Sonos plans to fix its biggest iOS hurdle with a new Live Activities feature

Sonos has a plan to bring a highly requested audio control feature to iOS, but don’t expect the company to rush it before it’s ready.

Chris Welch at Bloomberg has the scoop in a piece covering the new Sonos approach to improving its app.

Sonos Inc. plans to simplify its iPhone and Android app in the coming months with an update that focuses on improved navigation and easier-to-use controls. But after a botched app release in 2024 nearly upended the entire company, Sonos’ new chief executive officer isn’t taking any chances this time.

This update won’t be another makeover, but the changes will still be vital. Tom Conrad, who became CEO last July after leading the company on an interim basis for several months, told Bloomberg News in an interview that the upcoming refinements will lead to a better experience when controlling the company’s range of audio products.

For iOS users, one change being developed in particular is lock screen playback control access for easily controlling Sonos speakers. Sonos just introduced this feature on Android, but it doesn’t yet have a solution for iPhone users.

However, Sonos is planning to use Apple’s Live Activities feature to bring a comparable version of lock screen playback controls to iOS. Check out the story on Bloomberg for the full picture.

Also happening today: the Sonos CEO has taken to Reddit to field feedback.

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