[EN] MyRoute-app Routeplanner Next (Beta)

[martin-phogel.de]

@Con-Hennekens sagte:

It is really quite logical that fundamentally new features cannot endlessly be given away for free.

This isn't a matter of logic; it depends on the business model.

A "lifetime license" can certainly be understood as a one-time payment that grants access to all future features. This is the case with many other products — for example, Scenic (a direct competitor) or Roon (music management). Often, such licenses are sold only at launch or at a significantly higher price than with MRA.

Regardless of which features you will get with the upcoming version (with or without the extra payment), it's completely unclear which future features, developed after the official launch of the new version, will then be included in the lifetime license. Some will be included, while others may cost extra.

In my view, the entire announcement of the new version is an absolute communication disaster, as shown by the many questions still being raised. This can't be dismissed by saying users are too stupid to read or understand it.

As harsh as it may sound, I agree with what's already been said here: It's quite obvious that the business model based on numerous inexpensive lifetime licenses no longer works, so a change is needed, and MRA is testing how much extra revenue can be generated by splitting features into those included in the lifetime license and those that aren't.

To be clear: I recently purchased an additional license for Navigation Next so I could use more than two devices at the same time. For convenience and, yes, to support a small business. That was totally fine. But this change to the lifetime license model doesn't feel right at all.

[Mzokk]

In terms of the announced additions I might have been tempted by improvements that would improve the way I navigate. However, I have no interest in AI generated routes, I don't have friends who use the product so collaborative route planning would not be an advantage for me. I already plan multi day trips with the product using the roads I want to be on and the places I want to visit. The biggest weaknesses for me in the current product are the inability to handle tracks well (I use other tools for those) and the limited information you can attach to POI's and the fact you can't make them proximity alerted for "Free Rides". Again I use other tools and devices for this functionality. The biggest advantage of the current product for me is the ability to change routes or create different routes "on the fly" according to accommodation availability, weather finding out another place to visit ETC. What has been announced so far does not add value to that as far as I can see?

[Vince Hyde]

since the new web planner is on a different site with a new login will all the routes in my library, my friends and events migrate over to the new site once I link my lifetime gold account if I join in October or February

[Corjan Meijerink]

And those are all valid arguments so you don’t need to spend a cent

Hence I don’t understand why people start with assuming the worst. Everyone gets a free upgrade.

Yes, I can agree with the fact we did not announce it as such (a free upgrade) but we are also so overwhelmed by everyone absolutely assuming the bloody worst.

[Corjan Meijerink]

Honestly, when we announced Navigation (Next) even then people were mad at us for not including that in Gold.

Now we are going full circle again. Can we just please jump to the conclusion that everyone gets a FREE upgrade, gets MORE features for FREE and above all MyRoute-app will continue to innovate for ALL existing customers regardless of their subscription.

Nobody loses a single functionality.

And again, if you do not care about:

• AI Routeplanner
• Group rides
• Route collaboration
• Early access
• More….

Good news! You don’t need to spend a single cent

But honestly, this thread summarises the polarisation and current state of society.
Not trying to make people angry. The opposite really.

But years of innovation, years of hard work and rather than being curious about the future people immediately assume the worst.
We’ve had dozens of messages accusing of us the worst.

Again, I agree. We did not immediately communicate what would happen to people with their current subscriptions. Because guess what? We just assumed people would figure that would become clear in the coming period and nothing would change regarding their subscription. Because that’s true! Nothing will change! Any feature you paid for remains accessible.

The fact how many people shouted the opposite has been heartbreaking for the entire team.

Nothing will change tomorrow. We are still months away.
No, not a public company statement but just another weekend reply by me on a Sunday.

Not expecting replies to this.
Not expecting apologies.
Not expecting anything.

Just hoping this settles it. Removes all your worries. Hoping we can continue. Maybe one positive message here: “yeeej, innovation we have been waiting on for years”?

That’s it.
A pleasant weekend everyone

[Rob Verhoeff]

Amen!

[Anonymouse]

@Corjan-Meijerink said:
The fact how many people shouted the opposite has been heartbreaking for the entire team.

Please don't be discouraged. Collaborative route design seems like a great idea (better than doing it over Teams); and there is a whole world of new stuff that can be done with AI. And a broader refresh of the app is most welcome.

What you are mostly hearing is confusion, not criticism. The website is crystal clear to you but wasn't clear to other readers. And even after reading this forum I'm still confused about some of the things listed for the beta product. There's a lesson there but we DO value innovation and the work the team is doing.

[Anonymouse]

On AI pricing. Nothing seems to have been published about this yet but here's a point of view: please don't make it (for lifetime members) another price-per-month add-on. Many of us (especially those most likely to use the feature) are already paying monthly for one or more AI systems; other apps include AI as just another feature. Usage limits might be one way to control the cost of tokens, as long as we get a decent allowance. But we already have too many monthly subscriptions for overlapping capabilities.

Ideally there would be a simple API which allows us to use our own GenAI to operate MRA, with our own subscription rather than something baked in which evolves more slowly than the (incredible) pace at which the main AI vendors are moving. A one-off lifetime fee for that API would of course be needed.

