever really happen? Or do I need to rethink how I voice enable sound in my home?

chicks

The majority of sales of electronic devices happens once per year: the Christmas shopping season. You can be quite sure that the Sonos/Alexa integration will be finished, and most likely in its second or third iteration, by then.

jgatie

Just piling on. When the press release (almost a year ago) states "the companies will begin rolling out the experience through an invite-only beta test later this year, with general availability in 2017.", it leads you to believe early 2017. And with no announced date, I am growing skeptical myself. I've been a beta multiple times before, it doesn't take this long and I've heard no chatter from beta users. If the intent was to boost holiday sales with a something far far away, Amazon hit with me, Sonos did not. With 7 zones already, I am fully invested in Sonos but I did drop coin on a six pack of dots with the primary purpose to voice enable Sonos throughout my home. Will it ever really happen? Or do I need to rethink how I voice enable sound in my home?

Sonos, a normally tight-lipped outfit, has repeatedly stated the project is being worked on and is on track for release this year. They have never stated anything else, though some (including myself) assumed the development cycle was shorter. I was wrong, as were others.

melvimbe

It would appear that some info is leaking out. See http://www.aftvnews.com/beta-testers-can-now-control-sonos-speakers-through-any-alexa-enabled-device/

This is good information, I think, regarding what functionality will be available. I was hoping that you could tie a specific echo to a specific zone. In that way, you wouldn't have to name the zone you want to play music in. If this article can be trusted, it does look like that will be implemented. You will have to add 'in the kitchen' to your command.

While a little disappointed about that, it is also implies that you will be able to use your echo without disturbing the music playing in the same room/zone. I don't want to pause the music when I ask about the weather, and I certainly didn't want sonos to forget what was currently playing. This implementation sounds like you won't be able to have your sonos speakers respond as the voice of Alexa. Perfectly fine with me.

What isn't clear is, will the music source be from what you have setup in Alexa or from your sources in the Sonos configuration? Hopefully the later. If you ask Alexa to play music without specifying a zone, will it just play on it's own speakers or ask you for a zone. If you want multiple zones, can you list them out? Can't wait to find out.

Danny

ShaQ

Contributor I

I am sure I am biased, but I just can't be that impressed with HomePod. What I've read just doesn't give me a good feeling about it all.

I've searched a little about Airplay 2, but I don't see anything elaborating on what they consider to be multi-room. I'm sure you can play the same source in multiple rooms, but I see nothing about different sources. And yes, you could play music from Apple or whatever is on your phone, which sounds nice, but is really rather limited in practicality, especially when you consider what Sonos offers.

It will be a rather interesting Christmas retail season.

Apple is making a gamble. They are trying to target Sonos customers. By what I see on this forum, they are forever expecting more and better. But customers who experience the effortless setup with Sonos and migrate to Homepod will likely face the same issues but will Apple support the network issues they face? I can't get them to fix the issues I am facing at home in an Apple Store. Then they have to setup a support infra for the home network and third part products like routers et al. I use all the Apple products and know they are good but this is home!! Integration is key. Involvement is also key.

If Apple is prying on Sonos customers well good luck on that! I'm a new Sonos user and I bought it purely for its sound quality, wide range of products and integration with MultiRoom capabilities. Voice integration comes as a bonus for me if it does.I suppose most of the users here actually care about music hence they choose this brand to pay a premium. HomePod may be good but I'm sure it can't beat a Play 5 when it comes to sound quality, it also won't have the capacity to add-on and expand the system as we Sonos customers love to do. Personal opinion, I wouldn't jump the ship as Apple won't be able to replace my P5 pairs and Sub or the sound quality any soon 🆒

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matiase

Trending Lyricist I

as a new sonos owner , as others, we love the sound quality, just hoping the alexa integration come, everytime friends come to visit our home, and ask how does sonos integrates on echo dot, he..... he..he..... all I can say ... it's work in progress, but most of the time, I got feedback from friends, it will be awesome to have voice integrated on SONOS, as SONOS has great sounds........

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upstatemike

I don't want to pause the music when I ask about the weather, and I certainly didn't want sonos to forget what was currently playing. This implementation sounds like you won't be able to have your sonos speakers respond as the voice of Alexa. Perfectly fine with me.

The music shouldn't pause but it would be nice if the volume dropped a little while Alexa is speaking so you can hear her.

I wonder if you are supposed to give the Echo and Sonos speaker in each room the same name or if they need to be unique? If I am at my desk I assume I can say call the Kitchen and that will activate the Kitchen Echo but if I say play some music in the Kitchen that this will cause the Kitchen Sonos speaker to play. Or maybe Amazon plans to let you tell one Echo to play music on another Echo at some point which would mean unique names all around; "Kitchen Echo" and "Kitchen Sonos"?

Local music library with carefully constructed playlists - no shuffling!, Integration with Homeseer Automation, No touch screen devices, No streaming services, No Apple products ever

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JK1

Lyricist II

There's a lot of other threads with basically the same question, although search functions on this forum are suspect. The gist is, they promised to have it out in 2017, and it's not ready yet. Generally speaking, Sonos doesn't post timelines for releases.

Therefore the fact is everyone is asking for it. The excuse we dont knows etc etc is just rubbish. When developing anything you have a clear roadmap of when its likely to be completed. This is a poor attitude from Sonos and like others tired of waiting for it or some news.
But my saviour has come Amazon Prime Day half price big echos so ill just get one of those and sell the Sonos. I dont need wireless to play music. I dont need bridges to play music etc etc Not having bluetooth in all Sonos is stupid. Its a pretty useless expensive speaker if you dont have wireless! Time to get rid tbh. Tired of hearing excuses or actually not hearing anything its arrogant for Sonos to think its OK.

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