Revival of Sonos Live Activities on iPhone
Sonos Live Activities have made their triumphant return on the iPhone. According to the company’s official iOS guide, app version 88 integrates speaker playback functionality directly onto the Lock Screen and within the Dynamic Island.
The App Store listing has been updated to version 88.0.51. Notably, Sonos documented this modification in its release notes dated August 11, 2026. Following this announcement, Apple began distributing the updated version more broadly.
Upon initiating playback and subsequently exiting the app, users will observe the last accessed room or group on display.
Additionally, controls for play, pause, skip, previous, mute, and volume are made available. It is important to note, however, that Face ID or a passcode is required to unlock the phone before these controls can function.
Enabling Live Activities
To activate Live Activities, ensure you’re running iOS 18 or later and have the latest version of the Sonos app installed. Log in as the system owner, then navigate to Account, select App Preferences, and toggle Live Activity on.
When the Live Activity card reappears for the first time, iOS will prompt you for permission. Sonos recommends selecting Always Allow.
Additionally, under Settings, Apps, and Sonos, you may also enable Allow Live Activities and More Frequent Updates.
For users with an iPhone 14 Pro or later models, the Dynamic Island reflects the same session. Tapping the Island opens the Sonos app, while pressing and holding it allows access to controls such as skip, play, mute, and volume without exiting the current application.
Constraints of Sonos Live Activities
The official lock-screen display from Sonos features the room name, track title, and playback buttons, but conspicuously omits album artwork.
Thus, while the card effectively conveys the current audio, it bears a resemblance to a basic system widget rather than an engaging Now Playing display.
Playback initiated outside the app continues to function seamlessly, with AirPlay, Bluetooth, and compatible services capable of relaying the same activity. This aligns with previous support for AirPlay 2 on select Sonos speakers.
When using a paired Apple Watch or CarPlay, the session reveals only a rudimentary Sonos activity, lacking both track identification and playback buttons.
Discarding the card on the iPhone will result in its removal from both the Watch and CarPlay interfaces as well.
Should Wi-Fi connectivity falter, or the app be force-closed, users may need to reopen Sonos to restore the activity.
Notably, audio that is stopped or paused will clear the display after a duration of 15 minutes, though it can be dismissed at any moment.
Android users have enjoyed lock-screen and watch controls since the release of app version 82.00.45 in February 2026.
Meanwhile, iPhone users have awaited the implementation of Apple’s Live Activities, foregoing the previous lock-screen functionality introduced by Sonos in 2023.
Throughout this period, the company has continued to develop additional features, including Sonos Voice Control for Lutron lighting.
For those unable to locate the toggle, ensure the App Store reflects version 88.0.51, as Sonos is rolling out app features incrementally; consequently, not all iPhones will receive Live Activities simultaneously.
Source link: Techmymoney.com.
