Audio brand Sonos may soon completely redesign its S2 app by making it easier to set up its devices as well as “strengthen connectivity between its many speakers.” It’ll also introduce several new customization options. This nugget of information comes from TheVerge which claims to have received screenshots of the revamp from sources close to the matter.
According to the report, the company is removing all the navigation tabs at the bottom, replacing tabs with a search bar to help soundbar owners find music quickly. The home screen will serve as a central hub consisting of “scrollable carousels” housing playlists and direct access to streaming services.
Of course, you will be allowed to customize the layout to your liking. You can tweak the settings of a soundbar through the “Your System” section on the app.
The Now Playing screen will see revisions as well. Both the shuffle and repeat buttons are going to be present on the page. Plus, the volume slider in the mini-player will appear “no matter where you are in the app.”
Love it or hate it
For some people on the internet, this update has been a long time coming. The Verge shared links to posts from the Sonos subreddit of people complaining about how terrible the S2 app is. One of the more passionate rants talks about the software’s poor functionality, as the Redditor was unable to turn off their speaker’s alarms remotely despite it being connected.
Most of the reviews on app stores are positive, however several users on the Google Play Store listing do complain about an unintuitive UI and strange connection problems. People either love S2 or they hate it. There doesn’t seem to be any real middle ground.
The Verge states the S2 update will roll out for Android and iOS on May 7th although the date could change.
Future plans
It’s worth mentioning that this isn’t the first time we’ve heard about the redesign.
Back in February, Bloomberg published a report detailing some of Sonos’ plans for 2024, such as their focus on a “revamped mobile app codenamed Passport.” At a glance, it appears Passport is the future S2 upgrade. Originally, the update was supposed to come in March, but the brand ran into development issues and were forced to delay it.
Bloomberg’s piece goes on to mention two new Sonos devices, codenamed Duke and Disco. The latter is said to be a set of earbuds able to connect to Wi-Fi. It’s supposed to be a Sonos take on Apple Airpods.
Not much is known about the Duke, but it does share a name with a pair of Sonos headphones that were discovered back in late March on the Bluetooth SIG website. 91Mobiles dug through the page revealing the device could allow music streaming over Wi-Fi, it’s slated for a June launch, and should cost $450. These next couple of months are looking to be a busy time for Sonos. But as always, take the info in this leak with a grain of salt.
Until we learn more, check out TechRadar's list of the best soundbars for 2024.
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