Sonos Planning Another App Overhaul With Live Activities Support

[matsan]

Ah! Somehow I had the impression they were discontinuing it. Maybe it’s the fact the interface (at least on windows) looks so outdated 🤣. I stand corrected!

Yeah - unfortunately being my only Intel-based application still on my system and with Rosetta going away soon I guess it's bye-bye with this app soon.

 

[everlast3434]

I'm super happy with all of my Sonos items and never really had many problems with the app, including when they put out that new version.

 

[Farquar]

I have 10 rooms in my home with Sonos speakers, and listen to music every day in my home office. I have never used my system the way you describe and access the Sonos app multiple times per day. For users like me, the shortcomings of the current app are real and very annoying. One of their problems is they have devices controllable by voice, devices that interface with AirPlay, devices you can control with buttons, AND devices that are often hidden in closets and can't be accessed via AirPlay, voice or physical controls. So the app is absolutely necessary for many, and probably most Sonos users. It's awesome that you have a workflow that doesn't require it, but you're likely in the minority of Sonos users.

Maybe, just maybe, learn to use the Music playback tools that Apple has refined for over 20 years, instead of relying on third party app.

 

[Farquar]

it sounds like all of your devices are newish -- some of their older (but not too old) devices don't support airplay and therefore can't be controlled (for multi-room playback) without their app.

They'd have to be ancient to not support AirPlay, because even my old ones support it.

 

[Farquar]

Have you considered that other humans exist with different preferences, setups, and use-cases?

The Sonos app doesn’t have those features because they felt “obligated,” it’s because literally millions of people use and rely on them.

They are redundant and unnecessary features, on an operating system that basically invented digital music playback.

 

[Farquar]

I hate to break it to you, but not everyone is you. There are other people.

Yes, there are plenty of confused and poorly informed people who do things wrong all the time, even when it is pointed out to them. I'm well aware.

 

[skymovieguy]

My Sonos speakers drop from airplay all the time. It never used to be this way.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

Wasn’t it Sonos that abandoned their installed customer base and turned their products into e-waste?

 

[toddwilliam]

As a Sonos user since 2011 who currently runs 30 speakers in my main residence and who has purchased over 75 Sonos speakers over the years, I can safely state Sonos has never truly ‘worked’ as advertised despite the numerous hardware, firmware, and software updates over the years (plus all the calls to tech support). The apps and routing protocol Sonos has delivered have always been buggy and poorly designed (poor navigation, poor functionality, apps that consistently crash or lock up, poor speaker/music synchronization, and much more). I can only hope improvements are forthcoming….being a slow learner, it was only after the 2024 updates I finally gave up and decided I will never purchase another product from Sonos (nor recommend the product…in fact I counsel people to look at alternatives for their music streaming and playing needs). I also bought each of my sons a ‘starter’ system for their apartments…and both say they will not add to their Sonos systems as they are so disappointed in the use and functionality of their Sonos products. I’ll eagerly await the updates, but I’m not very hopeful that Sonos will finally deliver a satisfactory product and user experience. Nice to know MacRumors is reporting on a forthcoming update though,

 

[dmaterialized]

I never understood how a redesign of their app was such a calamity to users. Are we talking about the same products? I open the Sonos app maybe once a year. It is mostly for just setting up your speakers, which barely ever need to be touched again after being set up. Sure they have features in the app for playing audio sources but that's really just because feel obligated to have it. It isn't meant to be the primary way to play audio. 99% of the time the audio going through my various Sonos devices is coming from the TV. If I'm playing from my phone, I'm not using the Sonos app. I'll use my music app(s), and stream directly to the speakers.

So why exactly did the earth stop rotating over an update to the Sonos app?

You’re not the target audience. Why do you have Sonos gear? Your use case doesn’t seem to make use of any of the primary features.

Most people use the Sonos app because a) it is how you control playback across multiple speakers throughout the house, grouping/ungrouping, volume levels, adding to queues, etc, b) without the app you can’t have playback that doesn’t come out of a device: you have to keep one person’s phone physically in the house and burning through battery in order to stream from it, and you can’t keep audio playing when they leave, or have music start up at set times independently of who’s there, and c) you can’t create a playlist that uses multiple services, or local storage, at all.

