Sonos Launches Redesigned App With Customizable Home Screen For More Personalized Listening

[MacRumors]

Sonos today unveiled a redesigned Sonos app that is meant to unify an increasingly fragmented streaming market. The app is focused around a customizable home screen that supports more than 100 streaming services, so each user can set up a personalized listening experience.

The home screen layout can be customized, and it displays the services that each user has set up along with controls for accessing content. There are quick access options for recently played songs, podcasts, and books, along with options to browse libraries and see recommendations from preferred services.

Favorite content and services can be pinned in rows to the home screen, and the rows are rearrangeable and customizable. A built-in always-visible search feature allows users to search for artists, songs, podcasts, audiobooks, and more across all of their preferred streaming apps.

Swiping up from the bottom of the home screen allows for a quick visual overview of everything that's playing on connected devices, and there are tools for groping speakers and adjusting volume across the home.

The new Sonos app will be available globally on mobile and through the web on May 7.

Article Link: Sonos Launches Redesigned App With Customizable Home Screen For More Personalized Listening

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Love my Sonos speakers, used much like others use HomePods. They all "just work" fine with my Apple stuff, minus all of the walled garden limitations and Corp deciding for users (what they can and can't do). Siri commands to Apple hardware can control what plays on them. Airplay 2 works just as well. Apple Music is one of over a HUNDRED services already able to run natively on them... no waiting for such support and/or corporate squabbles preventing desired services from being available. Etc.

While I don't use them in any surround sound setup myself, those who wish Apple would go there could already be there with Sonos, which already has the hardware for sale and the surround sound software fully fleshed out and functional. For that purpose, if I wanted smart speakers for a home theater, the only choice between the two would be Sonos because they are able to deliver actual (real) surround sound now... vs. faux surround from only 2 stereo speakers... with nary a rumor that there will ever be any more from Apple in that direction.

These enhancements to the app sound very good. I look forward to trying them.

However, I haven't ever felt any desire to "grope" the speakers: all love & respect for them here.

 

[G5isAlive]

I have a love hate relationship with Sonos...when it works it's great, but when it doesn't the diagnosis tools are poor. Having said that, I am glad to see the App continuing to improve. It used to be garbage.

 

[G5isAlive]

They all "just work" fine with my Apple stuff

Eh, not quite. I own both. Moving a HomePod from network to network is no big deal. Try doing that with a Sonos. Often I have to reset them back to factory, which is a pain of a 1000 cuts. The exception is the 'move.'

 

[GrayFlannel]

I like Sonos products.

 

[Cbmarsh25]

Groping speakers haha

 

[mtrm]

I have a love hate relationship with Sonos...when it works it's great, but when it doesn't the diagnosis tools are poor. Having said that, I am glad to see the App continuing to improve. It used to be garbage.

I’m in the same boat. Couple years ago I was having all sorts of issues, with the most annoying being the speakers constantly dropping WiFi connection. I lost count how many times I woke up to the annoying default alarm sound because it lost connection at the time the alarm was supposed to go off and it couldn’t play the Spotify playlist.
Thankfully they have been stable lately!

 

[brofkand]

I prefer service agnostic hardware like Sonos to lock-in hardware like HomePod, personally. I love my Sonos equipment.

 

[brofkand]

I’m in the same boat. Couple years ago I was having all sorts of issues, with the most annoying being the speakers constantly dropping WiFi connection. I lost count how many times I woke up to the annoying default alarm sound because it lost connection at the time the alarm was supposed to go off and it couldn’t play the Spotify playlist.
Thankfully they have been stable lately!

Connect at least one speaker to Ethernet, and they will form their own Mesh network that is much more reliable.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Eh, not quite. I own both. Moving a HomePod from network to network is no big deal. Try doing that with a Sonos. Often I have to reset them back to factory, which is a pain of a 1000 cuts. The exception is the 'move.'

