If you're even remotely interested in sound equipment, you'll have heard much about Sonos' continued problems that have arisen since it launched a redesigned app in May of this year. Disconnections of established audio systems, missing speakers, broken streaming, a missing alarm clock mode — users have been less than pleased for some time about how their usually extremely expensive audio setups are no longer functioning as advertised.
Well, it turns out users aren't alone in their frustrations. In a revealing report from Bloomberg, it turns out that Sonos staff were also not happy with the rollout of the app — and it looks like they tried to warn the higher-ups in the company that something was going to go wrong.
It's all about 'tech debt'
Sonos itself has commissioned its own report into the problems that it faced, headed up by the firm's lead counsel, Eddie Lazarus. The aim of the report is to make "a “deep dive” and “reflection” into the events leading up to the launch of its new app in May." Alas, no one but the important people at Sonos can read the report's findings — although the Bloomberg reports investigations have unearthed some very revealing details about the situation.
At the heart of it all is what software engineers call "tech debt" — the idea that old code hanging around from previous versions of software hangs around like a proverbial sword of Damocles is ready to break what you're trying to do right now. With a company like Sonos and software that's been around a long time, it's inevitable that you end up building dangerous amounts of tech debt, and that's exactly what happened.
Staff at Sonos warned upper management there were problems brewing, and that on top of the tech debt, the app simply wasn't ready for launch. However, with big product launches on the horizon, there was no stopping the rollout of the new app — and thus, Sonos' issues became public, and user experience was affected.
The report details shouting matches in meetings as staff tried to tell management that something was going to go wrong, frustrations getting ever higher. One can only imagine that now those same bosses are wishing that they'd listened, as they watch their stock price fall and sales of the likes of the Sonos Ace noise canceling headphones falter.
