Sonos Discounting Speakers, Sound Bars, and More for Black Friday (Up to $200 Off)

[Abombito]

I'ts a bummer that the Arc isn't on sale as a standalone product, I was hoping to snatch one up for a deal. I guess I might just have to get weird and buy a bundle instead... ?

At the risk of looking insane for replying to myself, I just noticed that all of the Arc bundles are $100 off, which is the same discount you get off of the sub alone (which all of those bundles have) so maybe I can convice my family to pitch in and buy me that separately. "Look guys, you're saving $100, you're practically making money! Am I not your favorite son & brother?!"

 

[EdT]

It's not much different than Apple's iPhone upgrade program where you turn in your old iPhone to get recycled and in exchange you get a discount on a new iPhone.

The only real difference is you don't have to send the speakers back to Sonos; You can drop it off at a local recycling center if you have one. That way you don't have to box everything up and pay to have it shipped back to Sonos. Now that's bad for the environment (shipping packaging ending up in the landfill, fuel wasted shipping speakers back to Sonos, etc.).

If you see Sonos' attempt to encourage people to recycle their old outdated unsupported legacy speakers as bad for the environment and bad for business, then the same is true for Apple wanting to recycle perfectly useable [sic] iPhones to get people to buy new ones.


Is that how you feel about Apple's trade-in/upgrade programs where they recycle still perfectly useable [sic] but old tech?

Apple must be greedy and not thoughtful either, right? Will you be done with Apple now too?

Hey, Apple! Why do that? Why not give customers with older legacy iPhones a discount instead of having them send in their still perfectly usable but old iPhones to be recycled? Give them a discount and let them donate the old iPhone to someone.

You can donate any phone to a number of charities. I donated one of mine to a women’s center that gives them to working women who otherwise can’t afford one.

And I may have interpreted it wrong but the way I understood it with Sonos on ‘X’ date your speakers would no longer work. I owned (still do) a full surround sound system and that’s the way I remember it. You could either send it back to Sonos for a discount on new equipment or you would have a nice set of plastic and wires that would not work even though there was nothing physically wrong with them. The new software wouldn’t allow you to use the old models. Maybe you could have not updated your programs but if you did buy any new equipment you would have problems running both the old obsolete program and the new one on the same computer/iPad/phone.

 

[bodonnell202]

You can donate any phone to a number of charities. I donated one of mine to a women’s center that gives them to working women who otherwise can’t afford one.

And I may have interpreted it wrong but the way I understood it with Sonos on ‘X’ date your speakers would no longer work. I owned (still do) a full surround sound system and that’s the way I remember it. You could either send it back to Sonos for a discount on new equipment or you would have a nice set of plastic and wires that would not work even though there was nothing physically wrong with them. The new software wouldn’t allow you to use the old models. Maybe you could have not updated your programs but if you did buy any new equipment you would have problems running both the old obsolete program and the new one on the same computer/iPad/phone.

No, that's not what happened at all. Sonos released the S2 app which includes a number of features which are not compatible with some of the older Sonos hardware. The older hardware would not work with the new S2 app, but your entire system, including any hardware which is compatible with S2 would continue to work as it always has with the S1 app, with the only caveat being that if you add some of the newest hardware to your setup (like the Arc) it isn't compatible with the S1 app, so it could get messy basically having to manage 2 separate systems for people in that scenario. The part that people keep beaking about is that when Sonos initially made the announcement they offered a 30% discount on new Sonos products to anyone who chose to recycle their legacy products, however taking advantage of the offer meant that your legacy products would go into recycle mode effectively bricking them in 30 days. There was so much negative press about this offer and Sonos bricking people's equipment (it was optional, you didn't have to take the offer) that Sonos ended up reversing course and offering a 30% discount to anyone with legacy products, without the requirement to recycle their legacy products (i.e. people could continue to use them, sell them or give them away as they would continue to work with the S1 app).

