The Ace up Sonos’ sleeve turned out to be a joker and nobody’s laughing.
Sonos is facing an uphill battle in its attempt to salvage the reputation of its Ace headphones and the entire company. Following a rocky launch marred by software issues, the company has released a series of updates designed to enhance the app’s functionality. Yet, still, not everyone is impressed.
The Sonos App Debacle
May 2024 should have been a triumphant month for Sonos. Instead, it marked the beginning of a nightmare.
That month, Sonos released a new app design, saying it would make things better for users along with the launch of their first-ever headphones.
On paper, it seemed like a simple visual refresh. But, in reality, it was a Pandora’s box of hidden complexities.
“With the app, my push for speed backfired.” CEO Patrick Spence admitted.
“As we rolled out the new software to more and more users, it became evident that there were stubborn bugs we had not discovered in our testing. As a result, far too many of our customers are having an experience that is worse than what they previously had.”
The new software was a bug-ridden mess that had Sonos’ typically devoted fanbase pulling their hair out. Sleep timers vanished into thin air, while some unlucky users were unable to play any music at all.
Plus, the software’s instability was so profound that even cloud service outages began affecting user systems.
Because of this, some users resorted to third-party apps just to get their Sonos systems working again.
Spence said they used new programming languages to make the app, but for users, it wasn’t helpful at all. It was more like being stuck with a faulty aux cable – frustrating and utterly pointless.
To make things worse, some main features, like managing playlists, won’t be fixed until fall 2024, leaving users stuck with a half-working product for months.
Sonos’ Damage Control Efforts
Recognizing the severity of the situation, Sonos has implemented a series of measures to address the fallout.
CEO Patrick Spence issued a public apology in July, a full two months after the problems began.
“I will not rest until we’ve addressed the issues and have customers raving about Sonos again,” Spence declared.
And, Sonos is putting its money where its mouth is. The company is now allocating between $20 million and $30 million to fix the app issues.
Because of this, Sonos has also announced the delay of two major product releases originally slated for Q4 2024.
Some internal changes has also been made.
For one, Sonos has brought back Nick Millington, the original software architect of the Sonos experience, to spearhead the app improvement efforts. They also got Tom Conrad, a Sonos board member, to watch over the app improvement work, adding another layer of oversight to the fixing process.
The company has also promised to release bi-weekly app updates to improve transparency and address ongoing issues systematically.
But, Sonos isn’t limiting its efforts to software alone.
They’ve made their TV Audio Swap feature work with cheaper soundbar models, like the Beam range and Ray, and now it works on Android devices too. It’s a clear attempt to boost the appeal of their Ace headphones, showing they haven’t forgotten about hardware in their software scramble.
Lastly, in a move that clearly says “please don’t leave us,” Sonos is planning sales and special programs to “support and thank” their users. These plans will last at least six months, through fiscal Q4 and Q1 of 2025.
Customer Reactions and Market Impact
The repercussions of Sonos’ missteps have been swift and severe. Long-time fans have expressed their disappointment and frustration across social media platforms and forums.
Some customers even claim that their older Sonos equipment has become “worthless bricks” due to incompatibility with the new app. This issue is fueling criticism that Sonos is over-engineering its products and forcing users to buy new models.
Worse, the damage isn’t limited to current customers either. Potential buyers are being scared off by the growing negative word-of-mouth.
Of course, the stock market has reacted, with Sonos’ stock value dropping to about one-third of what it was in early 2021.
It’s a nosedive that reflects not just the immediate financial impact of the app issues and product delays. But, also the growing concerns about the company’s future in an increasingly crowded smart speaker market.
In fact, things are so bad that some people are asking if CEO Patrick Spence will keep his job.
This is mainly because Sonos’ handling of the crisis, including some initially unprofessional responses on social media, has led to internal changes in how they manage online communications.
As Sonos continues its efforts to get back on track, they’re at a crossroads.
The next few months will show if they can win back their once-loyal fans or if these mistakes will lead to a longer-term decline.
Sonos’ challenge now isn’t just fixing tech problems. It’s convincing users that they still care about quality and new ideas, and haven’t lost that in trying to grow too fast and expand in the market.