Sonos Considering Bringing Back Its Old Mobile App Amid Ongoing Issues

[antiprotest]

Probably someone in Sonos who had the CEO's ear pushed this through to make his mark. The CEO (or some other executive) favored the wrong person and ignored dissent, and someone more qualified to take the lead was shoved aside. Just a possibility, maybe totally off, but this is often what happens.

 

[jclardy]

Or they could republish the old app as "Sonos Classic" and keep the new app as well, while they work the bugs out of it. Best of both worlds.

100% this is the way to go. They don't want to give up their search rankings for the mainline sonos app, so just republishing the old code as "Classic" gives them happy users, and new users likely won't realize all the features they lost out on when installing the new version.

 

[timber]

Or they could republish the old app as "Sonos Classic" and keep the new app as well, while they work the bugs out of it. Best of both worlds.

They certainly knew the new app was not yet fit for service. They probably didn't expect the reaction.
If they had launched following your tip they would have got the best of both worlds
Customers happy and an eye into the future.

 

[So.Fa.King]

Too little too late… They should have allowed customers the option to roll-back to the S2 version immediately after all the issues surfaced.. I‘d be nervous buying another Sonos product which is a real shame because I loved their Speakers before the app was updated a few months ago.

 

[cheekyjeremy]

Personally I prefer the new app over the old one. In defense of the others, I didn't and oddly enough no one I know personally had any issues with the new app. Like Theo there have said, maybe have both available for a while

 

[AGSP]

Just a few months after debuting an all-new mobile app for controlling its audio products, Sonos is considering bringing back the previous version of the app following numerous user complaints, reports The Verge.

While Sonos has been working to address a number of missing features and issues with the new app and has laid out a timeline to keep users updated on the company's progress, The Verge reports that "discussions high up within Sonos" have centered around potentially offering the old app as an interim solution.Just last week, Sonos CEO Patrick Spence revealed on the company's earnings call that it will be delaying two upcoming product launches due to "challenges with our new app." While Spence did not identify the products in question, one of them is likely to be the successor to the company's flagship Arc soundbar.

Article Link: Sonos Considering Bringing Back Its Old Mobile App Amid Ongoing Issues

I sold all my Sonos gear.......just feed up with their rubbish software. Just an overpriced speaker ruined by "control" by software and always updating when you want to listen to something!

 

[gigapocket1]

Should be able to offer the legacy app in settings... so that users can bounce back and forth

 

[mikebenton]

They had S1 and S2....Then S1 and 'Sonos'. Just go to S1/S2/S3. It's likely the only folks who will need to use S3 are those who have the new headphones. I would love to get back to S2!

 

[kingrikk]

I still have no idea what all the fuss is about with the new app. It doesn't seem much different to the old one. But it must be harming sales, never seen so many offers.

I have their headphones and have really enjoyed the noise cancellation and comfort of them.

 

[gk_brown]

I only use the app to set my hardware up.

Hardware setup shouldn't require an app...

 

[gk_brown]

To be fair, it's tough to build a good app. It gets harder if you're using a cross-platform toolkit like React Native or Flutter - even harder if you're using SwiftUI.

The best apps are still the ones that use the native SDK (UIKit) and are built by developers that actually know how to use it.

 

[iSaul]

Or they could republish the old app as "Sonos Classic" and keep the new app as well, while they work the bugs out of it. Best of both worlds.

I thought about this too. They may have updated some of the backend protocols in a way that devices aren't compatible with both apps at the same time. Could take quite a bit of work and introduce a host of other issues.

 

[mgwebb]

I still have no idea what all the fuss is about with the new app. It doesn't seem much different to the old one. But it must be harming sales, never seen so many offers.

I have their headphones and have really enjoyed the noise cancellation and comfort of them.

Likewise, I prefer the new app to the old. Granted I do nothing other than connect to Apple Music to play albums or playlists on the pair of Play:1s in my office. However, it is painfully slow for the app to connect when I open - up to 20 seconds. Simply adjusting the volume also has a frustrating lag.

 

[klasma]

One has to grant them that they are not just ignoring the issues, like so many companies do when replacing their software with a subpar version.

 

[albebaubles]

Just a few months after debuting an all-new mobile app for controlling its audio products, Sonos is considering bringing back the previous version of the app following numerous user complaints, reports The Verge.

While Sonos has been working to address a number of missing features and issues with the new app and has laid out a timeline to keep users updated on the company's progress, The Verge reports that "discussions high up within Sonos" have centered around potentially offering the old app as an interim solution.Just last week, Sonos CEO Patrick Spence revealed on the company's earnings call that it will be delaying two upcoming product launches due to "challenges with our new app." While Spence did not identify the products in question, one of them is likely to be the successor to the company's flagship Arc soundbar.

Article Link: Sonos Considering Bringing Back Its Old Mobile App Amid Ongoing Issues

Just a few months after debuting an all-new mobile app for controlling its audio products, Sonos is considering bringing back the previous version of the app following numerous user complaints, reports The Verge.