 

[EdT]

No, that's not what happened at all. Sonos released the S2 app which includes a number of features which are not compatible with some of the older Sonos hardware. The older hardware would not work with the new S2 app, but your entire system, including any hardware which is compatible with S2 would continue to work as it always has with the S1 app, with the only caveat being that if you add some of the newest hardware to your setup (like the Arc) it isn't compatible with the S1 app, so it could get messy basically having to manage 2 separate systems for people in that scenario. The part that people keep beaking about is that when Sonos initially made the announcement they offered a 30% discount on new Sonos products to anyone who chose to recycle their legacy products, however taking advantage of the offer meant that your legacy products would go into recycle mode effectively bricking them in 30 days. There was so much negative press about this offer and Sonos bricking people's equipment (it was optional, you didn't have to take the offer) that Sonos ended up reversing course and offering a 30% discount to anyone with legacy products, without the requirement to recycle their legacy products (i.e. people could continue to use them, sell them or give them away as they would continue to work with the S1 app).

Well I wasn’t the only one confused by what Sonos said:

Sonos Ends 'Recycling' Program That Disabled Older Devices

The controversial Sonos recycling program has been eliminated in favor of offering owners of older models a 30 percent discount without having to "brick" their devices. Consumer Reports explains the new and better deal.

www.consumerreports.org

 

[Chiromac81]

I am a huge Apple fan and have almost everything Apple-but when it comes to wireless home sound systems you can’t beat Sonos. I have 16 Sonos speakers and can’t say enough about them. They were the first and they are the best. Apple has options...just not as comprehensive as Sonos

 

[michael31986]

Anyone know if this sale will be available for uk or Europe?

 

[bodonnell202]

Well I wasn’t the only one confused by what Sonos said:

Sonos Ends 'Recycling' Program That Disabled Older Devices

The controversial Sonos recycling program has been eliminated in favor of offering owners of older models a 30 percent discount without having to "brick" their devices. Consumer Reports explains the new and better deal.

www.consumerreports.org

Not sure what you mean. That article says the same thing I did.

 

[wbrat]

A microphone diaphragm and the speaker driver diaphragm are similar. If someone is really concerned about being spied on they shouldn’t have speakers in their environment as the driver could be converted into a microphone.

The fact is that your PC has a microphone, your tablet has a microphone, your phone has a microphone. If you have security camera, it probably has a microphone as well. But somehow everyone is worried about the microphone in the speaker.

 

[bodonnell202]

The fact is that your PC has a microphone, your tablet has a microphone, your phone has a microphone. If you have security camera, it probably has a microphone as well. But somehow everyone is worried about the microphone in the speaker.

Right?!? I’ve always found it odd that the average person probably has a half dozen internet connected microphones and cameras in their house, yet there is all this concern about smart speakers.

 

[jackietreeh0rn]

Snagged a Sonos Beam yesterday from BestBuy. Had previously bought a pair of Ones... the sub is missing but it will have to wait for another day.

 

[DeepIn2U]

From my understanding, Sonos wasn't bricking their speakers for no reason.

Legacy Sonos equipment owners were willingly taking the company up on an upgrade offer of 30 percent off new equipment. In exchange for the upgrade discount, Sonos users were to instructed to activate a "Recycle Mode" on the old equipment they'd be upgrading from. The old equipment was then to be sent to Sonos for recycling, or dropped off at a recycling center of the owners choosing.

The "bricking" was to prevent people from getting the 30 percent discount and also keeping or reselling the old equipment, and to actually recycle it as was intended by the upgrade program. How else would Sonos be able to prevent people from taking advantage?

If you don't want your old equipment "bricked" then don't take the upgrade offer. Or sell the old equipment on your own and use the proceeds to buy something new.

Wrong. Recycle Mode

Sonos deployed a software update to their Play: 5 1st edition units which were VERY capable and it bricked their units.
This had nothing do do with any sale at all, why would ANY company of any internet connected device roll out an update to BRICK their hardware BEFORE the customer brings it in? Many changed their minds ~ sorry that baffles common sense to me.

