Sonos CEO Patrick Spence is apologizing for the bumpy rollout of the new app. Users have been complaining about missing features and bugs for months. The company is promising improvements, but some features are still a long way from being implemented. Sonos, known for its multi-room audio solutions, is currently facing a huge challenge. The redesign of the Sonos app, which was introduced in May and was actually aimed at improving the user experience, has caused frustration among many customers. Now, CEO Patrick Spence has apologized in an open letter and spoken out against the issues.
Missing features and technical difficulties
The list of complaints is long: from the inability to control the volume to difficulties in adding new devices, many users report significant limitations. Particularly annoying for regular customers: some functions that worked without problems in the old app are no longer available in the new version or can only be used to a limited extent.
A look at the new Sonos app that’s drawing criticism
Sonos’ reaction and future plans
In his letter, Spence acknowledges that the problems have been more widespread than expected: “Since launch, we have identified a number of issues.” He stresses that fixing these problems is now a “top priority.” The company has already started releasing software updates every two weeks to improve the situation.
We know that many of you have had significant issues with our new app that launched on May 7, and I want to start by personally apologizing for letting you down. There isn’t a single person at Sonos who isn’t hurt that we let you down, and I assure you that fixing the app for all of our customers and partners has been and will continue to be our top priority. Patrick Spence, CEO, Sonos
Specifically, Sonos plans the following improvements in the coming months:
- July/August: Improved stability by adding new products and implementing music library settings.
- August/September: Volume control optimization and general UI improvements
- September: Increased reliability of the alarm function
- September/October: Reintroduction of edit mode for playlists and queues
Long wait time for some functions
Despite the ambitious timeline, users will have to be patient with some features. For example, the ability to edit playlists directly in the app will probably not be available again until the fall. This long wait is causing confusion among many customers, especially since these are features that worked without problems in the previous version.
Hardware quality vs. software issues
Although Sonos is still highly regarded for the quality of its hardware (products such as the Era 100 speaker or the Ace headphones regularly receive positive reviews), the company seems to be struggling in the software area. This is not the first time that Sonos has caused confusion with a change of app: in 2020, the split into two separate apps for new and old devices already sparked criticism. The current situation poses a major challenge for Sonos.
While the company is working on improvements, it remains to be seen whether it can regain the trust of its customers and deliver the promised features on schedule. For many users, the deciding factor will likely be how quickly and effectively Sonos fixes the existing issues. What do you think about the situation at Sonos? Have you had any experiences with the new app? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments. Whether positive or negative, we look forward to hearing from you!
