Sonos Delays Launch of Arc Soundbar Successor to Focus on Fixing App

Speaking on his third quarter earnings call ('https://s22.q4cdn.com/672173472/files/doc_financials/2024/q3/FINAL-SONO-3Q24-Earnings-Transcript-docx.pdf'), Sonos chief Patrick Spence told investors that it was "deeply disappointing for me personally" for the company to be on track for the first three quarters of the year, only to revise its expectations for the fourth quarter due to "challenges with our new app."

Perhaps the Sonos “Chief” should not have allowed the new app to be released in the first place?

I’ve not seen their codebase, but in general this episode speaks to many general issues facing software engineers in this era:

* Prioritizing the addition of new features over addressing existing technical debt
* Getting a codebase in such a state that it requires a clean-slate approach to move it forward
* ‘Just getting it done’ vs ‘Doing it well’
* Deprioritizing the design of a holistic system architecture over bundling one-off solutions
* Praising rockstar coding efforts as opposed to methodical, thoughtful approaches
* Lack of proper estimation and understanding of total time and costs involved in an effort
* Lack of any real vision for a product as opposed to gimmicky approaches in the pursuit of ‘shiny’

I honestly can't think of a worse app 'redesign' in history.

* Pages after the incredible Pages '09 (though now, it has finally evolved most of the '09 features back in)?
* FCPX right after FCP (though now, it has finally evolved most of the FCP features back in)?
* iMovie 08 after the incredible iMovie '06 (though now, iMovie has some of the good features of '06 back in)?
* Shall I go on?

I'm BOTH a long-term Apple guy and someone who owns Sonos speakers. Like the above, the new app is basically a wholesale change from the old app. Since it's not branded Apple, fans can't be as forgiving/apologetic and/or defending of it. However, I find it just fine after I've adjusted to the changes.

The prior app required many clicks to do common things. The new app brings the most common use stuff- play audio on speakers- to the top and lets users customize that "top" to their own tastes. EVERYTHING I want my Sonos speakers to do takes ONE CLICK now instead of multiple clicks.

Yes, some less used functionality didn't make it (just like it very commonly does not with Apple app overhauls) and other less used functionality is not in the same places as it was before (as is always the case in wholesale overhauls). But I've easily adjusted for my purposes and like the new app better. Friends with Sonos have also had no problems adjusting either. I actually thought I- being the tech support friend- would have to help a few adapt... but they easily did so on their own.

Could they have QC'd this launch better? YES... and so could Apple in the MANY times Apple wholesale changes things and just drops features & functionality and/or spins bugs with "only a small number of users are affected."

They are working on making the app better. I bet it won't take YEARS as it did for some of the bulleted apps I shared above to get new versions back to on or near par with older versions. I'll give them at least the same tolerance I'll give Apple when they do this kind of thing.

And while I know many people with Sonos speakers, I know no one who has gone "months" without being able to use their speakers. I can't even find anyone having any of the extremes (problems) being posted as if they are universal issues about this. In fact, just 2 weekends ago, I helped someone add a wide variety of Sonos speakers to their Arc-only household using the new app and it all went fine without a single issue. They've been gushing about how great it all sounds ever since.

Apple people who actually own Sonos speakers really struggling with the new iDevice app for whatever reason: fire up the Mac Sonos app. It's the same as it's always been and works just fine. Or don't use the Sonos app at all and just airplay from Mac or iDevice to Sonos... or even command Siri to play your audio on Sonos speakers. Sonos seems extraordinarily ON getting the new app up to snuff ASAP. I'm confident it won't be years as it has been with some Apple apps. The Mac app works just fine and is exactly as it has been for years. Use it until the mobile app gets perfected if you are not doing as well with the mobile version as many friends & I are doing with it.

Now on with the "not Apple" brand thread bash-a-rama...

Agree. I can't fathom the product team actually releasing it in the first place.

I’ve been there a million times: “YOU WILL RELEASE THE PRODUCT ON THIS DATE OR I WILL FIND SOMEBODY WHO WILL.”

I honestly can't think of a worse app 'redesign' in history.

A lot of articles mention missing features as the problem with the app. Based on the Reddit forum the biggest problem is the app refusing to even find speakers. Imagine spending 10K+ on speakers for your whole home and not being able to use them for months.