Sonos is considering going back to the old operating system

Key Takeaways

• Discussions at Sonos about bringing back the old app due to issues not resolved with the new version.
• The S1 app works with older Sonos devices, the S2 app introduced in 2020 has now been replaced.
• Challenges of bringing back the old app include compatibility with Sonos Ace headphones and cloud-based systems.

As soon as you think Sonos The app review debate has reached a fever pitch, with The Verge reporting that there have been discussions at Sonos about the possibility of a refund older version of the app . While some of the issues that plagued the new version of the Sonos app have been resolved, there are still major issues, until the release of two major new products. are suspended until the application issues are resolved.

One of the possible remedies in the current situation that The Verge reports is being discussed “high up inside Sonos” is a temporary fix to make the old app available again, until the problems of the new version have been completely resolved.

What is the Sonos S2 app?

The previous version of the app worked fine

Before the disastrous redesign, there were two versions of the Sonos app: The S1 again S2. The S1 was the original version of the app and works with older Sonos hardware, such as Sonos ZonePlayer models, and Play:5 (Gen 1) again Sonos Bridge. It is only possible to control these devices using the S1 application.

The S1 app is still available for download and works as expected with S1 compatible devices. It’s even possible to downgrade most of the latest Sonos products designed to work with the S2 app so you can control them with the S1 app. Devices like Sonos One, Sonos Beam (Gen 1), Sonos Moveand the first generation SYMFONISK Speakers from Ikea can all be controlled using the S1 app. If your setup only includes devices compatible with the S1 operating system, this is probably your best option for now.

The S1 app is still available for download and works as expected with S1 compatible devices.

The S2 app was launched in 2020 and adds new features such as Dolby Atmos support and the ability to add multiple speakers to specific room groups. New Sonos products such as Sonos Era 100 , Sonos is on the moveagain The Sonos Arc it will only work with the S2 app and was not compatible with the old S1 app.

Then in May of this year, Sonos released a major update to the app that introduced a completely new design, as well it didn’t go well . The app lacked features such as the ability to set timers, add songs to a queue, and play music from local devices. Some users could not even add new speakers to their system using the new operating system. Sonos CEO Patrick Spence was forced to issue an apology.

At the moment, it’s not possible to go back to the previous Sonos S2 app, which means Sonos users are stuck waiting for regular updates that slow down a long list of issues.

Is the Sonos S2 app definitely coming back?

Its return will bring significant challenges

Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as just going back to the old version of the app until the new version’s issues are fixed. There are two main reasons why it is a problem.

The first is that Sonos has just released its first headphones. I Sonos Ace headphones they are specially designed to work with the new version of the application. Going back to a previous version of the app may mean that the Sonos Ace headphones lose functionality.

Sonos has made it clear that the ultimate plan is to move forward with an updated version of the app.

The second is that a large part of the redesign has been the move to a cloud-based system, which means that restoring access to a previous version of S2 may not be as simple as simply releasing the old app back to the app stores.

Whether or not we see a temporary return of the old version of the app, Sonos has made it clear that the ultimate plan is to move forward with an updated version of the app. During a recent earnings call, Patrick Spence confirmed that he believes the app redesign was “the right thing to do and still is.”