Sonos: "Sustainable Upgrade" == Bricking your old product - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: boffin
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 05:59:15 pm
content: I'm shocked this hasn't got more press:Sonos' "sustainable" upgrade program bricks your old (but otherwise working) device, and gives you a credit to buying your new device."The simple, sustainable way to upgrade your Sonos system."..."Your device will enter Recycle Mode after 21 days. It will be cleared of data and permanently deactivated so you can safely recycle."https://www.sonos.com/en-ca/tradeupHow the fork is this 'sustainable'? Sounds like corporate douche-baggery to me.

author: vwestlife
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 06:36:38 pm
content: I saw this mentioned on Twitter a week ago. Some people have accidentally put their Sonos into "recycle mode", giving them 21 days to have to buy a new one for no reason.

author: Yansi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 06:42:38 pm
content: I saw this mentioned on the eevblog, at least twice in the last week or so.Just put a "sonos" keyword in the local search function.

author: boffin
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 07:19:03 pm
content: Quote from: Yansi on January 03, 2020, 06:42:38 pmtry it, you'll just get this thread. It's been mentioned on Twitter a fair bit, but I saw nothing else here (I did search 1st)

author: Yansi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 07:26:09 pm
content: I have tried, and am becoming angry, because you won't even try, so I have to do instead of you.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/eevblab/eevblab-44-sonos-deliberately-bricking-products!/msg1423945/#msg1423945https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/bricking-of-products/msg1422862/#msg1422862https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/company-loads-malware-into-their-product-to-stop-you-using-it!/msg1422455/#msg1422455https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/sonos-bricking-units-for-trade-in-peoples-thoughts/msg2845950/#msg2845950https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/bricking-of-products/msg1422862/#msg1422862

author: boffin
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 07:28:10 pm
content: Quote from: Yansi on January 03, 2020, 07:26:09 pmOK bite me. I was probably reading another thread, and the search defaults to "this thread". Yes, I'm happy to see there are other threads.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 07:43:41 pm
content: Nothing stops you from keeping your Sonos speakers operational. The "bricking" is combined with a 30% discount when buying new Sonos speakers.It'syourchoice. Pay full price for new speakers: problem solved.The marketing approach is unfathomably dumb, but that's Sonos' problem. I do expect a market share decline, though.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 07:52:42 pm
content: That's certainly a pretty funny commercial trick.If at least the "bricking" would come with a guaranteed service from the company to recycle your old gear, why not. At least that would do something for the environment.But if they are just making older gear unusable, it's not just dumb - it's also clearly environmentally unexcusable. Doing something like that can't be seriously considered IMO without offering the customers to return their old gear to be recycled - for free, shipping included.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 07:56:57 pm
content: The one thing this offer is meant to "sustain" is Sonos' revenue stream.I sincerely hope it will achieve the opposite.

author: TopLoser
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 08:52:52 pm
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on January 03, 2020, 07:52:42 pmThey offer you a prepaid shipping service to return it if you wish.Your choice - return it free of charge, keep it, or don’t participate in the discount program at all.

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 10:23:04 pm
content: Quote from: boffin on January 03, 2020, 05:59:15 pmIt's not a bug! It's a "feature"!I wonder what makes them think that this is "Sustainable"? It sounds like "Planned Obsolescence" to me.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 10:28:19 pm
content: A subscription model. Like coffee, socks, shaving blades, kitchen recipes, Altium, etc

author: langwadt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 10:50:17 pm
content: Quote from: Stray Electron on January 03, 2020, 10:23:04 pminstead of wasting resources shipping it to them, you take to you local recycling center. Calling it "Sustainable"is pushing it, but it isn't totally stupid

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2020, 10:54:29 pm
content: Quote from: TopLoser on January 03, 2020, 08:52:52 pmAlright then - If they offer to return it free of charge, it's decent.I don't see a point keeping it if you participate, if it becomes bricked, though? (Or just to scavenge parts for the few customers that would know what to do with them... but probably unfortunately throw the rest away as garbage...)So instead of this funky weird bricking thing, they could as well just offer a program to upgrade to a new product by sending your old one for free and get a good rebate. Because again I don't see a point of even giving the user an option to keep their old gear if it stops functioning. That's just waste.