What you need to know
- Sonos launches its new Sonos S2 app for iOS and Android.
- The S2 app will work with all modern Sonos devices released, and it'll be the only way to control speakers released from May 22.
- Older Sonos speakers will still be controlled by the Sonos S1 app.
Earlier this year Sonos announced that it would stop support for older devices as it worked to modernize its ecosystem. Today, Sonos has finally brought its new Sonos S2 app for Android (opens in new tab) and iOS (opens in new tab) to their respective app stores. The S2 app is the new app and OS for modern Sonos systems which the company says "will power the next generation of Sonos products and experiences." It'll power all modern Sonos devices, as well as any forthcoming ones, supporting higher-resolution audio. and enhanced usability features.
The Verge reported on the launch in March:
Sonos S2 will allow for higher-resolution audio, whereas, right now, the company's speakers are limited to CD-quality lossless audio. The revamped software underpinnings could let Sonos go hi-fi in the same way as Amazon's Echo Studio. It could also finally result in Sonos adopting Dolby Atmos for home theater sound in the next Playbar, Playbase, or Beam.Sonos S2 will also allow for usability enhancements (there will be improved room groups functionality in June) and "more connected and personal experiences," according to the company. There aren't many details on the latter just yet, but in past conversations with Sonos employees, they've hinted at a future in which your Sonos speakers might automatically start playing a certain playlist or podcast when you arrive home (or wake up in the morning) based on your listening patterns.
As for older Sonos speakers, they would now be controlled by the (renamed) Sonos S1 controller app. They'll still work and be serviced via security updates, but the company will not push any feature updates going forward. It's not going to be a comfortable transition for all users, but sometimes we need to let the past die to move forward.