Bricked play 5 | Sonos Community

When my perfectly fine Play 5 gets bricked, will it still function as a "dumb" speaker?

en.community.sonos.com

Just about every upgrade process I've seen is bring it in, then company does with it. Send out a coupon that is ONLY redeemable at confirmation of receiving the product.

See how easy the new process is for Sonos?!

 

[DeepIn2U]

IIRC, the devices they recently deemed legacy had been launched 10+ years prior.

• Bridge
• Connect (Launched 2008)
• Connect:Amp (Launched 2008)
• CR200 (Launched 2009)
• Play:5 Gen1 (Launched 2009)
• ZP80, 90, 100, 120 (Launched 2006, 2008, 2005, 2008)

I didn't throw a fit when Apple announced my 2012 Mac Mini wasn't going to get Big Sur.

Who's throwing a fit? you should re-align that perception of me there.
2012 Mac Mini ... as I stated before you know Apple's policy is end of life 6yrs, 7yrs vintage (no repairs). Also Sonos' brick process was assinine to begin with ... you see they did an about face on that. No consumer was communicated of what would occur - THAT is the issue and against many consumer laws. I don't see Apple bricking your 2012 Mac Mini because Big Sur is not supported

 

[DeepIn2U]

yeah bc apple is just the perfect company lol

Apple will pay $113 million for throttling older iPhones in new “batterygate” settlement

That’s in addition to an earlier $500 million settlement.

www.theverge.com

I never said perfect. you should re-align that perception as I've never stated that.

Also not a directly related issue ... still didn't brick phones. Not quite close the same comparison here. Yes Apple should've communicated before deploying that in iOS. Now they're paying the price of $113 million settlement. Still those iphones affected were STILL usable, they were not bricked as paper weights.

 

[DeepIn2U]

That was only if customers activated recycle mode to trade them in for a discount on newer Sonos products. Sonos just this year moved some of their products, which date back to 2006 to legacy support status, but they still work with the older app. I'll ask again, do you really expect the current generation Homepod to still be receiving software updates in 10 years?

Yes I do.

I don't not expect continually new features for the next 10yrs on the HomePod. And I don't expect Apple to deploy a SW upgrade for a trade-in to brick it either. but like the virgin mary ... come again.

 

[DeepIn2U]

They didn't brick anything, they were going to drop support for older devices (no updates), but they would continue to keep working.

Wrong ..

Sonos is getting rid of the controversial Recycle Mode that needlessly bricked its older devices

You can get the same trade-up discount without ruining your legacy Sonos device.

www.theverge.com

They bricked. plain and simple there is even a thread here about it.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Original Apple speaker? Are you talking about beats? Because the homepod is only 3 years old.

Now ... the iPod speaker that Jobs launched.

 

[DeepIn2U]

People have some weird fantasies about this 'bricking' thing Sonos supposedly did.

Sonos is getting rid of the controversial Recycle Mode that needlessly bricked its older devices

You can get the same trade-up discount without ruining your legacy Sonos device.

www.theverge.com

really now ?

 

[pilotpat]

Wrong. Recycle Mode

Sonos deployed a software update to their Play: 5 1st edition units which were VERY capable and it bricked their units.
This had nothing do do with any sale at all, why would ANY company of any internet connected device roll out an update to BRICK their hardware BEFORE the customer brings it in? Many changed their minds ~ sorry that baffles common sense to me.

Bricked play 5 | Sonos Community

When my perfectly fine Play 5 gets bricked, will it still function as a "dumb" speaker?

en.community.sonos.com

Just about every upgrade process I've seen is bring it in, then company does with it. Send out a coupon that is ONLY redeemable at confirmation of receiving the product.

See how easy the new process is for Sonos?!

