Sonos' interim CEO Tom Conrad has shared his vision for the company's turnaround and future in an extensive interview, providing insight into the company's efforts to recover from a tumultuous year marked by app issues and product missteps. Conrad, who has been at the helm of Sonos for 116 days, has been working to refocus the company on its core strengths and prioritize its efforts to deliver high-quality products and services to its customers.

One of the key areas Conrad has been addressing is the company's app, which has been plagued by issues since its launch a year ago. Conrad acknowledged that the app's problems were a result of a combination of factors, including mistakes made by the company and a lack of understanding of the app's performance and reliability issues. He emphasized that the company has made significant progress in addressing these issues and is committed to continuing to improve the app's functionality and user experience.

Conrad also discussed the company's decision to end its partnership with Ikea, which resulted in the discontinuation of the Symfonisk line of speakers. He explained that the decision was made to focus on delivering high-value, differentiated products and to prioritize the company's resources on areas that will drive growth and innovation.

In terms of new products, Conrad hinted at upcoming innovations in the company's hardware and software offerings. While he did not provide specific details, he suggested that the company is working on new surround sound configurations that will give customers more flexibility and control over their home theater experiences. He also mentioned that the company is exploring new ways to leverage its platform to deliver unique and differentiated experiences to its customers.

Conrad's vision for Sonos' future is centered around the company's role as a platform provider, rather than just a hardware or software company. He believes that Sonos has the potential to be a third compute platform in the home, alongside personal computers and smartphones, and is working to develop the company's software capabilities to support this vision.

The interview also touched on Sonos' ongoing legal battle with Google, which has resulted in the absence of Google Assistant from recent Sonos products. Conrad expressed his desire to resolve the dispute and find a way to work with Google, but emphasized that the company's priority is to focus on delivering high-quality products and services to its customers.

Overall, Conrad's interview provided a sense of optimism and renewed focus for Sonos, which has been working to recover from a difficult year. With a clear vision for the company's future and a commitment to delivering high-quality products and services, Sonos appears to be on the path to redemption.