We're sure you noticed, but if not, you should be aware that when we release new firmware updates for WiiM devices, not everyone gets them at exactly the same time. We’ll put out release notes right away so folks getting it know what’s included, but when you check for updates it’s possible that your system hasn’t been flagged for the update yet and no update seems to be available. Here's why we do it this way and what we're actually waiting, and watching for.
Staggered Rollouts
When we release new firmware, we start with 5-10% of devices. Over the next week or two, we gradually increase that until everyone has it. This is considered best practice by just about everyone shipping software at scale. The reason is simple: there's no test environment that replicates thousands of real-world network configurations, music services, router quirks, and usage patterns. You find certain issues only when they hit real users, with real use cases, and real networks.During the rollout, we monitor system telemetry from updated devices. Basic health data such as crash rates, playback success metrics, network connectivity patterns, and other device performance indicators. Anonymized system-level stuff focused on whether things are working, not what you're listening to. This telemetry is our early warning system. If crash rates spike or we see unexpected behavior in certain configurations, we halt the rollout, fix the issue, and resume. Better to catch a problem affecting 5% of devices than discover it after pushing to everyone.
Sometimes rollouts take longer than the typical week or two. A critical bug mid-rollout means we pause, patch, and restart. Updates with significant architectural changes need more conservative rollout curves and longer observation periods. We also avoid finishing rollouts during weekends or holidays when engineering response capacity is limited. Occasionally we discover issues specific to certain regions, ISPs, or configurations that need investigation. And if an update integrates with third-party services, we might need to coordinate timing with their schedules.
Why Some Products Get Features First
New features often land on the WiiM Ultra before other models. The Ultra has more processing headroom and hardware capabilities than most, which means features that work smoothly there might need optimization or might not be viable on devices with different specs.Our Ultra users also tend to be both very engaged and have a wide range of use cases. Some of our favorite users provide detailed feedback, find edge cases we missed, and help us refine features before we adapt them for other hardware. Also, not every feature makes sense for every device. This approach lets us validate that something genuinely adds value before investing engineering time to port it across the product line.
Some features will be Ultra-specific. By necessity. You know, the features related to on-device screens won’t roll out in software packages for devices without a screen.
Once a feature has rolled out to the WiiM Ultra, we collect feedback, refine it, and then will eventually push it out to other devices, usually the Amp Ultra first, and then the Pro Plus and Amp Pro, depending on feature. Some features will be simultaneously launched for more than one product, and some features will never make it to products that can't support it.
What This Means for You
We know waiting for updates when others already have them is frustrating, especially if it’s a favorite of yours. But this approach means that when firmware arrives on your device, it's likely been validated by thousands of users and we're confident it'll work in your setup. We're balancing getting features out quickly with making sure they actually work when they get there.You can always use these directions to check for updates to see if there’s something ready for your system.
If you have questions about a specific update or rollout timing, ask. We're building this with you, not for you.