Sonos without the app is just an AirPlay speaker, and that’s not the same thing at all. Sure, Spotify Connect is fairly robust, but it didn’t offer high quality audio until like a month ago.

Again, it sounds like you would have been better suited with standard airplay speakers, I’m not really sure why you have Sonos at all.

 

[MrPiper415]

Sonos app user experience is a complete NIGHTMARE! Both on phones and Macs. It's completely confusing, why do they have two different Sonos apps for Mac OS that looks exactly the same etc....

There’s also the web app. Which is actually the only one that consistently works for me.

 

[Rayansb]

Well let's hope they know what they're doing this time around

 

[Hank001]

I have 10 rooms in my home with Sonos speakers, and listen to music every day in my home office. I have never used my system the way you describe and access the Sonos app multiple times per day. For users like me, the shortcomings of the current app are real and very annoying. One of their problems is they have devices controllable by voice, devices that interface with AirPlay, devices you can control with buttons, AND devices that are often hidden in closets and can't be accessed via AirPlay, voice or physical controls. So the app is absolutely necessary for many, and probably most Sonos users. It's awesome that you have a workflow that doesn't require it, but you're likely in the minority of Sonos users.

Me and all my friends simply airplay to the speakers. None of us use the Sonos app. No idea why anyone would want that.

I see a lot of folks pointing out that usage cases vary. That's true, but I think the real calamity was that the app update removed long-established features that would seem fairly basic for a speaker app.

For instance, for me, editing a queue or changing volume with the iPhone buttons. I started using AirPlay more, but it was a use forced on me and just isn't as functional in a home with multiple people -- if I leave the music leaves with me?

Even the functions you identify as core like setting up or refining speakers stopped working reliably. We moved shortly after the new app was launched, and it took me multiple resets to get the speakers sorted out. Trueplay, considered a core Sonos feature, didn't work on three speakers until after several updates. Calamity is the right word.

No calamity here as I never use the Sonos app. Plus I can control the volume with the volume buttons, even without unlocking the iPhone or iPad.

You’re not the target audience. Why do you have Sonos gear? Your use case doesn’t seem to make use of any of the primary features.

Most people use the Sonos app because a) it is how you control playback across multiple speakers throughout the house, grouping/ungrouping, volume levels, adding to queues, etc, b) without the app you can’t have playback that doesn’t come out of a device: you have to keep one person’s phone physically in the house and burning through battery in order to stream from it, and you can’t keep audio playing when they leave, or have music start up at set times independently of who’s there, and c) you can’t create a playlist that uses multiple services, or local storage, at all.

Sonos without the app is just an AirPlay speaker, and that’s not the same thing at all. Sure, Spotify Connect is fairly robust, but it didn’t offer high quality audio until like a month ago.

Again, it sounds like you would have been better suited with standard airplay speakers, I’m not really sure why you have Sonos at all.

Perhaps people using the Sonos app don't know it's easier by Airplaying music to the speakers.

 

[highdefjunkie]

Genuine question - what are people using the Sonos app for, beyond setting up a new device? I just airplay whatever I want to play on my system.

I use the app to configure the sound. Depending on what I'm watching, I always seem to be tweaking the sound depending on what I'm watching

 

[highdefjunkie]

My major issue with Sonos using appleTV is every time I turn my system on, the volume never works. I always have to turn everyone off, then turn it back on. Drives me NUTS. And I've tried every solution.

 

[acesX3]

Will I be able to use the volume buttons on my iPhone to control volume or will I still have to do it in the stupid app? I need the Sonos app to support iPhone volume buttons and then we can talk forgiveness.

No kidding! I’ve been on them for years about the lack of fine control on the volume slider in their app. I too suggested using the volume buttons, up or down one increment for one press. This is such a simple thing and yet seems so difficult to get.

 

[svish]

Some good changes. Hopefully they will be rolled out soon. Live activities should have been enabled a long time ago.

 

[mw360]

No kidding! I’ve been on them for years about the lack of fine control on the volume slider in their app. I too suggested using the volume buttons, up or down one increment for one press. This is such a simple thing and yet seems so difficult to get.

This simple thing is difficult to get because Apple doesn't allow it.

