TomTom drops map updates on "older" models but would love to sell you a new SatNav . . .

stockhausen · 29 Jan 2018 at 19:53

. . . complete with guaranteed "Lifetime update"

We have had to stop software updates, sales of map updates and other services as of January 2018. Your trusted device will still work perfectly but you will no longer be able to buy any further map updates.
The latest generation of TomTom devices now come with Free lifetime updates for World Maps, Traffic and Speed cameras.

Lifetime, yeah right.

It seems that TomTom have been taking lessons from Microsoft

Caged · 29 Jan 2018 at 19:55

How old are these older models?

And unfortunately "lifetime" tends to mean "life of the product" - which is usually a certain number of years past when it stops being sold. People interpret it as meaning something more like "forever", and I can understand the confusion.

Efour · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:06

Product has a Lifetime
Product still works.

Non issue

Ayahuasca · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:08

Map reading is a helluva skill

hornetstinger · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:11

Pretty disgraceful move from Tomtom. With the very old tomtoms you could hack them, I think the new ones are next to impossible. Tomtom Go 300 was doable, as they stopped maps for this, but it's got fairly new maps on it now.

stockhausen · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:14

Ayahuasca said:
Map reading is a helluva skill

Yeah, a bit like using a mobile while driving - a helluva skill.

Kenai · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:21

Caged said:
How old are these older models?

And unfortunately "lifetime" tends to mean "life of the product" - which is usually a certain number of years past when it stops being sold. People interpret it as meaning something more like "forever", and I can understand the confusion.

They're not exactly secretive about it though...

WHAT DOES “LIFETIME” MEAN?
Lifetime is the useful life of the device, which means the period of time that TomTom continues to support your device with software updates, services, content or accessories. A device will have reached the end of its life when none of these are available any more.

d_brennen · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:22

Efour said:
Product has a Lifetime
Product still works.

Non issue

Until your satnav tries to send you the wrong way up a new oneoway road

hornetstinger · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:29

Kenai said:
They're not exactly secretive about it though...

WHAT DOES “LIFETIME” MEAN?
Lifetime is the useful life of the device, which means the period of time that TomTom continues to support your device with software updates, services, content or accessories. A device will have reached the end of its life when none of these are available any more.

Well someone bought a 2017 model, which is now no longer supported. I would say 1 year is not acceptable.

This is just a method to get people to buy new sat navs often. When there is nothing wrong with their new product.

What next Microsoft stop updates for the OS every 12 months then releease a new version? Or new version of windows no longer boots on previous gen hardware?

Caracus2k · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:33

Kenai said:
They're not exactly secretive about it though...

WHAT DOES “LIFETIME” MEAN?
Lifetime is the useful life of the device, which means the period of time that TomTom continues to support your device with software updates, services, content or accessories. A device will have reached the end of its life when none of these are available any more.

What wonderful circular logic! Your 'lifetime' support is as long as the company supports the device! Tom tom deserve to lose some customers for that wonderfully worded piece of nonsense.

hornetstinger · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:35

Tom tom deserve to lose some customers for that wonderfully worded piece of nonsense.

Yup.

What's the situation with Garmin?

Since I don't own a car not sure how "open" the maps are unlike my phone with navfree, which is open source maps. I believe Garman and Navfree use the same open map system (unlike tomtom)

Doogles · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:36

Is Garmin better than TomTom? I do agree this is wrong and the next one we get will more than likely not be a TomTom.

Kenai · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:37

Caracus2k said:
What wonderful circular logic! Your 'lifetime' support is as long as the company supports the device! Tom tom deserve to lose some customers for that wonderfully worded piece of nonsense.

It's hardly a phenomenon limited to TomTom. If you're going to boycott them for that sort of trickery you might as well just stop buying things, everyone is at it one way or another.

It's still an improvement over their previous business model, which was effectively 'lifetime' too, except you had to buy every map update that was made available during the life of your device.

hornetstinger · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:39

Kenai said:
It's hardly a phenomenon limited to TomTom. If you're going to boycott them for that sort of trickery you might as well just stop buying things, everyone is at it one way or another.

Would you be ok with your car, when they release a new version of your car, all parts are no longer produced?

ECM dies after 1 year? Buy a new car!

LOL

Efour · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:43

d_brennen said:
Until your satnav tries to send you the wrong way up a new oneoway road

Meh that happens every day with un updated new ones too.

Kenai · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:43

hornetstinger said:
Would you be ok with your car, when they release a new version of your car, all parts are no longer produced?

ECM dies after 1 year? Buy a new car!

LOL

No but I equally wouldn't get my knickers in a twist about VW doing it in particular when they were all doing it.

What was this supposed 2017 TomTom model that's already unsupported anyway?

RDM · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:43

I thought with near ubiquity of the smartphone buying a separate SatNav was a thing of the past?

Caged · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:48

Kenai said:
They're not exactly secretive about it though...

WHAT DOES “LIFETIME” MEAN?
Lifetime is the useful life of the device, which means the period of time that TomTom continues to support your device with software updates, services, content or accessories. A device will have reached the end of its life when none of these are available any more.

That's a pretty weak description tbh. "Lifetime is however long we decide it is".

hornetstinger · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:49

RDM said:
I thought with near ubiquity of the smartphone buying a separate SatNav was a thing of the past?

Personally I'd stick with a dedicated tom tom, satnav on my phone isn't as good as the proper sat nav. Plus if you go back to main menu it's a pain on the phone.

Kenai · 29 Jan 2018 at 20:51

Caged said:
That's a pretty weak description tbh. "Lifetime is however long we decide it is".

Garmin are identical though (but they hide it in the small print unlike TomTom), as I suspect are virtually every other manufacturer talking about lifetime updates or lifetime warranties.

TomTom drops map updates on "older" models but would love to sell you a new SatNav . . .

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