Sonos ends 'Recycle Mode' for legacy products after consumer backlash

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 25
    Solisoli Posts: 10,038member
    polymnia said:
    Soli said:
    Overall I agree with Polymnia, and I say this as someone who has dealt with Sonos many times over the years for others but have never bought a Sonos and never plan to.

    His comment about getting 30% off a new iPhone for simply allowing one that is stuck on outdated version of iOS to be bricked and recycled help illuminate the scenario for me. I absolutely would do that and I would imagine that most others here would too, along with championing Apple's devotion to recycling and customer support as a result.

    As Polymnia also points out, Sonos botched this brilliant idea. He's clearly not supporting the way they went about explaining what was going on to customers.

    The only part of his comments that I'd take umbrage with is the term "truly obsolete" if it can still able to be used in its original manner for its original intention. With how slowly many update their HEC, an older Sonos on an older TV with an older sound system may still be a perfect fit. Now, Polymnia did qualify his term to include "truly obsolete product" which I could argue is different from device, as a product is from the seller's PoV and device is from their owner's, but in this case I'd have needed that to be elaborated on to take his side on that one specific point.

    To re-ask his question: What if Apple started offering 30% off a new iPhone if you still used one that no longer received iOS updates?
    I do get the “obsolete” is a troublesome term, more appropriate from the manufacturer’s POV. I think using the word “functional” is more appropriate from the customer’s POV. And “non functional” when the device is so far gone that it can’t stream Apple Music (for example) due to changes in how it’s delivered that Sonos cannot or will not update their “obsolete” devices. 

    Sonos is trying to adjust from the early growth stage of their platform to managing this mature, even aging, platform. The “recycle mode” upgrade discount fiasco shows their inexperience here. The reversal of the policy shows a willingness to learn from mistakes. Something we probably all wish Apple would do a little more often  
    I'd use the term "unsupported" in this instance.
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  • Reply 22 of 25
    polymniapolymnia Posts: 1,080member
    Soli said:
    polymnia said:
    Soli said:
    Overall I agree with Polymnia, and I say this as someone who has dealt with Sonos many times over the years for others but have never bought a Sonos and never plan to.

    His comment about getting 30% off a new iPhone for simply allowing one that is stuck on outdated version of iOS to be bricked and recycled help illuminate the scenario for me. I absolutely would do that and I would imagine that most others here would too, along with championing Apple's devotion to recycling and customer support as a result.

    As Polymnia also points out, Sonos botched this brilliant idea. He's clearly not supporting the way they went about explaining what was going on to customers.

    The only part of his comments that I'd take umbrage with is the term "truly obsolete" if it can still able to be used in its original manner for its original intention. With how slowly many update their HEC, an older Sonos on an older TV with an older sound system may still be a perfect fit. Now, Polymnia did qualify his term to include "truly obsolete product" which I could argue is different from device, as a product is from the seller's PoV and device is from their owner's, but in this case I'd have needed that to be elaborated on to take his side on that one specific point.

    To re-ask his question: What if Apple started offering 30% off a new iPhone if you still used one that no longer received iOS updates?
    I do get the “obsolete” is a troublesome term, more appropriate from the manufacturer’s POV. I think using the word “functional” is more appropriate from the customer’s POV. And “non functional” when the device is so far gone that it can’t stream Apple Music (for example) due to changes in how it’s delivered that Sonos cannot or will not update their “obsolete” devices. 

    Sonos is trying to adjust from the early growth stage of their platform to managing this mature, even aging, platform. The “recycle mode” upgrade discount fiasco shows their inexperience here. The reversal of the policy shows a willingness to learn from mistakes. Something we probably all wish Apple would do a little more often  
    I'd use the term "unsupported" in this instance.
    Okay, “unsupported” on the manufacturer side. 

    And from the customer POV, that is divided into “functional” and “non functional”

    the trick to keeping people as happy as possible is stretching the “functional” life of “unsupported” hardware in the field. The “recycle mode” violated this profoundly, even if it was completely voluntary.
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  • Reply 23 of 25
    StrangeDaysstrangedays Posts: 13,215member
    rain22 said:
    dysamoria said:

    Initially, the Trade Up program required users to put their devices in "Recycle Mode," a mode that permanently bricked the devices so they could not connect to a home network or other Sonos gear.

    An utterly environmentally offensive, and utterly unethical business policy. This kind of abusive BS is why we need to regulate capitalism and corporations.
    It’s kinda like Apple soft-bricking phones to encourage upgrades. 
    when do they do that?
    Soli
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  • Reply 24 of 25
    rain22 said:
    dysamoria said:

    Initially, the Trade Up program required users to put their devices in "Recycle Mode," a mode that permanently bricked the devices so they could not connect to a home network or other Sonos gear.

    An utterly environmentally offensive, and utterly unethical business policy. This kind of abusive BS is why we need to regulate capitalism and corporations.
    It’s kinda like Apple soft-bricking phones to encourage upgrades. 
    when do they do that?
    I want to know that, as well. 

    Waiting...
    Soli
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  • Reply 25 of 25
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,177member
    rain22 said:
    dysamoria said:

    Initially, the Trade Up program required users to put their devices in "Recycle Mode," a mode that permanently bricked the devices so they could not connect to a home network or other Sonos gear.

    An utterly environmentally offensive, and utterly unethical business policy. This kind of abusive BS is why we need to regulate capitalism and corporations.
    It’s kinda like Apple soft-bricking phones to encourage upgrades. 
    Except that has never happened. The random shut downs that were happening before that software changed would have been more likely to cause upgrades.* Prior CPU slowdown paranoia was demonstrably false by benchmark testing under different versions of iOS.

    *I had that happening with a friend's phone about 6 months before the problem was identified and the battery/cpu management code was introduced. MRI passes, I don't know why it's shutting off with charge remaining! She was happy when it stopped with that update. Unhappy with the later-revealed lack of explanation by Apple.
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