It’s been four months since Sonos launched an updated, overhauled version of its mobile app. The update, as it turns out, was extremely unpopular. Users complained about lost functionality and criticized Sonos for failing to maintain software reliability. Now, Sonos is giving a proper apology and a timeline for when we might see things improve.
Sonos CEO Patrick Spence has issued apublic apologyfor the significant problems users have experienced with the company’s new app, which was released on May 7th. Spence acknowledged the frustration and disappointment caused by the app’s shortcomings and assured customers that fixing the issues is Sonos' top priority.
The updated app, according to Spence, was intended to provide a better user experience and enable future innovation. However, several issues were discovered after launch, delaying the addition of missing features and functionality. Sonos has been releasing bi-weekly software updates since May 7th, addressing bugs and making improvements. These updates have resolved many problems, but more work remains to be done.
The redesigned app wasfirst announced back in April, and since then, it has been the subject ofridicule and complaintsby several owners of Sonos devices. Tyler Hayes, our Reviews Editor, even had to use anunofficial Sonos appto get his speakers working properly. Certainly, then, it was probably in the best interest for the company to fix issues based on user feedback. Failure to do so could jeopardize Sonos' existing user base and scare off potential new customers.
Sonos hasdrafted a roadmapfor upcoming improvements, with a focus on stability, music library management, volume responsiveness, user interface enhancements, and alarm reliability in the coming months. The company also plans to restore edit mode for playlists and queues and improve settings functionality by October. It will take some time to fix everything, but the app should eventually be fine by the end of this year.
