Sonos Execs Launched Ill-Received App Despite Employee Protests

Back in May, Sonos launched a new version of its mobile app, and it's been wildly unpopular with Sonos customers because of ongoing bugs and the removal of several features. Today, Bloomberg delved into what went wrong at Sonos ahead of when the app launched, and why it came out anyway.

sonos redesigned app
Sonos had to come out with a new app when it launched the Sonos Ace headphones because of "technical debt." The company basically spent time working on new features instead of updating outdated code written in obsolete languages, leading to infrastructure issues. Sonos put off addressing the underlying technical debt, but introducing the headphones required the Sonos app and the cloud setup behind it to be overhauled.

At the time the app was in development, Sonos laid off some of its employees to cut costs and also did some internal restructuring that was "causing chaos" by separating people who had worked together for years. As the app's launch approached, employees protested "forcefully," even resorting to yelling and screaming, because it was clear the app wasn't ready to launch.

Former Sonos employees told Bloomberg that Sonos was prioritizing promises to investors and attracting new customers rather than ensuring equipment owned by longtime Sonos customers continued to work. One employee said they were afraid to push back further on the app's launch because it could lead to them losing their job.

Sonos' lead counsel Eddie Lazarus did an internal investigation into the app's development and told Bloomberg that the app was delayed, from early 2024 to May 2024, and that there had been no "yelling" or "screaming" in meetings. Sonos apparently had a list of what it considered "essential" bugs that needed to be fixed pre-launch, but it decided that less critical bugs could wait until the app was released. "Our list of essential bugs, obviously, was not comprehensive enough," Lazarus told Bloomberg.

Sonos expects to miss its annual revenue target by $200 million after the app debacle. In August, it laid off some employees, and it told others that yearly bonuses and merit-based pay raises have been canceled.

Sonos CEO Patrick Spence apologized to Sonos customers in July and committed to regular updates to address bugs and add missing features. The company considered bringing back the old app as it worked on the new version, but it turned out that wasn't possible because of the updates made to the cloud servers.

Sonos also decided to delay two upcoming product launches in 2024 to instead focus on improving the Sonos app, and the company has "pulled together the very best and most experienced engineers" that it has to work on the app until it is fixed.

Tag: Sonos

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Prime Day Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Monday July 7, 2025 10:55 am PDT by
Amazon is back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront. With the event now underway, we're tracking numerous all-time low prices on Apple gear right now. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a...

Top Rated Comments

matthewcc Avatar
10 months ago
I see the Sonos leadership went to the Boeing School of Ignoring Engineers to Please Short Term Stock Gamblers.
Score: 92 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SierraVista Avatar
10 months ago

At the time the app was in development, Sonos laid off some of its employees to cut costs and also did some internal restructuring that was "causing chaos" by separating people who had worked together for years. As the app's launch approached, employees protested "forcefully," even resorting to yelling and screaming, because it was clear the app wasn't ready to launch.
The PHB ('https://dilbert.fandom.com/wiki/Pointy-Haired_Boss')s who orchestrated these “organizational synergies” should be made to walk the plank yet somehow I feel like those protesting engineers are the ones who took the blame for this clown show.
Score: 58 Votes (Like | Disagree)
8707908 Avatar
10 months ago
Because at Sonos, our most important asset is our stock pri…i mean our employees.

we care deeply about our sharehol…I mean customers.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
carniesandrubes Avatar
10 months ago
I was a beta tester. We had dozens of major issues that were still outstanding and one day they just said "thanks, we're done here". Embarrassing.
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
toobravetosave Avatar
10 months ago
i hope society learns from the past several decades and stuffs every last MBA into the trash
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
phenste Avatar
10 months ago
legit do not think a headline has ever made me jump the way this one did, lmfao…how is it that I have zero Sonos devices in my home and even I know what a trainwreck this situation has been? such a shame, genuinely hope this app gets un-f**ked for all Sonos customers ASAP
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)