Sonos Announces Redesigned App That Puts Everything on Your Homescreen

The company’s desktop apps are being phased out in favor of a web app that lets you control your Sonos gear from anywhere.

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Today, Sonos officially introduces the redesigned mobile app that was previously previewed earlier this month. The new app is set to roll out for both Android and iOS on May 7th. However, the company’s desktop apps for Windows and macOS will no longer be part of the Sonos ecosystem. Instead, Sonos is launching a new web app that allows users to control and access their Sonos speakers from anywhere, not just when connected to Wi-Fi at home.

A Faster, More Reliable Experience

The smartphone app has been rebuilt from the ground up with a focus on reliability and speed. Sonos aims to provide a seamless experience without relying on a tabbed navigation bar. Here are some key features of the redesigned app:

Homescreen Everything: Unlike the previous version, where navigation was spread across different tabs, the new app places everything on the homescreen. Users can customize the layout, pin favorite playlists, and even prioritize specific audio sources.
Quick Access to Speakers: Swiping up from the mini player at the bottom of the app reveals a system overview. From there, users can adjust volume, group products, and perform other speaker-related actions. For deeper settings, a shortcut to the settings menu is available in the upper-right corner of the homescreen.
Enhanced Search: The search experience remains familiar, but now users can set a preferred music service that will appear at the top of search results. Unfortunately, Apple Music users won’t see spatial audio track labels in search results until playback begins.

What About the Desktop Apps?

Sonos will discontinue its controller apps for Windows and macOS. These desktop apps were already receiving minimal attention, and the move to a web app streamlines the Sonos experience. Users can now control their Sonos devices from afar using the new web app, a feature previously exclusive to the Sonos Pro subscription service.

Patrick Spence’s Excitement

Sonos CEO Patrick Spence expressed enthusiasm about the redesigned app: “We felt now was the time to reimagine our app experience. After thorough development and testing, we are confident this redesigned app is easier, faster, and better. It once again raises the bar for the home music listening experience and sets up our ability to expand into new categories and experiences.”

The new Sonos app will be delivered as an update to the existing S2 software and will support all the same Sonos products.

Sources: The Verge, Sonos Press Release