Sonos is preparing a major update to its app that aims to simplify navigation and introduce iPhone Lock Screen controls using Live Activities, part of a broader effort to rebuild confidence after the company's troubled 2024 software overhaul, Bloomberg reports.
Sonos plans to roll out a series of optional changes to its iPhone and Android app in the coming months, with the company focusing on usability improvements, navigation, and more accessible playback controls. The update is expected to arrive gradually rather than as a sweeping redesign, reflecting a different release strategy following the company's widely criticized 2024 app relaunch.
Sonos CEO Tom Conrad recently demonstrated early versions of the revised interface during a meeting at the company's headquarters in Goleta, California. He admitted to Bloomberg that the current version of the app still contains several usability issues despite improvements made over the past year. While the final design is still evolving, the goal is to reduce friction in common tasks such as switching rooms, managing playback, and accessing frequently used controls.
A notable change being developed specifically for iOS involves adding Lock Screen playback controls for Sonos speakers. The feature is already available on Android devices, where users can control music without opening the Sonos app. On the iPhone, Sonos plans to implement similar functionality using Apple's Live Activities feature.
Live Activities were introduced in iOS 16 as part of the system's Lock Screen and Dynamic Island experience. The framework allows apps to display continuously updated information on the Lock Screen and, on supported devices, within the Dynamic Island area. Live Activities are commonly used for tasks such as tracking sports scores, ride-sharing progress, deliveries, or timers, but they can also provide persistent media controls.
Sonos has not yet provided a release date for the updated interface. Further details about the changes may be shared with customers in late March or April once development progresses further.