While Sonos has been working to address a number of missing features and issues with the new app and has laid out a timeline to keep users updated on the company's progress, The Verge reports that "discussions high up within Sonos" have centered around potentially offering the old app as an interim solution.Just last week, Sonos CEO Patrick Spence revealed on the company's earnings call that it will be delaying two upcoming product launches due to "challenges with our new app." While Spence did not identify the products in question, one of them is likely to be the successor to the company's flagship Arc soundbar.

Article Link: Sonos Considering Bringing Back Its Old Mobile App Amid Ongoing Issues

Good golly. “How to ruin a company with bad software engineering for $100, Alex”

 

[nt5672]

Do they mean the really crappy app that was there before this crappy app? LOL

That is what happens when you bid out to the lowest cost supplier to develop your apps. Some CEOs are so focused on cost they lose sight of the goal. Look out for CEOs with good intensions.

 

[realdangerdan]

The new app is truly dreadful. It’s advertised as “faster” but it’s riddled with loading screens. Not only that but the UI breaks all the human interface guidelines from Apple, using bottom sheets for basically everything.

Bin it and continue to improve the original version, *nobody* asked for this redesign.

 

[mikebenton]

I still have no idea what all the fuss is about with the new app. It doesn't seem much different to the old one. But it must be harming sales, never seen so many offers.

I have their headphones and have really enjoyed the noise cancellation and comfort of them.

It's not just about the app. Yes, I can't stand the new app....but the issue is that speakers disappear, skips songs halfway through, speakers fall out of groups while playing, etc.

 

[voodoo111]

I appreciate users are experiencing issues with the new App. I however, cannot jump in and bash Sonos for it, because I am not experiencing issues at all. I have 6x Sonos One Gen2 speakers (will probably add another 2 as soon as my landscaping for my backyard is done so I can have wireless music outside in my outdoor area), Sonos AMP, the Sonos mini sub, along with the Sonos Arc that all run multi-room and surround sound. Works a treat for me, even with the new App. I love Sonos poducts. Not only that, I cant bash it because Apple is definitely not without it faults. Updates that need to fix updates, Antenna-gate (You are holding it wrong), software update the bricked the original Homepod.. I can keep going. He without sin can cast the first stone, as they say

 

[dwaite]

Say what you want, Apple at least has the courage to swap out an app with a replacement having half the features without looking back.

 

[Keebler]

Just a few months after debuting an all-new mobile app for controlling its audio products, Sonos is considering bringing back the previous version of the app following numerous user complaints, reports The Verge.

While Sonos has been working to address a number of missing features and issues with the new app and has laid out a timeline to keep users updated on the company's progress, The Verge reports that "discussions high up within Sonos" have centered around potentially offering the old app as an interim solution.Just last week, Sonos CEO Patrick Spence revealed on the company's earnings call that it will be delaying two upcoming product launches due to "challenges with our new app." While Spence did not identify the products in question, one of them is likely to be the successor to the company's flagship Arc soundbar.

Article Link: Sonos Considering Bringing Back Its Old Mobile App Amid Ongoing Issues

It's insane how a company (who relies so much on their product's ability to CONNECT to software and other speakers!) would allow such a boondoggle to happen. Do companies not test their stuff out these days before launching?

Their speakers sound fantastic, but the apps have driven me crazy, but always needing an update than not working correctly. The old play bar attached to my TV works great. No issues there. But the old Play 1s I have always need software twiddling.

Now I'm about to embark on a new TV set up for downstairs. I was going to go with Sonos wireless for rears with the arc bar and sub, but this is making me think again.

Funny how my 15 year old Tannoy system still works. Even bought a little BT adapter to connect my iPhone.

 

[xraydoc]

I'm very surprised they would even consider this. I wonder if that would require rolling back the firmware on the speakers, too. Given how touchy the new version was (is), I'd be warry of attempting to revert to an older version after all that.

Other than missing some features (which are of course important to people), I'm actually at a stable point with my Sonos gear. Though admittedly I've not tried to add new speakers, re-tune the room processing, change wifi networks, or any make any other infrastructure changes since the new app & firmware was released.

 

[npmacuser5]

CEO’s today, in All industries aren't even close to earning 1/10 of their average salaries. Reality, a magic 8 ball for less then $15 a better chance of success then today’s CEO’s. Shameful!

 

[npmacuser5]

A great opportunity for Apple. Using AirPlay2 Sonos speakers, Apple Music, solves the problems Sonos is having. Works great and an added bonus, integrates Apple, Bose, any AirPlay2 speskers to the listening home. Something Sonos does not do. Sonos makes great speaker hardware. Buy their hardware, use Apple Music to make it work. Apple Ad, welcome to Apple Sonos users. Exactly what I have done.

 

[noraa]

They should’ve done something like this from the beginning - kept the old app on the App Store, and introduced the new app under a different name (Sonos Next Gen, or something like that). They could’ve advertised it as being on the cutting edge of what they want to do, but with certain features still missing.

Instead, they took a page out of the Apple play back (while simultaneously completely missing the point of what Apple was doing when removing the headphone jack) and called releasing the new app with a slew of issues and missing features “courageous.”