Sonos Apologizes for Widely Criticized App Redesign, Provides Progress Update

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.

Almost 3 months before CEO decides to issue an apology? Oy Vey.... ?

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

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.
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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.

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.