It only deployed that update to people who took the 30% upgrade offer. It didn't send them to all legacy Play5's. The link you put in your post clearly states that multiple times. The people in that thread were upset that Sonos started to change the rules after they had agreed to have their speakers disabled, which I guess I understand, but still, they agreed to it as the terms of the upgrade offer.

 

[pilotpat]

Now ... the iPod speaker that Jobs launched.

Gotcha, figured that out after I posted the question. Can't delete posts on macrumors.

 

[bodonnell202]

Yes I do.

I don't not expect continually new features for the next 10yrs on the HomePod. And I don't expect Apple to deploy a SW upgrade for a trade-in to brick it either. but like the virgin mary ... come again.

Sonos did not deploy a software update that bricks older devices. They briefly made an offer that people could accept a 30% discount on new Sonos products in exchange for disabling legacy devices. If you didn't take the offer your devices weren't bricked, and they reversed course and offer people with legacy devices the 30% discount while being able to keep their legacy devices (which still work fine with the S1 app which is still receiving security updates, just no feature updates.

 

[MacManTexas56]

I never said perfect. you should re-align that perception as I've never stated that.

Also not a directly related issue ... still didn't brick phones. Not quite close the same comparison here. Yes Apple should've communicated before deploying that in iOS. Now they're paying the price of $113 million settlement. Still those iphones affected were STILL usable, they were not bricked as paper weights.

did you just learn about the word perception? you seem to use it a lot.

The point is, Apple got sued for what they did. Caused many people to upgrade their phones when they didn't necessarily have to. But what Sonos did was just an awful thing? People had the choice to "brick" their devices. iPhone users had no choice about throttling, it was secretly done behind the scenes by Apple.

Get real man.

 

[MacManTexas56]

Who's throwing a fit? you should re-align that perception of me there.
2012 Mac Mini ... as I stated before you know Apple's policy is end of life 6yrs, 7yrs vintage (no repairs). Also Sonos' brick process was assinine to begin with ... you see they did an about face on that. No consumer was communicated of what would occur - THAT is the issue and against many consumer laws. I don't see Apple bricking your 2012 Mac Mini because Big Sur is not supported

sure, it's not bricked, but they could throttle it to force you to go buy a new one. But hey, that's okay in your book!

 

[MacManTexas56]

Sonos is getting rid of the controversial Recycle Mode that needlessly bricked its older devices

You can get the same trade-up discount without ruining your legacy Sonos device.

www.theverge.com

really now ?

opening sentence: Sonos is doing away with Recycle Mode, a controversial part of the company’s trade-up program that rendered old devices inoperable in exchange for a 30 percent discount on a newer Sonos product.

 

[MacManTexas56]

Sonos did not deploy a software update that bricks older devices. They briefly made an offer that people could accept a 30% discount on new Sonos products in exchange for disabling legacy devices. If you didn't take the offer your devices weren't bricked, and they reversed course and offer people with legacy devices the 30% discount while being able to keep their legacy devices (which still work fine with the S1 app which is still receiving security updates, just no feature updates.

but that's besides the point LOL

 

[DeepIn2U]

Sonos did not deploy a software update that bricks older devices. They briefly made an offer that people could accept a 30% discount on new Sonos products in exchange for disabling legacy devices. If you didn't take the offer your devices weren't bricked, and they reversed course and offer people with legacy devices the 30% discount while being able to keep their legacy devices (which still work fine with the S1 app which is still receiving security updates, just no feature updates.

Sonos deployed software for an offer of trading in your products to upgrade. They did NOT communicate it would render the product useless. That's bricking the device meaning you cannot use it. There was no specific communication the update would do this = brick. spin all you want they made a bad decision to ensure their customers could not keep or sell their device that they owned while taking part of the discount.

How hard is that to comprehend. IF they communicated that before a user takes the discount when originally offered it would not have hit any internet news site. As i've said they changed that and restored devices that were bricked; namely the Play:5 Gen 1.