There are workarounds, though, including Bluetooth and line-in options.

Sonos will soon end support for a feature that allows users to stream files stored locally on their Android devices directly to its speakers. "As newer versions of mobile operating systems are released, it can sometimes change the way information is shared between devices, and this feature will no longer be compatible with newer versions of the Android operating system," a Sonos community post reads. The change comes into effect starting on May 23rd. The company ended support for a similar feature on iOS in 2019.

There are other options for you to play files stored on your Android devices to Sonos speakers, with Bluetooth perhaps being the easiest one. Alternatively, you can upload the files to a NAS drive on your network or a supported streaming service. Sonos supports user-uploaded file playback from Apple Music, YouTube Music, Deezer and Plex. On the other hand, if you don't mind going old school, Sonos' new Era 100 and Era 300 speakers have line-in support.

While several of these methods are straightforward enough, nixing On this Device support on Android removes one of the many listening options from the Sonos app, making it less of a one-stop shop for all your audio needs. However, given the popularity of streaming services, it may be the case that this feature wasn't seeing much use anyway.

It seems plausible enough that Sonos is ending support for the feature due to compatibility reasons but, as The Verge notes, Google and Sonos are involved in a legal battle against each other over patent infringement. Still, the timing of Sonos' move is likely just a coincidence given that the tussle between the two sides has been lumbering on for several years.

Source:
courtesy of ENGADGET

by Kris Holt

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