I can't recall ever needing easy flexibility to move home speakers network to network at home. If that was important, I'd probably get Sonos Move 2- which is most like HP- and just use BlueTooth when away from the main network.

Like many, I do have home & guest networks at home, but simply link Sonos to the home network with no need to ever switch them to guest. However, if you have such needs, I can grasp that it would be some setup steps to regularly change home network connections, which would also cause complications for AppleTV connections to Macs, Home app connections, Home Sharing, etc if some hardware is on one network and other hardware on another.

 

[victorvictoria]

I might consider Sonos if I didn't get at least 10 spam emails purporting to be Sonos telling me I've won something. If they can't police their online presence, no thanks.

 

[brofkand]

I might consider Sonos if I didn't get at least 10 spam emails purporting to be Sonos telling me I've won something. If they can't police their online presence, no thanks.

Precisely the same reason I don't buy Cialis.

 

[massysett]

Connect at least one speaker to Ethernet, and they will form their own Mesh network that is much more reliable.

This works only with older Sonos products. Newer ones do not have this feature (known as Sonosnet.)

Is the Sonosnet dying out? | Sonos Community

Is the Sonosnet dying out? The new eras 100 & 300 can no longer use or perform it! They can only handle home wlan like move or roam. If that's actually the case, I hope, that wireless repeaters will be perfect supported in the future.Dirk

en.community.sonos.com

 

[mtrm]

Connect at least one speaker to Ethernet, and they will form their own Mesh network that is much more reliable.

I tried that (even had 2 speakers wired), but even then it was dropping. Most likely interference with the WiFi networks around (either my own or neighbours’). I have since upgraded my access points and right now have all speakers connected via WiFi and working fine.
But I have on my backlog of DIY projects to wire a few more rooms with Ethernet!

 

[ThirteenXIII]

I might consider Sonos if I didn't get at least 10 spam emails purporting to be Sonos telling me I've won something. If they can't police their online presence, no thanks.

that's not really their problem per se, there are so many spambots that use companies to fraud people. and frankly it could be your data mined so id be concerned about your data privacy and look into that

 

[chachawpi]

I might consider Sonos if I didn't get at least 10 spam emails purporting to be Sonos telling me I've won something. If they can't police their online presence, no thanks.

Most likely your Internet history is the problem and not Sonos.

 

[chachawpi]

Precisely the same reason I don't buy Cialis.

Well played.

 

[Godspeed8230]

I do have high hopes for this app.

 

[G5isAlive]

I’m in the same boat. Couple years ago I was having all sorts of issues, with the most annoying being the speakers constantly dropping WiFi connection. I lost count how many times I woke up to the annoying default alarm sound because it lost connection at the time the alarm was supposed to go off and it couldn’t play the Spotify playlist.
Thankfully they have been stable lately!

They are getting better with the inclusion of their boost technology in some of their recent sound bars, but my Sonos 1's still drop on occasion. I have 9 Sonos products throughout my house, I don't even bother to try to have them on all the time together, though that was the promise. That just doesn't work without something dropping. I find 5 at a time is reasonably stable, and maybe 99% of the time their soundbar paired with surround speakers stays connected. If Apple came out with a decent soundbar I would ditch Sonos entirely. But as it is, I have a mixture, with my HomePods being my go to's for immersive music, my Sonos for my TV's (and sharing them with the kitchen for example).

I can't recall ever needing easy flexibility to move home speakers network to network at home. If that was important, I'd probably get Sonos Move 2- which is most like HP- and just use BlueTooth when away from the main network.

The reason I got Sonos was WIFI offered a better solution to sound quality, and to be able to move about my house and have the same music (or tv) playing wherever I go. I dont want to carry a Move around me, and I dont like the quality drop with Bluetooth (unless I am outside).

And yes, I do update my network rather frequently to take advantage in speed advantages. The point is you were suggesting Sonos was as easy as HomePods. They are good, but not that easy

However, if you have such needs, I can grasp that it would be some setup steps to regularly change home network connections, which would also cause complications for AppleTV connections to Macs, Home app connections, Home Sharing, etc if some hardware is on one network and other hardware on another.

