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Cladner
Contributor I
May 11, 2017
Answered

SONOS ALEXA Integration?

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 S
    Ryan SAnswer
    Retired Sonos Staff
    August 31, 2017
    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!
    Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.

    266 replies

    passopp
    August 30, 2017
    I have one Echo Dot. Bought it to see if it's really all that. I have a Play:5 and multiple Play:1's throughout my home.

    Well, if you want to control your Sonos via voice from ANY of your house's rooms, you will obviously need one Dot (or other respective Alexa-compatible far-field mic) in every room.

    First world problems, really.
    Airgetlam
    August 30, 2017
    It will be fascinating when this is released, won't it? Maybe on October 4?
    Bruce
    chicks
    August 30, 2017
    Staples has the Dot on sale for $35 right now after EZ rebate. Time to get a couple more...
    Contributor I
    August 30, 2017
    @upstatemike...My home security system is Alexa friendly. I can control the door locks, thermostats, lights, etc. However, I have to tell Alexa which door, which thermostat, which light in which room. Half the time, it wouldn't work or I found myself repeating myself just to get Alexa to work. My phone is always nearby. It takes about 2 seconds to open my phone and get to the Sonos app or home security app. By the time I say "Alexa, ask Alarm.com to change the temperature in the house" followed by another command to specify which specific thermostat followed by another command to set the correct temperature I already have the temp set via the app on my phone. I hope the Sonos integration will be much easier..."Alexa, play Top Hits in the living room" boom it's done. I'm afraid it won't be that easy though...my alarm.com integration sure the heck isn't!
    chicks
    August 31, 2017
    Panasonic is introducing a new Google Assistant voice enabled speaker this winter. Google, like Amazon, has opened its API for 3rd party hardware integration.

    Look for Sonos to very possibly announce Google Assistant support, along with Alexa support, on Oct 4th.

    http://www.techradar.com/news/panasonic-announces-new-smart-speaker-the-google-assistant-powered-ga10
    chicks
    August 31, 2017
    Sonos want to avoid the Sir Clive Sinclair brand of self defeating early releasing of flawed product.

    And I for one won't blame them. I'd rather they canned voice if it doesn't live up to expectation.


    Amazon just released their Connected Speaker API for AVS two days ago, after a year in development. Sonos can now use the developer preview version, which should finally be stable enough to develop against. Amazon has been the holdup on this, not Sonos. You can be sure that Sonos was heavily involved with Amazon in the development of this new API. Imagine the conference calls Sonos had over the past year with Amazon, Bose, Denon, etc, all with competing interests, developing this API together.

    https://developer.amazon.com/blogs/alexa/post/7c9343ce-425b-4baa-ae63-49c36afb5341/giving-device-makers-more-ways-to-bring-voice-forward-music-experiences-to-their-products
    chicks
    August 31, 2017
    An interesting apology from Bose, who apparently promised to deliver Alexa integration by a specific date, rather than Sonos' broad "some time in 2017" announcement. Sonos hasn't needed to apologize for Amazon holding up delivery of this API.

    https://community.bose.com/t5/SoundTouch-Speakers/Amazon-Alexa-Skill-Update-and-a-Note-About-Feature-Timing/td-p/59632

    The floodgates have now opened, with nearly all manufacturers involved now saying Alexa enabled speakers will start shipping Q4 2017.
    jgatie
    August 31, 2017
    An interesting apology from Bose, who apparently promised to deliver Alexa integration by a specific date, rather than Sonos' broad "some time in 2017" announcement. Sonos hasn't needed to apologize for Amazon holding up delivery of this API.

    https://community.bose.com/t5/SoundTouch-Speakers/Amazon-Alexa-Skill-Update-and-a-Note-About-Feature-Timing/td-p/59632

    The floodgates have now opened, with nearly all manufacturers involved now saying Alexa enabled speakers will start shipping Q4 2017.


    A great, concise, and no punches pulled explanation on why stating exact dates is impossible. Should be required reading for any consumer asking “when will new feature X be available?”

    Interesting little tidbit at the bottom:

    By speaking to an Amazon Echo, Dot, or Tap with the Skill, SoundTouch users can:

    Play your favorite music from your SoundTouch Presets.
    Play a Preset in a specific room.
    Play/pause/resume and skip tracks.
    Adjust volume.
    Play the same music everywhere.
    Find out what’s playing.
    Turn on/off.


    Alexa control of favorites and presets only? Seems a little lacking compared to what Sonos has proposed. Basically, that is what the 3rd party skills are doing for Sonos now.
    Smilja
    August 31, 2017
    An interesting apology from Bose, who apparently promised to deliver Alexa integration by a specific date, rather than Sonos' broad "some time in 2017" announcement. Sonos hasn't needed to apologize for Amazon holding up delivery of this API.
    I don't think that Amazon has developed this single-handedly. Announcing an allegedly joint venture a year ago and then waiting in idleness for Amazon to deliver the API would have been strange, to say the least – remember this promotion video?
    »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)
    chicks
    August 31, 2017
    An interesting apology from Bose, who apparently promised to deliver Alexa integration by a specific date, rather than Sonos' broad "some time in 2017" announcement. Sonos hasn't needed to apologize for Amazon holding up delivery of this API.
    I don't think that Amazon developed this single-handedly. Announcing an allegedly joint venture a year ago and then waiting in idleness for Amazon to deliver the API would have been strange; to say the least – remember this promotion video?


    You can be certain that Sonos, Bose, Denon, Samsung at the very least, were all involved with Amazon. Small wonder it took a year.