The users: – Hasty and bad.
This is what the new Sonos app looks like. It has caused quite a stir on Reddit and Facebook.
Camera Find Jarle Kvalheim, Tek.no
The short version
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- Sonos has recently rolled out an updated mobile app for its multi-room speakers, which has caused great dissatisfaction among users.
- Several functions, such as playlist management, alarm and sleep function, have been removed in the new version, which has led to many complaints.
- In addition, the new app has proven to be not very user-friendly for the visually impaired.
- Other features, such as play queue management, have also been removed, much to the chagrin of users with large music libraries.
- This is not the first time Sonos has faced dissatisfied customers. In 2020, they faced similar resistance when they announced that their older speakers would no longer receive updates.
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Major updates to important apps and services rarely happen quietly. Sonos has experienced this after this week they rolled out a completely updated mobile app for their multi-room speakers.
Several functions have been lost in the update, including playlist management, alarm and falling asleep function. Thus, Sonos forums on Reddit and Facebook are full of complaints.
– It takes courage to build a brand’s core product from scratch, especially when it may require several steps back before you can move into the future, says the statement to The Verge, as a response to all the complaints.
Destroyer for the visually impaired
The new app has a completely new and more modern design than the old so-called S2 app had. But there are several parts of the old user experience that have been lost along the way.
One of the parts of the user experience that apparently has the highest priority is the accessibility features. The new app does not work well for visually impaired users, and thus a whole user group has effectively lost access to the management tool for their speakers.
According to Sonos, the plan is for this to be fixed before June.
Tons of comments in the Sonos subreddits complain about the functionality of the new app.
Camera Screenshot, Reddit
Users with huge libraries react
On Reddit, it is pointed out that many have experienced more responsive Sonos systems with a more logical app structure than before.
At the same time, play queue management is no longer available in the app – which has caused a lot of irritation among people with large play libraries.
– I use the Sonos app exclusively to play music. Nothing else. I have 24,000 tracks in my library. I can’t play them all in random order and I can’t control the play queue. Why remove “play next” and “play last” etc.? The biggest downgrade, says one user on Reddit.
Buggy Trueplay setting
Other things that don’t quite work yet are the room correction system. So-called Trueplay for speakers that do not have their own microphones is done via the mobile app and microphones. So far, the new app is apparently buggy.
This function is used for Sonos’ most affordable speakers that do not have voice control integrated, and in addition for the IKEA products in the Sonos universe.
Handling of surround speakers is said to have also presented problems with the new app.
Different experiences
Among people with faster and better user experiences, and functions that don’t work – there are also some who have the exact opposite experiences. Some report having increased waiting times and less responsive facilities.
Thus, there seem to be some bugs and instability left in the app and the system as it stands now.
Released too early?
A widespread opinion seems to be that the app has been released too early, which several users associate with the imminent Sonos headphones.
Several also claim that using words such as “against” in connection with unpopular product releases should be avoided.
Not the first customer scratch for Sonos
Sonos should be quite familiar with users’ anger. They last felt it in 2020 – when they announced that large numbers of slightly older speakers, the so-called S1 products, lost updates.
At that time they had to turn around, and promised updates until further notice. In addition, the speakers were allowed to keep the old apps and still function as they did, although without the same app and functionality as the newer S2 products.
