TomTom to announce "End of life" ?


Superuser
As a senior responder on this forum, I am getting sick and tired of informing long standing user of Tom|Tom devices that their trusted PND has been declared 'EoL' and that they will NOT be getting any more updates for their device.
Please TT send a marketing email, offering a generous discount, (with a price below the usual online discounters

Comments
Community Manager
Superuser
Have TomTom specifically sent an email to ALL registered holders of 'End of life' devices advising that they will not be getting any more updates? And making them a generous offer for a new replacement?
Community Manager
Superuser
We will see how this poll pans out https://en.discussions.tomtom.com/go-x00-x50-series-one-start-ease-xl-xxl-tomtom-home-23/tomtom-announced-your-device-end-of-life-1030125
Ummm, I saw the offer. It's not very "generous" in my book. They are essentially offering the device for the same price I can get it for on Amazon.
And, I never received an e-mail. I was notified of the obsolescence of my device when I went to update it tonight. Sure hope that they keep up the promise of Lifetime Maps that I bought into...... (XXL 540 TM)
I only received this mail this morning, saying from January 2018, so was not aware until now, the question is how come they have given differing dates? How can the map subscription and cameras outstanding still be loaded, or are they taking money under false pretences?
If I buy new (which I doubt) it won't be Tom Tom, they have alienated a customer who has bought and paid for their services for years and, until now, always recommended them and argued for them against others on Forums.
Now now way of updating live traffic, the reason it was purchased!
E-mail received today offering discount of some unspecified amount, I don't think so.
The device was bought SPECIFICALLY because it had lifetime map updates! - Lifetime to me means when I die or the device does - NOT when TomTom decide they need more sales and pull the rug!
"End of life notice this week when updating on Via 120 Live with lifetime maps bought 06/16!"
Which is disgusting - almost as disgusting as the derisory, cryptic 'offer' of a replacement life-unduly-limited at a price it can be bought anywhere offering a competitive discount. - Not a "generous" offer, more of a kick in the teeth!
Via my company I own an number (about a dozen) TomTom devices - we'd already been set against replacing them with other TomTom products due to the poor updating process/software - Nail in the coffin this time! - What's the point in buying a TomTom when 'lifetime' means 'when we feel like it' and therefore their 'promises' aren't worth the virtual-paper they're written on?
Seriously PO!
Superuser
So this weekend TomTom finally decide to do a mass email, but guess what!! They have the audacity to make the date that it applies from retrospective. Thus ALL affected user have no chance to get that last update before the drawbridge is finally drawn up.
That will surely leave a bitter taste in their mouths, then the bean pushers will wonder why the bottom line has been hit
Can I suggest a very special offer, freeze all the version 1000 maps for ALL affected devices and sell them off at a 50% discount as a [h3]"once in a lifetime offer"[/h3] (pun intended)
We cant even get the latest update!
Well I certainly won't be taking advantage of their very naïve discount offer!
Goodbye Tomtom, I will never buy from you again.
"It has become clear that some of our older generation navigation devices do not have sufficient resources to run the newest maps and software."
No it hasn't...
Nobody's asking them for 'the latest software' - or more accurately BLOATWARE. If you care about that, then you do buy a new unit. - And the world isn't getting any bigger, all that is required is an update of basic map data.
So this excuse just doesn't hold water.
It's blatant profiteering - they're trying to screw more money out of people for another piece of untrustworthy junk! - It's that simple!
'Some product descriptions continue to state that maps on the devices will update multiple times a year "for the lifetime of your device".
On its website, TomTom explains that "lifetime" means the "useful life" of a device:
"i.e. the period of time TomTom supports your device with updates, services, content or accessories
"A device will have reached the end of its life when none of these are available any more."'
Clearly, this is raw, open dishonesty on the part of TomTom. - There's no excuse for it, as is always the way with con merchants, they're relying on small print that (if it ever existed at all) nobody saw - certainly wasn't a part of the offer I based my purchase on!
"TomTom's sales of devices direct to customers have recently been in "severe decline", according to analyst Chris Jones at Canalys.
"Clearly they've identified a business market for future growth - that includes navigation and traffic services integrated into cars," he explained.
He said the market for personal sat-navs had been eroded by the rise of smartphone apps that offer similar services and frequent updates.
"Within months the [sat-navs] will quickly become out-of-date when those updates stop appearing," he added."'
...Personally, I would not buy a car with TomTom built in, clearly you just cannot trust them as a company, and many of these systems wind up being removed anyway due to the inflated price of updates.
So, the name TomTom could very well become a toxic deal breaker.
Secondly, if the market for personal devices is eroded, that is simply because they are digging their own hole - the market for after-market audio has not disappeared simply because manufacturers integrate their own (usually sub-standard) radios...
Same with SatNav. Some of our vehicles DO have their own units, but we still prefer to have personal satnav because, without exception, they work better and are more convenient.
Superuser
"A device will have reached the end of its life when none of these are available any more."
Lifetime should mean until the device is no longer functional and irreparable ( And I don't include in that having been deliberately crippled by 'updates') - or the original owner is no longer alive.
Superusers
Besides which. Tom Tom need to make a formal announcement as to what the position is - not abdicate responsibility for that to some 'moderator' on a forum.