It was somewhat expected, but after a disastrous period for the company, the CEO of Sonos has stepped down.
It remains unclear whether Patrick Spence, the now-former CEO of Sonos, resigned voluntarily or was dismissed (as published here, among others). What is certain is that he has left his position—following what many consider to have been a disastrous 2024 for the brand.
A Year of Troubles for Sonos
The company’s challenges began in May with the release of a new app for the Sonos ecosystem. The app was riddled with bugs, leading to widespread dissatisfaction and outright anger from users. To make matters worse, many features from the previous version were absent in the new app. Attempts to revert to the older, functional app proved impossible after months of troubleshooting, as new devices and firmware updates for existing products rendered the older app incompatible.
Product Delays and User Backlash
Sonos had already faced backlash in the past when it announced it would no longer support older speakers, a decision it ultimately reversed due to public outcry. The ongoing saga with the app has now resulted in delays to the release of new products. Only the Sonos Sub 4 was launched last month.
For the sake of both its customers and the company’s future, Sonos will need to get back on track under new leadership.