Sonos CEO explains the controversial app redesign

Sonos just launched a brand new version of its mobile app. The app has been completely redesigned for more personalization and improved performance. However, many users complain that it lacks some important features that were present in the old version, such as sleep timer and alarm. Local music search and playback were also problematic, disappointing many longtime Sonos customers.

Initially, Sonos was quite stubborn when its Product Manager said that introducing a completely new user experience was a “brave step”. This reaction makes the user community even more frustrated.

Basically, the new app has both lovers and haters. This depends on how you use your Sonos system. For example, if you only play music via AirPlay or Spotify Connect, you probably won’t have any problems.

However, many users felt their trust in Sonos was shaken because they suddenly lost access to familiar features without warning. Sonos has forced users to update instead of testing it publicly or providing the option to use both old and new apps side by side. (Ace Headphones and Roam 2 speakers are not compatible with the old app.)

According to the source, users participating in internal testing warned Sonos about the incomplete application. Besides, the number of Sonos customer support requests also skyrocketed after the update. The new app even has accessibility limitations, but luckily Sonos quickly fixed this.

Last week, Sonos CEO Patrick Spence expressed excitement about the new Sonos Ace headphones, believing they will meet expectations for sound quality, comfort and the unique TV Audio Swap feature.

However, he cannot avoid the application situation. Spence asserted that Sonos has no regrets about the decision to change and that internal data shows that the benefits of the new app are clear. He said: “For years, customers have been asking for improvements to the app, asking for it to be easier to use, more modern, more responsive and reduce latency. I’ve been using it since Christmas and everyone in Sonos has been testing for months. The new app is easier to navigate, more responsive, and offers a better overall experience. Of course, it will take time for people to adjust to this change.

He also admitted that Sonos should have been more clear about its update roadmap, such as when missing features would be added.

Sonos has just released a new update that fixes some bugs related to accessibility, local music playback, and promises more improvements in the future. The company hopes that in the next six months, things will calm down, the new application will have full features (even surpass) the old version and be forgiven by loyal users. However, for now, a large part of the community is still worried as Sonos prepares to launch Ace headphones – an important turning point that marks its entry into a completely new product field.