BMW - Just when you think it couldn't get any worse!

BMW - Just when you think it couldn't get any worse!

Author
Discussion

JaredVannett

Original Poster:

1,561 posts

142 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
Just watched this about the new 1 series:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buvzMlBeZWw





So now basic functions that you would expect to come with the car will be available for purchase through the iDrive store laugh

It's not cheap either.... and bear in mind, for most of these options the car already has the 'hardware' equipped, the software purchase is simply to unlock it - so it's a bit cheeky.


Also... will the purchased options be tied to some kind of BMW user account, meaning if you sell the car the purchased functions won't work for the new owner? Hmmm.




Edited by JaredVannett on Friday 9th August 12:46

thecremeegg

1,952 posts

202 months

Friday 9th August 2019
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Oh lord, like the comments say it's DLC for cars - sad times

buggalugs

9,243 posts

236 months

Friday 9th August 2019
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I guess its just giving you the option of buying the options later rather than paying up front. But still, fk that with a fking hat on.

JxJ Jr.

652 posts

69 months

Friday 9th August 2019
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JaredVannett said:
...So now basic functions that you would expect to come with the car...already has the 'hardware' equipped, the software purchase is simply to unlock it - so it's a bit cheeky.
Not really. The hardware might be present, but the software may not, it may have to download additional bits. They are hardly 'basic functions' and you're talking about the entry level of the range, the options are low headline price and everything optional or higher headline price with higher standard equipment.

CzechItOut

2,154 posts

190 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
I'm confused. What's wrong with offering the ability to buy optional extras after you've purchased the car - especially if they can be deployed as a software update over the air?

Electronicpants

2,623 posts

187 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
It's the subscription thing that gets me, your paying per month or annually for a function of the car from "The BMW Connected Drive Store", WTF!

Clearly saw the Apple dolla dolla and wanted a piece of that action.

thecremeegg

1,952 posts

202 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
CzechItOut said:
I'm confused. What's wrong with offering the ability to buy optional extras after you've purchased the car - especially if they can be deployed as a software update over the air?
Because for something like the high beam assist where the physical hardware is there but not activated it's a bloody con.

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
I don't really see the problem. You can still buy the features up-front if you want to; this system allows the manufacturer to produce all of the cars identically in terms of hardware (which is probably cheaper, even if it means providing extra capability which is unused in many cars) and then allows their customers to purchase extra features once they already have the car if they decide they want to. Seems to be a win-win situation?

The IT industry has worked like this for years. I think we make a loss on every basic server we sell; the money is all in the additional software licences to unlock extra features. All of the software is shipped on the box initially, it's just disabled.

It's no different than a company like Sky offering different packages with different channels over the same hardware; or internet service providers artificially limiting bandwidth or data capacity based on the tariff the user is on.

It also means you can buy a car with just the options you want and not fear losing out at resale time because other options are missing - the second-hand buyer can simply pay to have whatever they want enabled. Sounds like a fabulous idea to me!


Edited by kambites on Friday 9th August 12:28

Torquey

1,888 posts

227 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
CzechItOut said:
I'm confused. What's wrong with offering the ability to buy optional extras after you've purchased the car - especially if they can be deployed as a software update over the air?
I guess because they have already been fitted to your car and someone is stopping you from using them.

I hope someone comes along with hack for this. Not that I'll ever own one.

p1stonhead

25,489 posts

166 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
Torquey said:
CzechItOut said:
I'm confused. What's wrong with offering the ability to buy optional extras after you've purchased the car - especially if they can be deployed as a software update over the air?
I guess because they have already been fitted to your car and someone is stopping you from using them.

I hope someone comes along with hack for this. Not that I'll ever own one.
Nonsence.

Thats like saying you have a really serious graphics card, but people arent giving you free games to play on it...

If its software based and you didnt buy it up front, despite having the hardware for it to work, why would you expect it for free?

Seems like a good deal if it allows cheaper standardisation if its a one off unlock cost.

Now if a piece of hardware being unlocked was subscription based that would be different.....

Edited by p1stonhead on Friday 9th August 12:27

GoodCompany

306 posts

62 months

Friday 9th August 2019
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I don't think its a bad idea tbh, allows a lot of flexibility for subsequent used buyers too.

stuckmojo

2,955 posts

187 months

Friday 9th August 2019
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I assume the basic FWD appliance that the new 1-Series is will cost about £9K in basic spec to compensate that, then.


Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Friday 9th August 2019
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p1stonhead said:
Torquey said:
CzechItOut said:
I'm confused. What's wrong with offering the ability to buy optional extras after you've purchased the car - especially if they can be deployed as a software update over the air?
I guess because they have already been fitted to your car and someone is stopping you from using them.

I hope someone comes along with hack for this. Not that I'll ever own one.
Nonsence.

Thats like saying you have a really serious graphics card, but people arent giving you free games to play on it...

If its software based and you didnt buy it up front, despite having the hardware for it to work, why would you expect it for free?
No, it's like paying £500 for a graphics card, only to find that the power saving features are an extra £10, the Crossfire or SLI compatibility is another £25, extra colour profiles are £10 etc from the driver software. The hardware is identical but the accessible features are curtailed.

I would imagine it won't be long before someone hacks it.

Torquey

1,888 posts

227 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
p1stonhead said:
Torquey said:
CzechItOut said:
I'm confused. What's wrong with offering the ability to buy optional extras after you've purchased the car - especially if they can be deployed as a software update over the air?
I guess because they have already been fitted to your car and someone is stopping you from using them.

I hope someone comes along with hack for this. Not that I'll ever own one.
Nonsence.

Thats like saying you have a really serious graphics card, but people arent giving you free games to play on it...

If its software based and you didnt buy it up front, despite having the hardware for it to work, why would you expect it for free?
I'll be amazed if there isn't some software on the car from new (and you are paying to unlock it) and even if there isn't the software will not be the expensive part.

p1stonhead

25,489 posts

166 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
Krikkit said:
p1stonhead said:
Torquey said:
CzechItOut said:
I'm confused. What's wrong with offering the ability to buy optional extras after you've purchased the car - especially if they can be deployed as a software update over the air?
I guess because they have already been fitted to your car and someone is stopping you from using them.

I hope someone comes along with hack for this. Not that I'll ever own one.
Nonsence.

Thats like saying you have a really serious graphics card, but people arent giving you free games to play on it...

If its software based and you didnt buy it up front, despite having the hardware for it to work, why would you expect it for free?
No, it's like paying £500 for a graphics card, only to find that the power saving features are an extra £10, the Crossfire or SLI compatibility is another £25, extra colour profiles are £10 etc from the driver software. The hardware is identical but the accessible features are curtailed.

I would imagine it won't be long before someone hacks it.
Except you would have known this was an extra when you bought the car/graphics card...

Its not going to be a surpise to anyone. You knowingly purchased the car/graphics card without those bits included, knowing they were a chargable software update...

bristolracer

5,528 posts

148 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
Ties in nicely with the leasing business model.

If you lease a car currently you pay a higher price for options.

Car makers want us leasing,it gives them control over sales servicing resale and ultimately the disposal of the vehicle.

How long will it be before you get the old ipad syndrome with a car. It works but there is no longer any software support for it.

Your car no longer works. Please delete.




kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Friday 9th August 2019
quotequote all
bristolracer said:
How long will it be before you get the old ipad syndrome with a car. It works but there is no longer any software support for it.
The first generation of iPads still work exactly the same as they did when Apple stopped supporting them (assuming the hardware hasn't failed). Dropping software support doesn't mean disabling the devices, it just means no longer providing updates. Given that until recently manufacturers didn't generally have the concept of providing "updates" for cars at all, I fail to see how this is a regression?

No-one forces you to take the updates provided, no-one forces you to buy the additional software features. If you want you can simply ignore the whole concept, buy the car you want with the features you want, never update it, and never think about it again. There is no downside.

Things will be a bit different if they start offering only subscriptions for features that could previously be purchased, but so far that doesn't appear to be happening.

Edited by kambites on Friday 9th August 12:37

super7

1,922 posts

207 months

Friday 9th August 2019
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Mercedes ME Stuff has been subscription for ages......

Jonnny

29,387 posts

188 months

Friday 9th August 2019
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Great idea, fancy adaptive cruise for a long trip to Europe but wouldn't use it for the rest of the time.. Just "download" it for a period of time.


Vaud

50,291 posts

154 months

Friday 9th August 2019
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I think the CEO of VW said that the future of cars is that they will be digital platforms and revenue/profit will be made from digital services on top of the vehicle.

This is just the start.