Sonos no longer plays local files directly on Android devices

Sonos has announced that the ability to play local files on Android devices will no longer be possible by May 23rd.

If you visit the Sonos website, the company has announced new changes in its operation. Playing local files on Sonos from Android devices won’t be possible until May 23rd. “Starting May 23, 2023, we’re removing the ability to play audio files directly on Sonos using the “On This Device” menu in the Sonos app for Android. »

This announcement is a real disappointment that can be read on the faces of Sonos users. Many people like this American company for its application options. Beyond this announcement, Sonos is calling on its users to download their songs from a streaming service or set up a NAS solution so that local files can continue to be played by Sonos devices.

An irrelevant question

Sonos’ announcement of the end of local file playback on Android devices comes in a specific context. The company is currently at loggerheads with Google over patent infringement issues.

Additionally, for Android, Sonos has discontinued the “on this device” local playback feature due to incompatibilities between newer Android versions and Sonos devices. “Newer versions of mobile operating systems can sometimes change the way information is shared between devices, and this feature may no longer be compatible with newer versions of the Android operating system.A Sonos representative wrote on the company’s support forums.

So it’s clear that Android doesn’t really want Sonos to roll out easily on mobile devices.