For those who don't want AI features, wait and see - I don't know what MyRoute-app will do, but I am using ChatGPT Plus extensively for route planning at the detailed level and frankly it is amazing. I just wish it could exchange data properly with MRA.
This is functionality which has the potential to transform MRA.

[Hubert Thoring]

Thanks for all the work, the communication on the web site has now also been improved.

I didn't suspect anything bad, just reunderstood the topic of Lifetime.

The comparison of the functions per subscription was helpful. Klick hier zur Info

Proposal:

• A discount for beta testers in the Next whether navigation - Next or route planning Next would be a recognition for many many hours in the beta area that seriously try to show MRA points in the update to stimulate reflection before it is published for everyone. Best regards ais Münster

[Jörgen]

@peter-schiefer I’m amazed at how inaccurate your comments are. I’m afraid I have to say that you haven’t understood a thing of what Corjan and others have now explained more than once.

[Guzzist]

I feel a bit surprised but also irritated or disappointed! Because for a long time it has been announced, a new website is in development. I’m really looking forward to it, as there’s quite a lot that could be improved.

But suddenly surprise surprise - without any pre information -
a new Navigator will be launched!

I will not step in about pricing discussion.
But I feel like @travellexxie : some time ago, we had a roadmap for development. But it disappears silently. Not nice!
As a lifetime license user, we would like to accompany the development and to demonstrate our solidarity.
I feel I’ve been treated a litle bit unfairly.

[MotoCon]

@Brian-McG said:

The only benefit I see for me in accessing the Beta would be the addition of the MRA Route Collaboration & Group Rides functionality to my subscription

Maybe that should have been the first line in the add indeed, since many people already seem to get angry at that first line It certainly proves that the offer is NOT just about being a beta guinea pig.

I will leave further announcements on the specifics of the features to the MRA team though

[MotoCon]

@Brian-McG said:

screen real estate is precious, having the functions in a vertical tab takes up a lot of lateral space reducing the important map area, either revert functions tabs to horizontal, make it user configurable, or add the ability to collapse the vertical tab so it takes up less space

Litterally the whole software industry is moving towards vertical menu bars... This to prevent degrading your screen to some letterbox view, especially on wide screen monitors.

Besides, you can hide it...

[MotoCon]

@Guzzist said:

But suddenly surprise surprise - without any pre information -
a new Navigator will be launched!

Yes, isn't that wonderful? What did you have in mind, that all news and new features would have been given away prematurely? There is not much about a product launch if you already know everything, is there?

As a lifetime license user, we would like to accompany the development and to demonstrate our solidarity.

Is that not exactly what the early access is about? People seem to miss the fact that it is an early access offer, exactly for what you say.

[Guzzist]

@Con-Hennekens yes Con you are right, with your 2 responses. But I was waiting for the early access of promised Web Route Planner - not for Navigator...

[LennyO]

I think we all should just calm down and embrace the hard work of the development team. I am sure that noone will be loosing any functionality they paid for and used before when the new version comes out!
I, personally, am totally on board with paying a bit extra for extra features that I may not need at the moment, but very likely to use at some point in the near future.
I have a question though...
@corjan-meijerink will the new release have a way to turn the newly created route to a track without saving it first and then importing it back as a track?
Thank you! Keep up your great work!!!!
GO MRA!!!!!

[Stefan Hummelink]

@Guzzist said:

But I was waiting for the early access of promised Web Route Planner - not for Navigator...

Euh, this bèta announcement is in fact for the web route planner, NOT for the navigation app?

After launch MRA offers to main distinct products for which obviously different pricings are applicable:

• MRA Navigation Next
• MRA Routeplanner Next
• MRA Routeplanner "Legacy", for a t.b.d. period of time)
• New stuff... Yet to be disclosed, but hinted on by the beta website...

And obviously the app is sort of "connected to" all of these products.

This thread is about the Routeplanner Next!

[Drabslab]

@Corjan-Meijerink said:

The fact how many people shouted the opposite has been heartbreaking for the entire team.

The last time that I sent remarks (off line to the team so not public) to MRA about it's confusing communication and the consequences of that confusion, I ended up being banned from the forum, so I was very sure that I would never again comment on this forum...

So much for being ...

Communication on this upgrade could have been a lot better, perhaps??? I could to some (large?) extend agree.

But there could be a general conclusion much more significant after reading these threads:

There are very disturbing reports that education levels are dropping very fast around Europe and youngsters are less and less able to read and understand a simple text.

After having read the original MRA announcement of the upcoming changes and reading here how people continue to ask the same questions ignoring that these were clearly answered in the original annoucement, and in the meantime already a dozen times extra... education apparently wasn't that great in the past either...

[Vince Hyde]

@Corjan-Meijerink since the new web planner is on a different site with a new login will all the routes in my library, my friends and events migrate over to the new site once I link my lifetime gold account if I join in October or February

[MotoCon]

@Vince-Hyde, yes, no worries!