Re:GM makes $1,500 subscription mandatory on GMC, Buick, Cad...
by smnrchrds on Thursday August 11, 2022 @09:54AM
(#32425593)
How much longer until buying a new non-subscription car becomes like buying a new non-smart TV?
Re:GM makes $1,500 subscription mandatory on GMC, Buick, Cad...
by workshirt on Thursday August 11, 2022 @11:16AM
(#32427024)
There is some modularity there at least, I just got a fire tv for pretty cheap, but I never plan on letting it connect to the internet, instead I have a separate box which connects to my streaming apps. I feel like the situation with cara is worse.
Re:GM makes $1,500 subscription mandatory on GMC, Buick, Cad...
by lotsofpulp on Thursday August 11, 2022 @10:07AM
(#32425805)
On star and subscription services has been available for my whole life (35 years).
But there have always been alternatives without subscription services available. What would cause a change for alternatives to stop being available?
Re:GM makes $1,500 subscription mandatory on GMC, Buick, Cad...
by Nextgrid on Thursday August 11, 2022 @10:57AM
(#32426723)
Even if there was no benefit from the data collected by the system to the manufacturer, they might still make it a default just because there are supply chain advantages to having a single unique design (with all the hardware & software for the "connected" bit) than maintaining a separate, non-connected SKU.
But of course manufacturers also benefit from the data collection and functionality the "connected" bit offers such as DRM, etc, so why wouldn't they mandate it?
Re:GM makes $1,500 subscription mandatory on GMC, Buick, Cad...
by pessimizer on Thursday August 11, 2022 @10:18AM
(#32425998)
These are trusts. Other companies will start doing the same thing, then you won't have a choice. Buying a dumb truck will be like buying a dumb tv.
Re:GM makes $1,500 subscription mandatory on GMC, Buick, Cad...
by Spivak on Thursday August 11, 2022 @10:46AM
(#32426530)
People seem to forget that competition in the way that we talk about when we talk about the free market only really occurs with people who want to upset the established order. When you have a group of long established manufacturers who, broadly speaking, are happy with how the land is divided up you start to see innovations like this one where it raises the profits for all firms. Because you don’t want to risk being a defector and creating a race to the bottom when you can all be fat and happy.
Although I'm sure that won't last long either.