Sonos’ New App Woes: Users Outraged, Company Responds
**Sonos’ Major App Update Sparks Backlash**
Sonos’ recent app update has sent shockwaves through its user base, with widespread condemnation and complaints on various online platforms. The new app, released on May 7, has been met with an overwhelmingly negative response, with users expressing frustration over missing features, accessibility issues, and broken functionality.
**Missing Features and Broken Functionality**
The new Sonos app has eliminated several long-standing features that users had come to rely on. These include the ability to set sleep timers and alarms, adjust speaker volume precisely, add songs to the end of a queue, manage Wi-Fi connectivity, and add new speakers. Additionally, the revamped search engine can no longer effectively search local music libraries connected via network computers or storage drives, a critical feature for many Sonos users. Some streaming services are also experiencing partial or complete outages.
**Accessibility Concerns**
The new app has also been criticized for its accessibility issues. One Reddit user labeled it an “accessibility disaster,” highlighting its challenges for visually impaired users. The user, Rude-kangaroo6608, stated, “As a blind guy, I now have a system that I can hardly use.”
**Sonos’ Response**
Sonos has defended its decision, stating that the extensive changes to the app “took courage.” However, the company has acknowledged the user feedback and plans to gradually reintroduce many of the removed features in the coming months. Meanwhile, users of the S1 controller, which supports legacy hardware, are advised to follow Sonos’ instructions to try the new experience.
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Priyanka