Sonos: Difference between revisions
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{{ | {{CompanyCargo | ||
| | |Description=American company known for wireless speakers. | ||
|Founded=2002 | |||
| Founded = 2002 | |Industry=Audio Equipment | ||
| Industry = Audio | |Logo=Sonos.png | ||
| | |ParentCompany= | ||
|Type=Public | |||
|Website=https://sonos.com | |||
}} | }} | ||
Founded in 2002, '''{{Wplink|Sonos|Sonos, Inc.}}''', is an American company that specializes in audio devices, including wireless speakers, home theater systems, and headphones. | Founded in 2002, '''{{Wplink|Sonos|Sonos, Inc.}}''', is an American company that specializes in audio devices, including wireless speakers, home theater systems, and headphones. | ||
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In 2019, Sonos started offering customers a thirty-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 |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 |first=Steve |last=Dent |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 |date=31 Dec 2019 |access-date=19 Feb 2025 |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}}</ref> | In 2019, Sonos started offering customers a thirty-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 |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 |first=Steve |last=Dent |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 |date=31 Dec 2019 |access-date=19 Feb 2025 |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}}</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 |first=Chris |last=Welch |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 |date=5 Mar 2020 |access-date=19 Feb 2025 |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}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Lawrence |last=Abrams |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 |date=30 Jan 2020 |access-date=19 Feb 2025 |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}}</ref> However, devices that Sonos had already bricked remained 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 | 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 |first=Chris |last=Welch |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 |date=5 Mar 2020 |access-date=19 Feb 2025 |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}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Lawrence |last=Abrams |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 |date=30 Jan 2020 |access-date=19 Feb 2025 |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}}</ref> However, devices that Sonos had already bricked remained 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 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120125310/https://github.com/dbmaxpayne/Sonos-DSP |archive-date=20 Jan 2025 |website=Github}}</ref> | ||
|author=dbmaxpayne (Mark) |title=Sonos-DSP |url=https://github.com/dbmaxpayne/Sonos-DSP | | |||
===Bricking of CR-100 controllers (2018)=== | ===Bricking of CR-100 controllers (2018)=== | ||
In 2018, citing an aging processor and lithium-ion battery, Sonos announced the release of software version 8.5, which would discontinue support for the controller.<ref name="techradar">{{Cite web |first=John |last=Porter |title=Sonos finally kills off CR100 controller and long-time fans aren't happy |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/sonos-finally-kills-off-cr100-controller-and-long-time-fans-arent-happy |website=Techradar |date=31 Jan 2018 |access-date=19 Feb 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120111709/https://www.techradar.com/news/sonos-finally-kills-off-cr100-controller-and-long-time-fans-arent-happy |archive-date=20 Jan 2025}}</ref> After the update was applied to a system, the CR-100 would be permanently bricked, and would be unable to connect to another system.<ref>{{Cite web |author=@Sonny Origin |title=Today Sonos killed my CR100 remote control |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPnfqzBF3fw | | In 2018, citing an aging processor and lithium-ion battery, Sonos announced the release of software version 8.5, which would discontinue support for the controller.<ref name="techradar">{{Cite web |first=John |last=Porter |title=Sonos finally kills off CR100 controller and long-time fans aren't happy |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/sonos-finally-kills-off-cr100-controller-and-long-time-fans-arent-happy |website=Techradar |date=31 Jan 2018 |access-date=19 Feb 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120111709/https://www.techradar.com/news/sonos-finally-kills-off-cr100-controller-and-long-time-fans-arent-happy |archive-date=20 Jan 2025}}</ref> After the update was applied to a system, the CR-100 would be permanently bricked, and would be unable to connect to another system.<ref>{{Cite web |author=@Sonny Origin |date=7 May 2018 |title=Today Sonos killed my CR100 remote control |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPnfqzBF3fw |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=kPnfqzBF3fw |archive-date=4 Feb 2026 |access-date=19 Feb 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> Sonos offered a coupon of $100 USD to affected customers,<ref name="techradar" /> however, it is important to note that Sonos did not offer a similar product for sale. A discussion thread was initiated on the Sonos forum by dissatisfied users urging the company to reconsider its decision to discontinue the controller<ref>{{Cite web |author=Dash |title=SAVE THE CR100 |url=https://en.community.sonos.com/controllers-software-228995/save-the-cr100-6800510 |url-access=registration |website=Sonos | ||
|date=31 Jan 2018 |access-date=19 Feb 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220823113720/https://en.community.sonos.com/controllers-software-228995/save-the-cr100-6800510 | |date=31 Jan 2018 |access-date=19 Feb 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220823113720/https://en.community.sonos.com/controllers-software-228995/save-the-cr100-6800510 | ||
|archive-date=23 Aug 2022}}</ref>, but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. | |archive-date=23 Aug 2022}}</ref>, but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. | ||