Sonos did not confirm that it brought back its old app. An August 15, 2024 report said the company had explored that possibility while laying off approximately 100 employees, but described a potential return—not an approved or completed relaunch. Later company statements document work on the current app and further updates, not a return to the previous one.
What the 2024 headline reported
HotHardware reported on August 15, 2024, that Sonos had laid off approximately 100 employees and was considering whether to rerelease its previous app. The figure is an approximate number reported by the outlet, not an exact workforce tally established in the report. HotHardware’s report quoted CEO Patrick Spence calling the cuts difficult but necessary to support the product roadmap and the company’s long-term success.
The report did not establish that the app caused the layoffs: it noted Sonos had not directly tied the job cuts to the app. The headline’s “may bring back” wording captured reported consideration at that time, not a company decision.
What went wrong with the Sonos app
Sonos’s fiscal 2025 annual report describes the May 2024 app and operating-system redesign as a troubled launch. The company said customers encountered missing features, performance problems, setup difficulties and general unreliability. It reported increased complaints and dissatisfaction, and said it believed the rollout contributed to lower sales of existing products and reputational harm. Sonos also said two product launches were delayed by a quarter. The annual filing is the company’s retrospective account; it does not establish that every customer’s problems were resolved.
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#1 Best Overall
- Dual angled tweeters and a powerful midwoofer deliver rich, balanced stereo sound with deep bass.
- The perfect start or addition to your system, Era 100 SL makes Sonos sound more accessible.
- Stream over WiFi, pair via Bluetooth, or connect a turntable and more with line in.
- Go from unboxing to incredible sound in minutes with a quick plug-in and the Sonos app
- Trueplay fine-tunes Era 100 SL for the unique acoustics of the room.
How Sonos responded
In August 2024, Sonos announced customer-experience measures including regular mobile software upgrades, a more gradual rollout of major app changes, and improved quality practices. The company said it had reintroduced more than 80% of the app’s missing features at that point. That was Sonos’s progress figure in 2024, not a current measure of feature completeness. CEO Patrick Spence said, “Our priority since its release has been – and continues to be – fixing the app.” Sonos’s announcement set out a recovery plan; it did not announce a return to the previous app.
In a March 2026 interview, CEO Tom Conrad described the sequence as restoring performance, reliability and baseline functionality, then improving the experience. He said, “We had to fix performance and reliability — we had to restore baseline functionality that had been dropped from the product in its initial release.” He also said, “We’re now at the place where we can update the app to return it to more conventional choices.” Those remarks concerned further changes to the app, not a promise to revive the old one. TechRadar’s interview provides the context for his comments.
Rank #2
- The information below is per-pack only
- Dual angled tweeters and a powerful midwoofer deliver rich, balanced stereo sound with deep bass.
- The perfect start or addition to your system, Era 100 SL makes Sonos sound more accessible.
- Stream over WiFi, pair via Bluetooth, or connect a turntable and more with line in.
- Go from unboxing to incredible sound in minutes with a quick plug-in and the Sonos app
What is the current app status?
The latest company app announcement reviewed here is Sonos 27, dated September 8, 2026. Sonos described it as a free update for Sonos S2 products that includes a more intuitive app experience. The company announcement documents ongoing development of the current S2 app; it does not say the previous app was relaunched. Features vary by product, and the announcement is Sonos’s description of its update rather than independent verification of reliability. See Sonos’s Sonos 27 announcement for its stated features.
So the answer to “Did Sonos bring back the old app?” is: the 2024 report said Sonos was considering it, but the official updates reviewed through October 4, 2026 describe recovery and newer S2 app updates instead. No reviewed company announcement confirms an old-app revival.
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Rank #3
- Dual angled tweeters and a powerful midwoofer deliver rich, balanced stereo sound with deep bass.
- The perfect start or addition to your system, Era 100 SL makes Sonos sound more accessible.
- Stream over WiFi, pair via Bluetooth, or connect a turntable and more with line in.
- Go from unboxing to incredible sound in minutes with a quick plug-in and the Sonos app
- Trueplay fine-tunes Era 100 SL for the unique acoustics of the room.
What this means for customers and investors
For customers, the controversy was about the software used to set up and control Sonos’s connected audio products, not a separate app-only service. Sonos’s later updates show the company continued developing that software, but an update announcement alone cannot establish how well it works for every device or household.
For investors and employees, the distinction between the layoffs and the app trouble matters. The approximately 100 cuts were reported in 2024; the contemporaneous coverage did not establish that the app caused them. Sonos’s later filing does acknowledge business effects it attributed to the troubled rollout, including lower existing-product sales in the company’s view, reputational harm and delayed launches. Those are separate claims from the reason for the layoffs.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Powered by a 47% faster processor, the next-gen dual-tweeter acoustic architecture produces detailed stereo separation while a 25% larger midwoofer deepens the bass.¹
- Place this speaker anywhere and everywhere you want to listen. The compact design fits beautifully on your bookshelf, kitchen counter, desk, or nightstand.
- Stream from all your favorite services over WiFi. Pair a Bluetooth device with the press of a button. Connect a turntable or other audio source using an auxiliary cable and the Sonos Line-In Adapter.²
- Go from unboxing to unbelievable sound in just a few minutes. Simply plug in the power cable, connect your phone or tablet to WiFi, and open the Sonos app.
- With a tap in the Sonos app, Trueplay tuning technology analyzes the unique acoustics of your space and optimizes the speaker’s EQ. So all your content sounds just the way it should.
Rank #4
- The new acoustic architecture replaces Move's single tweeter with two, unlocking a higher-fidelity stereo soundstage with crisp vocals and detailed instruments. With deep, dynamic bass powered by the precision-tuned woofer, you'll feel the emotional charge of a live performance.
- With automatic Trueplay tuning, Move 2 continually optimizes the sound for its surroundings. So, no matter where you are or what you play, you get the best listening experience.
- Listen twice as long as with the previous generation. All the acoustic updates work in concert for increased efficiency, giving you up to 24 hours of playback on a single charge.
- Shock absorbent materials protect against accidental drops, and the IP56 rating ensures spills, splashes, rain, dirt, and dust don't dampen your listening experience.
- Use the built-in handle to bring your music from one place to the next. When the battery needs a boost, set Move 2 on the included Wireless Charging Base, upgraded with a detachable power cable and more compact adapter. Charge on the go with any USB-PD power supply.
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