- Next app update is coming in January
- The old app isn't coming back
- TV streamer still expected to launch in 2025
To say that Sonos had a terrible 2024 is a bit like saying Taylor Swift made a few dollars from the odd show: it's a bit of an understatement.
The introduction of a new Sonos app in the Spring went wrong very quickly, and Sonos has spent much of 2024 trying to fix the damage – not just to the app but to its brand reputation. The furore over the app even overshadowed the launch of its long-awaited headphones, the Sonos Ace.
Sonos would like to have a much better 2025. Here's how it plans to do it.
Will Sonos's 2025 be an app-y new year?
Sonos has published a detailed roadmap of where its app updates will be going in 2025. Despite previous reports, Sonos is no longer considering bringing the old app back; the focus is on getting the current app ship-shape.
Published earlier this month, the missive by chief innovation officer Nick Millington explains that "As we enter the New Year, we will continue our cadence of major and minor releases, focusing in particular on restoring Playlist Editing and Snooze Alarms, plus improvements to Local Music Library and overall responsiveness."
There's more. "We acknowledge that even as we have rolled out improvements to group volume, some customers continue to face issues with volume control as a result of connectivity issues between certain players and the app."
He continues: "We are committed to making significant improvements here in our upcoming updates. Likewise, we know our work is not yet done when it comes to improving usability of Local Music Library, and have heard your feedback around requests such as returning A-Z scrolling and improving queue management."
Sonos is continuing with its app update program, and the next key update is currently scheduled for January.
While the app issues have clearly been a drag on Sonos's engineers, that hasn't stopped it from releasing new products: the Sonos Arc Ultra, which we reviewed in November, is very impressive – especially in the bass department. But we've also been impressed by some of its smart features, which we think move it ever closer to home theater nirvana.
That (along with the also-2024-issue Sonos Ace headphones which work with your Sonos 'bar for outstanding immersive audio) makes us hopeful about Sonos' next big hardware release, the not-official yet Sonos TV streamer. Sonos is keeping quiet about the details so far, but we know it's working with the creators of the smart TV operating system Ventura – and given the app drama in 2024, there's no way Sonos is going to ship it without testing it until it squeaks. We're still a little anxious about Ventura's origins – it's being made by an ad company, not a TV company – but we're optimistic that Sonos chose it because of its strong relationships with the best streaming services, not because it wants to blast every Sonos user with annoying ads.
Rumors so far predict a 2025 launch, a sub-$200 price tag and tight integration with the rest of the Sonos universe. If Sonos gets this one right it could mean the beginning of a whole new era for the brand – and the end of a pretty unpleasant run.
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