Sonos app adds tabs and speaker sorting

Sonos is rolling out another set of app improvements, this time focused on small usability fixes rather than major redesigns. The update adds optional tab navigation, new ways to sort speakers, and a handful of other tweaks across the mobile app.

Users can turn on the new tabs by enabling “Enable Improved Navigation” in the app settings. Once enabled, the bottom of the screen gets one-tap access to the system, search, and home screens, making common parts of the app quicker to reach.

In the system tab, Sonos now shows a list of speakers and headphones that can be organized in several ways, including:

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• Alphabetically
• By frequently used speakers
• By devices currently playing audio

Users can also pin speakers or rooms to the top of the list. That will likely matter most for households with lots of Sonos gear spread across multiple rooms, rather than a simpler single-room or home theater setup.

On iOS, the app is also getting a redesigned volume interface with a dynamic slider. The Now Playing screen will now pull background colors from the album art of whatever is playing, and favorites can be removed with a swipe-to-delete gesture. Sonos says the release also includes bug fixes and performance updates.

None of these changes are dramatic, but they arrive after a much rockier period for the company. A little over two years ago, Sonos pushed a major app overhaul that was so poorly received it ultimately contributed to a change in the company’s leadership. This latest update is rolling out over a couple of weeks, so not everyone will see it immediately.