Following a disastrous year for Sonos, one defined by a catastrophic app launch, CEO Patrick Spence is stepping down.

Sonos launched a major update to its app in mid-2024, but the app was universally panned by customers and critics alike for missing features, poor performance, and general bugs. The big question was why or how the company could release an app that was so obviously inferior to its predecessor.

In the wake of the launch, Spence issued a blog post apologizing for the issue. Unfortunately for the company, Spence’s apology did little to stem the backlash, with the company laying off 100 employees just weeks after the apology.

Now, just six months later, Sonos is announcing a “CEO transition.”

Sonos, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONO) today announced that the Sonos Board of Directors and Patrick Spence have agreed that Mr. Spence will step down as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and as a member of the Board effective today. The Board has appointed Tom Conrad, an independent member of the Board since 2017, as Interim CEO, also effective as of today. The Board has initiated a search for its next CEO with the assistance of a leading executive search firm, and is committed to identifying a leader who will build on the Sonos legacy of innovation and excellence in serving its customers while also driving profitable growth. This leadership change is unrelated to the Company’s fiscal first quarter results, which will be reported on February 6, 2025, and for which the Company is providing no update at this time.

“I am deeply honored to step into this role at such an important moment for Sonos,” said Mr. Conrad. “Nearly two decades ago, when I led the earliest initiative to integrate Pandora and Sonos, I got my first glimpse of the magic that Sonos could bring to millions of lives every day. I am excited to work with our team to restore the reliability and user experience that have defined Sonos, while bringing innovative new products to market. Together, we will focus on delivering extraordinary experiences for our customers and strong results for our shareholders.”

Julius Genachowski, Chair of the Board of Directors, praised Spence’s contributions while saying Conrad will build on the company’s core experience.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Patrick for his contributions as CEO,” said Genachowski. “During his tenure, Patrick built on our pioneering success in wireless home audio and led the Company’s expansion into premium audio for home theater, portables, and headphones. We appreciate Patrick’s dedication to Sonos.”

“Tom’s mandate is to improve the Sonos core experience for our customers, while optimizing our business to drive innovation and financial performance,” Genachowski added. “With his deep product expertise and long-term relationship with Sonos, Tom is uniquely suited to guide the company forward during the transition and the Board looks forward to partnering with him closely. We are excited about the opportunity ahead.”

Spence’s fate underscores the stakes involved when a company rolls out a new app, and the importance of ensuring the customer experience is not undermined.