So again Nope. If I change my router for example, but keep the same name and password, the only devices I have issues with are Sonos. NOT my Apple TV. NOT my HomePods. NOT my dishwasher. NOT my washer/dryer. NOT my lighting systems. JUST Sonos. and they acknowledge this point in their instructions. And they have recommendations on how to re-link your system. Sometimes it works. Often it doesn't. The only way I find that is reliable is to totally wipe the system clean, resent the speakers to manufacture state, and start over. with 9 Sonos speakers that is a real pain. It seems to be getting better, now if I ignore their warnings and just keep telling it to try, it will sometimes reconnect eventually. sort of. with great patience. I have a lot of good things to say about Sonos audio, it's nice to have an alternative, but moving networks is a pain. And, btw, that's the easiest change. Try changing houses. Sighs.

They aren't as easy to set up as HomePods. They just aren't.

 

[Silverado]

SONOS hasn’t launched anything. They WILL launch on May 7. I wish writers would pay more attention to the words they use. They’re kind of important.

 

[G5isAlive]

SONOS hasn’t launched anything. They WILL launch on May 7. I wish writers would pay more attention to the words they use. They’re kind of important.

Thanks for pointing this out. I admit since I struggle with their App on occasion, I was looking forward to something better (as in launched) then read further.

 

[TechnoMonk]

I have a love hate relationship with Sonos...when it works it's great, but when it doesn't the diagnosis tools are poor. Having said that, I am glad to see the App continuing to improve. It used to be garbage.

I had to send them back to Costco after few months of using for the same reason. Now Sonos is ridiculously expensive.

 

[lindros2]

SONOS hasn’t launched anything. They WILL launch on May 7. I wish writers would pay more attention to the words they use. They’re kind of important.

correct.
I refreshed App Store and nothing yet...

 

[mtrm]

They are getting better with the inclusion of their boost technology in some of their recent sound bars, but my Sonos 1's still drop on occasion. I have 9 Sonos products throughout my house, I don't even bother to try to have them on all the time together, though that was the promise. That just doesn't work without something dropping. I find 5 at a time is reasonably stable, and maybe 99% of the time their soundbar paired with surround speakers stays connected. If Apple came out with a decent soundbar I would ditch Sonos entirely. But as it is, I have a mixture, with my HomePods being my go to's for immersive music, my Sonos for my TV's (and sharing them with the kitchen for example).

Thanks for the info! I’m currently at only 4 speakers (all on S2, and 2 of which in stereo pair) but by the looks of it it’s better to not go much further than that. I’d love to give the HomePod a shot, but they aren’t available in my region.

 

[jimmysalg]

Love my Sonos speakers, used much like others use HomePods. They all "just work" fine with my Apple stuff, minus all of the walled garden limitations and Corp deciding for users (what they can and can't do). Siri commands to Apple hardware can control what plays on them. Airplay 2 works just as well. Apple Music is one of over a HUNDRED services already able to run natively on them... no waiting for such support and/or corporate squabbles preventing desired services from being available. Etc.

While I don't use them in any surround sound setup myself, those who wish Apple would go there could already be there with Sonos, which already has the hardware for sale and the surround sound software fully fleshed out and functional. For that purpose, if I wanted smart speakers for a home theater, the only choice between the two would be Sonos because they are able to deliver actual (real) surround sound now... vs. faux surround from only 2 stereo speakers... with nary a rumor that there will ever be any more from Apple in that direction.

These enhancements to the app sound very good. I look forward to trying them.

However, I haven't ever felt any desire to "grope" the speakers: all love & respect for them here.

I had all HomePods all over my house. When the Sonos Roam came out I bout it cause of the battery and airplay 2 support. I have now gotten rid of all my HomePods and replaced them with Sonos. They just work/sound great.