"Apps that alter or disable the functions of standard switches, such as the Volume Up/Down and Ring/Silent switches, or other native user interface elements or behaviors will be rejected."

The only way Sonos can do it would also change the phone volume. So people who don't know anything would be up and down the internet criticising and mocking them for a clunky implementation, so it's easier for them to just not do it until Apple fixes the problem.

 

[matsan]

No kidding! I’ve been on them for years about the lack of fine control on the volume slider in their app. I too suggested using the volume buttons, up or down one increment for one press. This is such a simple thing and yet seems so difficult to get.

Sorry but have to ask how big your hands are?
Using Sonos app on a regular iPhone 16 and have zero issues fine-tuning the volume between 0 and 100.

 

[john9876]

They'd have to be ancient to not support AirPlay, because even my old ones support it.

Out of my 13 Sonos devices, one supports AirPlay. I'm holding off purchasing/upgrading any more until I'm happy I can move off the original S1 app and have the replacement work reliably, with decent Apple Music and NAS integration. So possibly never...

 

[mr.steevo]

They'd have to be ancient to not support AirPlay, because even my old ones support it.

The Play 1 and Playbar were discontinued 7 years ago.

 

[michaeljk]

interesting timing for me on this. Three days ago, I bought and returned two Sonos Era 300s. YT and other reviews said they sound much better than the HomePod, especially for larger rooms. I did not find that to be the case at all. I have two HomePods, and standing in the doorway between the room with the HomePod and the room with the Era 300, lowering and raising volumes to hear each in sequence, the HomePod sounded considerably better. Overall, the Sonos was "cleaner" in a way (better separation of sounds), but it also sounded unmistakably "thin" compared to the HomePod. Anyway, that was NOT the main reason I returned them. I returned them because I could not get them to play nice with Airplay (and since I already own two HomePods, this my main use case). Although I was easily able to get them to play with the Sonos app, I had to call their tech support just to get the Sonos listed in my Airplay setup, this was after resetting the Era 300 (why did I need to do that?). Tech support again remotely re-set my Sonos speaker, then I had to reboot my iPhone. Then when it finally did play through Airplay, every time a new song would start, the volume would go to zero, until I hit stop and then play. After attempting to reconfigure the speaker several times, I gave up. No Sonos for me. Funny thing is, two years ago, I bought a Sony TV and Sony Surround system for it, including a soundbar. With no setup at all, it worked with Airplay out of the box. I will wait to see if Apple releases a HomePod 3 next week, and if not, pick up two HomePod 2s and call it a day.

 

[mw360]

They'd have to be ancient to not support AirPlay, because even my old ones support it.

And what's wrong with them being ancient? I've got 10 13-yr old Play:1's that work just fine, and why shouldn't they?

 

[Farquar]

You’re not the target audience. Why do you have Sonos gear? Your use case doesn’t seem to make use of any of the primary features.

Most people use the Sonos app because a) it is how you control playback across multiple speakers throughout the house, grouping/ungrouping, volume levels, adding to queues, etc, b) without the app you can’t have playback that doesn’t come out of a device: you have to keep one person’s phone physically in the house and burning through battery in order to stream from it, and you can’t keep audio playing when they leave, or have music start up at set times independently of who’s there, and c) you can’t create a playlist that uses multiple services, or local storage, at all.

Sonos without the app is just an AirPlay speaker, and that’s not the same thing at all. Sure, Spotify Connect is fairly robust, but it didn’t offer high quality audio until like a month ago.

Again, it sounds like you would have been better suited with standard airplay speakers, I’m not really sure why you have Sonos at all.

Lmao. What? Sonos makes Home Theater products. That is their primary use. Playing audio in multiple rooms is not a new concept or something unique to Sonos. You don't need the Sonos app to do it either. I've played audio in multiple rooms of my house with Sonos speakers in multiple rooms and have never once used the Sonos app to do it.

The Sonos app target audience are people that don't know enough not to use it.

 

[Ross111]

I haven't used Airplay since before I got a Sonos system (13 years ago) does it still rely on the phone streaming audio to the speaker? I thought Airplay 2 worked like Sonos, in that it directed the speaker to stream directly from the online service.

That's not been my experience. If my phone goes out of range, it stops playing.