Sonos Apologizes for Widely Criticized App Redesign, Provides Progress Update - MacRumors
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Sonos Apologizes for Widely Criticized App Redesign, Provides Progress Update

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Sonos CEO Patrick Spence today penned a blog post on the Sonos website apologizing for the controversial Sonos app redesign and promising ongoing updates throughout the year.

sonos redesigned app
Spence said that improving the app for customers is the company's number one priority, and he explained that addressing bugs that came up in the new app delayed the introduction of additional features.

We know that too many of you have experienced significant problems with our new app which rolled out on May 7, and I want to begin by personally apologizing for disappointing you. There isn't an employee at Sonos who isn't pained by having let you down, and I assure you that fixing the app for all of our customers and partners has been and continues to be our number one priority.

Spence shared an outline of future feature plans, with Sonos planning to push updates on a bi-weekly basis. Alarms are set to be addressed in September, with edit mode for playlists and the queue coming in September or October.

July and August:

  • Improving the stability when adding new products
  • Implementing Music Library configuration, browse, search, and play

August and September:

  • Improving Volume responsiveness
  • User interface improvements based on customer feedback
  • Improving overall system stability and error handling

September:

  • Improving Alarm consistency and reliability

September and October:

  • Restoring edit mode for Playlists and the Queue
  • Improving functionality in settings

Spence says that Sonos is working hard to earn back customer trust through the continual app improvements.

Sonos in May released its redesigned app with customizable home screen and a more personalized listening service. Sonos customers quickly found that the app lacked several key features, and suffered from multiple bugs. Complaints across social media called the app a "step back" for removing playlist management, alarms, and other features.

Tag: Sonos

Top Rated Comments

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Sevendaymelee
23 months ago
I feel like apps are changed these days for the sake of change. Maybe keep them the same until there is an actual, pragmatic reason for them to change, and you won't have these issues.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GIZBUG Avatar
GIZBUG
23 months ago
Almost 3 months before CEO decides to issue an apology? Oy Vey.... 🥲
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coffeemilktea Avatar
coffeemilktea
23 months ago
You think a company that makes as much money as Sonos could afford to hire competent app designers and a better quality-control team, but I guess that was one expense too far. :p
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zorinlynx Avatar
zorinlynx
23 months ago

I feel like apps are changed these days for the sake of change. Maybe keep them the same until there is an actual, pragmatic reason for them to change, and you won't have these issues.
The Photos app in iOS 18 is a huge example of this. Confusing redesign for no good reason.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
H
Harry Haller
23 months ago

I wanna say “better late than never”, but you got to ask about the why these changes were done in the first place and why it took 3 or so months…
Corporate inertia is a powerful force.
Butterfly keyboard has entered the chat.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
HobeSoundDarryl
23 months ago
I know that since this is a NOT-Apple product, the piling-on will be thick... as it is in all threads with somebody else's offerings and a big picture of somebody else's brand or product... but I'm neither an Apple hater nor fan who owns LOTS of Apple stuff and some Sonos speakers. My own opinion: the app was a wholesale overhaul... like Apple has done many times before too (iWork, FCP, etc) and "big change" always begets big complaints.

However, after working with it a bit, I came to realize that the bulk of the things I used to use the app to do was now on the Home Screen and I could even put that where I want it. Unlike before, now I don't have to drill down very often with 2 or 3 or 4 clicks to get to "main" functionality. It was all brought up so it is one click to enjoy.

After adapting, I like it at least as good as the former app in all the ways I use it... and more than the old app for cutting down on the click volume. Learning curve? YES. Worth it? YES.

So carry on with the "Not-Apple" bash-fest fellas but I'm a mostly Apple guy who hasn't experienced the doom & disaster with it... certainly nowhere near as much as it seemed for those couple of YEARS of waiting for iWork apps to resurrect some pretty important features available in the '09 version and FCPX becoming overall as capable as much of the old FCP.

Nice that the CEO didn't blame the user ("you're holding it wrong"), ignore it altogether, and/or spin the "only a small number of users are affected" line. It's a niche app used by only a subset of us Apple people that is getting some attention and evolving to be better and better. Based on the S1 vs. S2 timetable, it will probably get perfected soon and then remain "THE" app for the next 6-8 years.

Last week, I just helped a relative add the Sonos 300s and Sub to an Arc using this app and all went just fine. No issues. They had already adapted to using the new app and found their new setup no challenge at all. They also added a Move 2 and it too set up as easy as ever and they understood without any training from me how to select home theater vs. Move or play them all together.

I like my Sonos set up just fine and enjoy it every day. It "just works" great with my Apple tech.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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