This isn't a "software upgrade" it's a "software lock" on your hardware that they will remove for $X
It's an upgrade from my perspective. I paid $10K less than I would have paid for a 75D. But I take your point. It's not the best example. Nor are the other two I offered. But they're the best I can come up with, and I think they hint at the possibilities for software-customizable cars.
You don't think you're paying for the hardware? So you think Tesla takes a loss whenever it sells a car with Autopilot hardware for which the customers don't buy the software upgrade?
If they don't, then you're already paying for it. I think it was a mistake to do it like this, and it made all Model 3's more expensive than they could have been.
Yep, that’s rampant in the electronic test equipment industry. Keysight will sell you a $13k box, with $26k of hardware options to enable.
I don't think Apple's going to create modular cars where you can swap out hardware or that just come in a variety of form factors. If they create customizable cars (if they get into the car biz at all), it'll be through software. Tesla already hints at some of the possibilities here: on the same hardware platform you can upgrade your autopilot or performance, even your range. (I have a 60D, which has a 75KWh battery. I can order an online software upgrade to a 75D for $2K.) That's just what Tesla already does. I can't imagine what Apple might offer, but the possibilities are intriguing.