In the present day, Sonos is formally introducing the redesigned cell app that I showed you earlier this month. It’ll roll out for each Android and iOS on Could seventh, however the firm’s desktop apps aren’t coming alongside for the trip: Sonos will discontinue its controller apps for Home windows and macOS within the close to future. Taking their place is a brand new internet app that may can help you management and entry your Sonos audio system from wherever — not simply if you’re residence on Wi-Fi.
However for now, let’s get again to the smartphone app. It’s been rebuilt from the bottom as much as be extra dependable. Sonos’ basic aim was making every little thing really feel sooner and getting you the place you wish to be with out counting on a tabbed navigation bar. Now, every little thing is on the homescreen, and you’ll customise the structure to place your favourite playlists up prime. Need your line-in audio supply positioned larger than every little thing else? You are able to do that, too. You may pin particular carousels from music apps (like Spotify’s “new releases”) to the homescreen as properly. And there’s a persistent search bar on the backside, so discovering music is all the time only a single faucet away.
Accessing your audio system is so simple as swiping up from the mini participant on the backside of the app. From there, you’ll see a system overview the place you may regulate quantity, group merchandise, and so forth. If you could dig deeper, there’s a shortcut to the settings menu within the upper-right nook of the homescreen.
The search expertise is usually the identical, although now you can set a most well-liked music service that will likely be ranked on the prime of outcomes. Sadly for Apple Music customers, Sonos nonetheless isn’t labeling spatial audio tracks in search outcomes; you gained’t see that badge till you begin enjoying one thing.
Up to now, I’ve solely seen a quick demo of the app in motion, so we’ll have to attend till Could seventh to be taught whether or not there are any lacking options or misplaced performance in comparison with the present model. Nothing frustrates Sonos followers greater than that form of factor, so hopefully there gained’t be many holes to plug. I’m wanting ahead to testing out the net app and seeing how properly Sonos units will be managed from afar; that comfort was beforehand unique to the company’s Sonos Pro subscription service. The desktop apps had been already receiving little consideration as is, so that is in all probability for the most effective.
As you may think, Sonos CEO Patrick Spence appears very excited concerning the new cell app. “We felt now was the time to reimagine our app expertise,” he stated in a press launch. “After thorough growth and testing, we’re assured this redesigned app is simpler, sooner and higher. It as soon as once more raises the bar for the house music listening expertise, and units up our potential to develop into new classes and experiences.”
The brand new Sonos app will roll out as an replace to that S2 software program and assist all the identical merchandise.