Editing Sonos (section)

===Recycle Mode (2019)===
In 2019, Sonos started offering customers a 30 percent discount on a new device, in exchange for allowing the company to remotely brick their existing Sonos device. Sonos calls this software lockout "Recycle Mode". It renders the device permanently inoperable, turning it into e-waste. Affected models include Connect, Connect:Amp, ZP90, ZP80, ZP100, ZP120, and Play:5 (Gen 1).<ref name="sonos support">
{{cite web 
|author=<!-- not stated -->
|title=Unable to set up a Sonos product in Recycle Mode
|url=https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/unable-to-set-up-a-sonos-product-in-recycle-mode 
|website=Sonos 
|url-status=live 
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120125309/https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/unable-to-set-up-a-sonos-product-in-recycle-mode 
|archive-date=20 Jan 2025 
|access-date=19 Feb 2025
}}</ref><ref>
{{cite web 
|last=Dent
|first=Steve 
|date=31 Dec 2019 
|title=Sonos gives a lame reason for bricking older devices in 'Recycle Mode' 
|url=https://www.engadget.com/2019-12-31-sonos-recycle-mode-explanation-falls-flat.html 
|website=Engadget|url-status=live 
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129003226/https://www.engadget.com/2019-12-31-sonos-recycle-mode-explanation-falls-flat.html 
|archive-date=29 Jan 2025 
|access-date=19 Feb 2025
}}</ref>

The practice of intentionally breaking devices sparked controversy and a boycott, forcing the company to stop bricking devices as part of their trade-up program.<ref>
{{cite web 
|last=Welch 
|first=Chris 
|date=5 Mar 2020 
|title=Sonos is getting rid of the controversial Recycle Mode that needlessly bricked its older devices 
|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/5/21166777/sonos-ending-recycle-mode-trade-up-program-sustainability 
|website=The Verge 
|url-status=live 
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120125313/https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/5/21166777/sonos-ending-recycle-mode-trade-up-program-sustainability 
|archive-date=20 Jan 2025 
|access-date=19 Feb 2025
}}</ref><ref>
{{cite web
|last=Abrams 
|first=Lawrence
|date=30 Jan 2020 
|title=Sonos Backtracks: Legacy Devices Will Get Updates After May 
|url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/technology/sonos-backtracks-legacy-devices-will-get-updates-after-may 
|website=Bleeping Computer 
|url-status=live 
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115032125/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/technology/sonos-backtracks-legacy-devices-will-get-updates-after-may/ 
|archive-date=15 Jan 2023 
|access-date=19 Feb 2025
}}</ref> However, devices that Sonos had already bricked remain unusable. Instead of unlocking affected devices, the company offers disposal as the only option.<ref name="sonos support" />
An open source project started in 2023 attempts to repair a Play:5 (Gen 1) speaker bricked with Recycle Mode.<ref>
{{cite web 
|author=dbmaxpayne (Mark)
|title=Sonos-DSP 
|url=https://github.com/dbmaxpayne/Sonos-DSP 
|website=Github
|url-status=live
}}</ref>