Also on Android is about to become Unable to play music files stored locally on your device directly on Sonos speakers: the American company announced it in the last few hours. The “date X”, so to speak, will be the May 23rd. The feature has been disabled on iOS for several years already — in 2019, to be exact.
Sonos’ explanation suggests that it is plus a Google decision that his: “with the release of new versions of mobile operating systems, it can happen from time to time that the way information is shared between devices changes, and this feature will no longer be compatible with newer versions of the Android operating system” . It’s worth noting for context that Google and Sonos are currently battling patents in court, but it’s extremely unlikely that the two are related.
In any case, it is worth reporting all alternative procedures that you can use to play your files:
- Bluetooth. It is the most obvious solution, even if it requires pairing the smartphone to the speaker.
- Uploads. Sonos still supports playback of files saved both on the local network, for example on devices such as a NAS or a shared folder on a PC, and on the cloud; there are several streaming services that allow you to upload your files, including YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer and Plex.
- Old school. Good old cable never disappoints – when it’s around. At the moment only the company’s most recent speakers, the Sonos Era 100 and the Sonos Era 300 (opening photo), are equipped with a line-in connection.
It’s pretty clear that while all the options are reasonably convenient and simple, they still represent a step or two more than the current scenario. It’s true that most people probably won’t even notice it, given how popular streaming services are nowadays, but those with slightly more specific needs and usage scenarios can’t help but drink the bitter cup.
