Re: Logitech 'forever mouse' has a subscription fee

On 09 Aug 2024 09:55:53 GMT, Retrograde wrote:

From the «pay forever» department:
Title: Logitech has an idea for a “forever mouse” that requires a
subscription Author: Thom Holwerda Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2024 11:27:19 +0000
Link:
https://www.osnews.com/story/140363/logitech-has-an-idea-for-a-forever-

mouse-that-requires-a-subscription/

 
Logitech CEO Hanneke Faber talked about someting called the “forever
mouse”,
which would be, as the name implies, a mouse that customers could use
for a very long time. While you may think this would mean an incredibly
well-built mouse, or one that can be easily repaired, which Logitech
already makes somewhat possible through a partnership with iFixIt,
another option the company is thinking about is a subscription model.
Yes.
 
Faber said subscription software updates would mean that people wouldn’t
need to worry about their mouse. The business model is similar to what
Logitech already does with video conferencing services (Logitech’s B2B
business includes Logitech Select[1], a subscription service offering
things like apps, 24/7 support, and advanced RMA).
 
Having to pay a regular fee for full use of a peripheral could deter
customers, though. HP is trying a similar idea with rentable printers[2]
that require a monthly fee. The printers differ from the idea of the
forever mouse in that the HP hardware belongs to HP, not the user.
However, concerns around tracking and the addition of ongoing expenses
are similar.
↫ Scharon Harding at Ars Technica[3]
 
Now, buying a mouse whose terrible software requires subscription models
would still be a choice you can avoid, but my main immediately conjured
up a far darker scenario. PC makers have a long history of adding
crapware to their machines in return for payments from the producers of
said crapware. I can totally see what’s going to happen next. You buy a
brand new laptop, unbox it at home, and turn it on. Before you know it,
a dialog pops up right after he crappy Windows out-of-box experience
asking you to subscribe to your laptop’s touchpad software in order to
unlock its more advanced features like gestures.
 
But why stop there? The keyboard of that new laptop has RGB
backlighting, but if you want to change its settings, you’re going to
have to pay for another subscription. Your laptop’s display has
additional features and modes for specific types of content and more
settings sliders, but you’ll have to pay up to unlock them. And so on.
I’m not saying this will happen, but I’m also not saying it won’t.
 
I’m sorry for birthing this idea into the world.
 
Links:
[1]:
https://www.logitech.com/en-us/products/video-conferencing/room-

solutions/select-comprehensive-service-plan.html?
sp=1&searchclick=logi#compare-plans

(link)
[2]:
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/hp-wants-you-to-pay-up-to-36-

month-to-rent-a-printer-that-it-monitors/

(link)
[3]:
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/07/logitech-has-an-idea-for-a-

forever-mouse-thatrequires-a-subscription/

(link)

ugh, who even thinks of that stuff?
a mouse is such a basic peripheral that having it a subscription model is
basically just price gauging.
Why would you need new software for a mouse for chrissakes? it's a
computer mouse! how can you overcomplicate a device that is supposed to
move a cursor with software in the first place?