Sonos: Difference between revisions

Founded in 2002, '''[[Wikipedia:Sonos|Sonos, Inc.]]''', is an American company that specializes in audio devices, including wireless speakers, home theater systems, and headphones.

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=":0">https://www.techradar.com/news/sonos-finally-kills-off-cr100-controller-and-long-time-fans-arent-happy</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>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPnfqzBF3fw</ref> Sonos offered a coupon of $100 to affected customers,<ref name=":0" /> 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>https://web.archive.org/web/20220823113720/https://en.community.sonos.com/controllers-software-228995/save-the-cr100-6800510</ref> but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.

In 2019, Sonos rendered formerly perfectly working devices, such as Connect, Connect:Amp, ZP90, ZP80, ZP100, ZP120, and Play:5 (Gen 1) into paperweights by disabling them altogether, because those devices were no longer receiving software updates. Customers were offered a 30 percent discount on a new Sonos device if they accepted Sonos to intentionally remotely bricking their existing device. Once a device is in Sonos' "Recycle Mode," it can no longer be used.<ref>https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/unable-to-set-up-a-sonos-product-in-recycle-mode</ref><ref>https://www.engadget.com/2019-12-31-sonos-recycle-mode-explanation-falls-flat.html</ref> Sonos later ended this highly controversial and environmentally unfriendly program, but the damage was already done to otherwise still working hardware.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/5/21166777/sonos-ending-recycle-mode-trade-up-program-sustainability</ref>

However, since 2023, an open source project was created to recover devices that Sonos had put into "Recycle Mode."<ref>https://github.com/dbmaxpayne/Sonos-DSP</ref>

Sonos has been a big practitioner of the [[forced app download experience]] since at least 2017.<ref>https://en.community.sonos.com/advanced-setups-229000/make-sonos-work-without-internet-6795315</ref> Sonos makes it nearly impossible for their customers to use their purchased hardware without an app and/or internet connection. Even though it is possible to use Sonos speakers without an app, initial setup has required the download and use of Sonos' app since at least May 2022.<blockquote>"Yes you can (use the Sonos Roam speaker without an app). However, you will need to set it up for the first time using the app." (May 2022)<ref>https://en.community.sonos.com/portable-speakers-229130/can-i-use-a-roam-without-the-app-6869207</ref></blockquote>In addition, not all Sonos products support use without an app (April 2023)<ref>https://soundscapehq.com/how-to-use-sonos-without-app/</ref> and even if they do, sans-app usability is only limited to one speaker.<blockquote>"You can use speakers without an app, but it only applies to a single speaker. If you want to play audio across multiple speakers, you will have to use the app and there is no other workaround to this." (Dec 2021)<ref>https://earrockers.com/can-you-use-sonos-speakers-without-the-app/</ref></blockquote>

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[[Category:Loudspeaker manufacturers]]