I know there's a pinned thread and I've tried to weed through it to get caught up but didn't find much in the way of real answers. So I'm hopping someone in the know can summarize and bring me up to speed. What do we know about BandLab and their plans as far as Sonar goes?

Do they plan to have Sonar continue to exist as it is with a new name or do they intend to reinvent it into something else? Have they said anywhere? From what I'm reading, they've been pretty skimpy on details so far.
 

All we know is in post #1 in the pinned thread.  Meng has chimed in a few other places to attempt to clarify, but he has stayed on point with his announcements.  If you want to see them, just search his posts.
 
Otherwise we are all waiting for the next announcement.  All else is pure speculation. 

All the answers we've been given are in post #1 of the sticky Hello thread. We've not been told anymore.
 
To summarise...  Sonar will continue under an as yet undisclosed name,  working title "The Daw Formerly Known As Sonar".  All current owners of Sonar will be able to continue with the new version from BandLab as if nothing changed.
 
I'm fairly sure that the first release will not be much more of a re-branding exercise, both in name and look, but also to switch backend systems (authorisation, user accounts, etc.,)  but you never know, there could be some surprises thrown in which would be nice.

Meng said 4-6 weeks 3 weeks ago, He also  said in his last announcement that things were mving faster than expected. So maybe will find ut after 4 weeks, which is this weekend. 
 
As for as I am aware there has been on indication of hover boards and coffee mugs, but an interest in supporting Roland's Vs Studio, so I think they are keeping the Hoverbard news under their hats

Actually surprises are what I'm afraid of. They're a web company trying to grow their musician/social media website. If Sonar continues to exist, but oh by the way you can only save your project to their website and oh by the way we retain full use rights to everything you upload... 

JohanSebatianGremlin
Actually surprises are what I'm afraid of. They're a web company trying to grow their musician/social media website. If Sonar continues to exist, but oh by the way you can only save your project to their website and oh by the way we retain full use rights to everything you upload... 

Please read the sticky again.  It has been clearly stated that the social media thing is optional, as well as this:
 

in case you've missed my posts around the place, it will absolutely be a desktop application so please don't worry about it becoming (cloud/web)-only

 

 

JohanSebatianGremlin
oh by the way we retain full use rights to everything you upload... 

Not gonna happen.
 
This:
 

Also, we had some questions in earlier forum threads about BandLab’s Terms of Use, particularly around ownership, licensing and copyright.

For avoidance of doubt: Nothing you share on BandLab belongs to us - we take no ownership of your creation. Our T&Cs regarding BandLab getting a license to use content purely allow BandLab as a service to actually function - i.e. we need a license for BandLab as a service to play back your own song to you, or anyone else you share it with. Based on feedback in this forum we have clarified these points in layman's terms in our Terms of Use - so thanks to those who took the time to read our terms and give us feedback - we are always open to your comments and finding ways that we can do better.

abacab

JohanSebatianGremlin
Actually surprises are what I'm afraid of. They're a web company trying to grow their musician/social media website. If Sonar continues to exist, but oh by the way you can only save your project to their website and oh by the way we retain full use rights to everything you upload... 

Please read the sticky again.  It has been clearly stated that the social media thing is optional, as well as this:
 

in case you've missed my posts around the place, it will absolutely be a desktop application so please don't worry about it becoming (cloud/web)-only

Yep, read all that. Two things though.
1. Words are cheap. Writing it on a forum doesn't mean its going to happen. Lifetime updates anyone?
2. I read the post you quoted above. But I also read this:

Noel BorthwickWith BandLab's deeply integrated social platform and vision there could be some truly exciting possibilities that I look forward to exploring in the near future. 
 
I think you can all be confident that not only will SONAR live on but that it will evolve in ways we didn't imagine.

Evolving in ways we didn't imagine can mean a lot of things. Not all of them are good.
 

It really is very aggravating to have questions asked then well answered and yet disbelief is the result. One can speculate till the cows come home. What you have to realize is we are far better off now then we were a few months ago. Its important to understand the enormous work Bandlab has ahead of them. The Cakewalk Company is no more Bandlad is starting from scratch to issue a new Sonar. I do not envy them one bit. What we can do is wish them luck and as smooth a transition as they can have. Our support can expedite this by not asking repeatedly the same questions over and over again.  
 
A little faith and patience will go a long way.  
 
Also its preposterous that a title stating "for those that are out of the loop" is posted. No one is out of the loop. All you have to do is read what is embarrassingly obvious in the first post in the sticky above. If anyone is out of the loop its because they choose to be.

JohanSebatianGremlin
Yep, read all that. Two things though.
1. Words are cheap. Writing it on a forum doesn't mean its going to happen. Lifetime updates anyone?
2. I read the post you quoted above.
...
Evolving in ways we didn't imagine can mean a lot of things. Not all of them are good.
 

If you choose not to believe what they say and assume a future you do not like, what is the point of this thread?