• 2 min read
Sonos finally starts fixing its broken app redesign
Sonos is rolling out a phased app update with tab navigation, speaker sorting, and a new Dynamic Volume Slider on iOS.
Image: Android Authority
Sonos ships long-awaited app overhaul fix
Sonos is finally rolling out a substantial update to its companion app, aiming to clean up the disastrous redesign from two years ago that was blamed for breaking the app so badly the company had to delay new hardware.
The refresh, first reported as in development back in February, is now arriving in phases and could take up to two weeks to reach everyone.
New navigation and sorting options
In a Reddit post, Sonos outlined several key changes. The bottom navigation bar now has clearly labeled buttons for “Home,” “System,” and “Search”, with the currently selected tab highlighted more prominently.
The new tabbed navigation is opt-in for now. Users need to enable it manually via the “Enable Improved Navigation” toggle in the Sonos app settings.
Sonos is also adding better control over how speakers are displayed. Inside the app, you can now sort speakers:
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- Alphabetically
- By most-used
- By which speakers are actively playing audio
You can also pin favorite speakers to the top of the list for faster access.
Dynamic Volume Slider on iOS
On iOS, Sonos is rolling out a redesigned Dynamic Volume Slider. The new slider can either show the current volume or an EQ shortcut if that option is enabled.
According to Sonos, this should also lead to a more responsive experience when adjusting volume via the slider on iPhone.
UI tweaks to Now Playing and favorites
The Now Playing interface is getting a visual refresh as well. The app now changes background colors based on the album art, making the screen more dynamic.
Sonos is also adding swipe-to-delete support for Sonos Favorites, making it quicker to clean up saved content.
Phased rollout
The updated app is rolling out in phases, so it may not hit every device immediately. Users with automatic updates enabled don’t need to take any action.
iPhone owners who want to grab it sooner can manually check for the update in the App Store.
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