These legacy Sonos products — the original Zone Players, Connect, and Connect:Amp (launched in 2006; includes versions sold until 2015), first-generation Play:5 (launched 2009), CR200 (launched 2009), and Bridge (launched 2007) — will no longer receive software updates or new features, as of May 2020.
In a blog post, the company says, “92% of the products we’ve ever shipped are still in use today. That is unheard of in the world of consumer electronics. However, we’ve now come to a point where some of the oldest products have been stretched to their technical limits in terms of memory and processing power.”
Hours after the company made the announcement here on Tuesday, customers went on Twitter using the trending hashtag #SonosBoycott and tagging the company’s chief executive officer, Patrick Spence, with their questions.
“@Patrick_Spence would you like to buy my 3 yr old @Sonos equipment? I guess you know how to use it as a doorstop soon,” one Twitter user, @itnopred, asked the CEO…
The Sonos support team has been replying to irate customers.
“As this is the first time we’ve had to end software updates for any music player, we recognize this is new for Sonos owners, just as it is for Sonos,” a Sonos spokesman said in a statement.
“We’ve now come to the point where our oldest products have been stretched to their technical limits in terms of memory and processing power.”
MacDailyNews Take: It’s only natural that older products with outmoded processors and other technology drop off the support train. It’s a first for Sonos, so that might explain the uproar from customers experiencing this for the first time:
I'm crazy furious at @Sonos for the email I just received letting me know that they're discontinuing support for FIVE of my amps & speakers. Connect: Amp (x2) & Play: 5 (x3). That's $2500+ down the shitter. #neveragain #sonos #sonosboycott
— Rob Greer (@robgreer) January 21, 2020
well apparently @sonos has just decided it did not want its existing customers to buy new speakers ever again. all with a simple email. I have never seen a company commit suicide like that ! #sonosboycott #neveragain
— damase (@damase) January 21, 2020
Are there any lawyers out there who want to take up a class action against @sonos? #sonosboycott #sonos
— Christian Coventry (@ChristianCoven3) January 21, 2020
Deeply disappointed you're forcing working products into obsolescence. You're disregarding customer's financial investment AND the environment. No more business from us until you fix this. Offer a motherboard upgrade for a reasonable fee or you'll be history! @Sonos #SonosBoycott
— Corinna Loeckenhoff – inactive (@Loeckenhoff) January 22, 2020