Sonos adds tabs and speaker sorting to its app

Sonos is rolling out another mobile app update, this time focused on smaller usability fixes rather than a major overhaul. The release adds optional tab navigation, new ways to sort speakers, and a handful of interface tweaks across the app.

Users can turn on the new tabs by enabling “Enable Improved Navigation” in settings. Once switched on, the app gets one-tap access to the system, search, and home screens from the bottom of the display.

In the system tab, Sonos now shows a list of your speakers and headphones with more ways to organize them. Devices can be sorted alphabetically, by frequently used speakers, or by those currently playing audio. Users can also pin speakers or rooms to the top of the list, a change that should be especially useful for households with lots of Sonos gear.

On iOS, the update also introduces a redesigned volume interface with a dynamic slider. The Now Playing screen will now pull background colors from the album art of whatever is playing, and users can swipe to delete items from favorites. Sonos says the release includes bug fixes and performance updates as well.

None of the changes are major on their own, but they continue a steadier period for the app after Sonos' widely criticized major update a little over two years ago, which ultimately contributed to a leadership change at the company. This latest update is rolling out over a couple of weeks.

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