We've still got one somewhere in our office and a couple of our customers still use theirs but the latest email from SONOS tells us that they will no longer be supporting the CR100 controller from next month.
When SONOS debuted you could only control it through the Original SONOS controller, there wasn't an app (until 2009), it was replaced with the dreadful CR200 of which we had an almost 100% return rate of until that also was phased out.
The Original SONOS controller before you could use your phone or iPad to control SONOS.
Their email states;
Due to the controller’s aging internal components, we cannot continue to support the CR100. Your CR100 will no longer connect to your Sonos system once you update to our latest software release in early April.
We know the CR100 has been an important part of your Sonos experience. Even as we shifted to the Sonos app in 2009, the CR100 has lived on as a coveted dedicated controller in many homes.
But, the controller’s hardware has reached the end of its lifespan.
The CR100 is a unique Sonos product because it’s powered by an internal lithium ion battery. Across devices and industries, aging lithium ion batteries have the potential to overheat when left charging. For this reason, starting in early April, future Sonos software upgrades will no longer recognize your CR100 when it tries to connect to your system.
What does that mean?
1. We recommend that you disconnect your CR100 from its charger, unplug the cradle, and safely and responsibly recycle both components at your local e-waste center.
2. As of early April, if you update your system, your CR100 will no longer connect to Sonos.
If you choose to take steps to ignore future software upgrades, you are acknowledging the risk of the aging lithium ion battery in your controller. Additionally, opting not to update means you cannot add speakers, services or voice assistants to your Sonos system and that you will not receive new features or security patches.