Sonos App Overhaul Helps You Get to Music Faster

Sonos has introduced a revamped S2 app that promises much quicker access to your favorite music.

The new software centers around an updated Home screen that puts favorite content, controls, and services in a single place. You can quickly return to a radio station or play music recommendations without having to hop between sections. You can also move and pin rows on the Home screen to keep your most-used categories up top.

Search is always accessible at the bottom of the new Home tab, and provides results across services. A swipe up from the bottom edge offers fast access to controls and a view of your whole home’s audio setup. It’s now easier to group speakers or adjust volume regardless of where you are in the app.

The revised Sonos S2 app will be available on May 7th. Notably, it’s launching alongside a new web app for controlling from your computer — the company is replacing its long-serving desktop app.

Sonos told Techopedia that these changes won’t come to its S1 app. S1 is a legacy-oriented controller meant for the brand’s older speakers, such as the original Play:5.

The changes are potentially overdue. Sonos’ app design has remained relatively static in recent years. That has created issues as the client has had to manage not just a growing list of services, but a wider range of hardware that now includes spatial audio speakers, portable speakers, and TV soundbars. The S2 rework could help manage that expansion while fending off competition from rivals like Apple’s HomePod series and Google’s Nest line.