Title: The Sonos CEO's Resignation Driven by aSubpar App
Sonos' top dog, CEO Patrick Spence, had to pack his bags earlier than expected. Even if you construct something fantastic, folks might not flock to it if the accompanying app isn't ready to welcome them with open arms. The news of Spence's exit surfaced in a securities filing posted on Monday, as reported by multiple sources. His departure follows a tumultuous year marked by a problematic headphone launch and a universally loathed app update.
According to the filing, Spence is stepping down from the board as well, maintaining a consultancy role until June. He'll receive a monthly stipend of $7,500 until he totally bids adieu. His replacement as interim CEO is Tom Conrad, a current Sonos board member with past experience at Snap and Pandora. Conrad presumably brings some music streaming know-how to the table, which might help Sonos tackle its app predicament. In a company-wide meeting, Conrad reportedly confessed, "We've let far too many people down."
The year was meant to be a banner one for Sonos, with the debut of its first wireless headphones, the $450 Sonos Ace. While the sound quality was commendable, the high price tag and stringent requirements (an $800 soundbar and the redesigned app) turned off many potential buyers. The app also lacked an efficient search function and required users to utilize a Mac or PC app to set sleep timers.
In order to mend its app, Sonos delayed the release of two planned products, the Era 100 Pro professional speakers and Arc Ultra soundbar. Due to cloud connectivity needs, Spence explained that the company could not offer users the older S2 app version. However, Sonos extended the "Audio Swap" feature to other soundbars. Despite assurances, users reported app responsiveness issues at the start of the new year, with one Redditor encountering a "no products found" error for their Sonos speaker nine months after the new app's debut.
Sonos faced a barrage of backlash, mainly from its passionate community. According to The Verge, internal morale was also plummeting, and sales of Sonos products, including the Ace headphones, suffered. It seems that vocal communities and wallet votes remain powerful tools to address corporate blunders.
The tech industry is constantly looking towards the future, and Sonos aims to be at the forefront with its innovative technology. In light of the company's app challenges, improving its user experience becomes a crucial aspect of Sonos' future tech strategy.
