@rplst8 posted:Their “reasons” are irrelevant. Not listening to customers is a great way to sink a business.
Their business will be fine. They are listening but IMO and my opinion only, there is just not enough reason to invest in a hardware remote when technology and feature sets change so quickly. They could design a new and improved remote and by the time it's ready for market be obsolete. Years ago when things weren't changing every other year you could suspect that the product life would be 10 years+. Now the latest and greatest comes out almost every year with all new features. The fact that they have incorporated the ability to use the Cab1L and Cab2 with Base 3 says they are listening. Remotes are still a thing and they still work.
Sorry while I do think the bean counters probably have too much pull in what gets made, I believe they also see the benefits of an App based controller. Unlike many here I just don't see the folks from Lionel sitting in Concord trying to figure out how they can screw with us. I suspect it's quite the opposite. How can they give us as much as possible, future proof it, and still be able to make a profit to continue to make other products. Maybe if you think it's a mistake, organize a movement and approach Lionel. It's worked in the past as someone alluded to the ERR situation and even the Black Modules.
I can hear it now. Lionel makes a new hardware remote, a new feature comes out that only the App can support and everyone will want another new remote with that button that does the thing the App only does now. We'll be having the same conversation again in a year or two.
I will state and have always held the position that I absolutely prefer a hardware remote but I am also realistic about the cost of a smaller company to invest in the R&D and all the other costs to bring a new product to market. Then the demand has to be there and to be honest OGR is a small sampling of the market. I'm sure Lionel has done their homework on this.
I still think a dumb controller that cradles the "smart device" as it's brains could be a compromise to give folks a tactile feel of the controls that are most used without needing to invest a ton of time, money, and effort.
If I had a dollar every time someone predicted Lionel was going to sink their business...
