F-Series 3.0 update coming? Wondering what's in it...

[etnpnys]

Guys lets get the thread back on track and stop discussing our personal issues with our units and get back to discussing firmware news.

...will the price be right, Bob? Whaddya think?

[bobhope]

Guys lets get the thread back on track and stop discussing our personal issues with our units and get back to discussing firmware news.

...will the price be right, Bob? Whaddya think?

 

come on down!

[fordman03]

Yes that maybe but you still get free updates on patches, bug fixes etc. and that is the point. They don't charge for patches... I don't know about you but I get them for free. Pioneer is not coming out with a new product (F-Series), they are simply fixing the current device that have been sold.

 

Where are you reading that pioneer is charging for 3.0?

 

Have you read this thread? It 's through out.

 

Yes I have been reading it... and if you would have seen what jason said it is the map update that is what you are going to be charged for... You can get the 3.0 update for free... but you wont be getting any new maps!!!

[gruvncubn]

Yes I have been reading it... and if you would have seen what jason said it is the map update that is what you are going to be charged for... You can get the 3.0 update for free... but you wont be getting any new maps!!!

I am aware of this, however many people seem to think that Pioneer would be charging for the firmware update. All I am stating is my point of of view on a paid update and I don't think it should be a charge.

Maps update = a charge, I can deal with it. I understand Pioneer need to pay for licensing fees etc.

Firmware = no charge, excellent as it should be. I don't feel anyone of us should pay.

[fordman03]

Yes I have been reading it... and if you would have seen what jason said it is the map update that is what you are going to be charged for... You can get the 3.0 update for free... but you wont be getting any new maps!!!

I am aware of this, however many people seem to think that Pioneer would be charging for the firmware update. All I am stating is my point of of view on a paid update and I don't think it should be a charge.

Maps update = a charge, I can deal with it. I understand Pioneer need to pay for licensing fees etc.

Firmware = no charge, excellent as it should be. I don't feel anyone of us should pay.

 

Exactly!

[kraven]

With the F series seemingly getting a 2nd year of life and not being replaced, surely the 3.0 firmware is being dictated more by the upcoming iphone 3.0 hardware. So bearing that in mind it should be safe to assume it will take advantage of any new functionality there.

 

But perhaps more importantly, has anyone seen the updated UI from the F Series in the AVH-P4100DVD head units ? I am hoping that this updated UI does NOT make it into firmware 3.0.

[EnochLight]

With the F series seemingly getting a 2nd year of life and not being replaced, surely the 3.0 firmware is being dictated more by the upcoming iphone 3.0 hardware. So bearing that in mind it should be safe to assume it will take advantage of any new functionality there.

 

But perhaps more importantly, has anyone seen the updated UI from the F Series in the AVH-P4100DVD head units ? I am hoping that this updated UI does NOT make it into firmware 3.0.

 

The AVH-P4100DVD is a complete step back in GUI as far as I'm concerned; I doubt the new F-series OS would employ that look. At least I hope not! As far as the next F-series incorporating any iPhone 3.0 hardware features.... let's not turn this thread into *complete* speculation, as there hasn't even been any official announcements at this time from Apple eluding to new hardware... ;^P

[etienne22]

customer.support@pioneerservice.com to *********@gmail.com

 

Mr Rasmussen

 

Navi-upgrades generally comes out Spring of each year. So please continue to monitor our web site for this years upgrade.

 

 

 

Thank You,

 

Nicole

Customer Service Representative

 

I just got off the phone with Pioneer BeNeLux. They told me there will be a paid map update in July. This in response to a complaint I send about getting maps from 2007 on my F900BT from 2009.

 

I ask Pioneer BeNeLux (Europe) by mail if they know anything about the firmwareupdate to 3.0

They told me they know nothing about it at the moment

I don't understand this when i read this forum

[malex930]

customer.support@pioneerservice.com to *********@gmail.com

 

Mr Rasmussen

 

Navi-upgrades generally comes out Spring of each year. So please continue to monitor our web site for this years upgrade.

 

 

 

Thank You,

 

Nicole

Customer Service Representative

 

I just got off the phone with Pioneer BeNeLux. They told me there will be a paid map update in July. This in response to a complaint I send about getting maps from 2007 on my F900BT from 2009.

 

I ask Pioneer BeNeLux (Europe) by mail if they know anything about the firmwareupdate to 3.0

They told me they know nothing about it at the moment

I don't understand this when i read this forum

 

 

Of course they're not going to tell you that, for the same reason that Verizon won't tell you about upcoming phones and Apple about upcoming iPods, etc.

 

They want you to buy one NOW, not when the 3.0 update comes out. If you know they will soon be releasing a fix that makes a product better, and all subsequent products in the line will have this fix, why would you buy one now? You'd wait. They don't like consumers waiting to buy their stuff.

[etienne22]

Of course they're not going to tell you that, for the same reason that Verizon won't tell you about upcoming phones and Apple about upcoming iPods, etc.

 

They want you to buy one NOW, not when the 3.0 update comes out. If you know they will soon be releasing a fix that makes a product better, and all subsequent products in the line will have this fix, why would you buy one now? You'd wait. They don't like consumers waiting to buy their stuff.

 

The unit stay the same, it's just the firmware that go from 2.0 to 3.0. I will not wait to buy until the unit have the 3.0 firmware. Everyone can do the update of his unit when the new firm is out. BTW i told Pioneer support that i have already the F-700BT. So they have no reason to telling me not the truth i think

[EnochLight]

I don't think Pioneer would say anything about new hardware coming out until it's ready to be reveiled. No one there is "lying" - they just don't have any information until an official product announcement comes out.

[malex930]

Of course they're not going to tell you that, for the same reason that Verizon won't tell you about upcoming phones and Apple about upcoming iPods, etc.

 

They want you to buy one NOW, not when the 3.0 update comes out. If you know they will soon be releasing a fix that makes a product better, and all subsequent products in the line will have this fix, why would you buy one now? You'd wait. They don't like consumers waiting to buy their stuff.

 

The unit stay the same, it's just the firmware that go from 2.0 to 3.0. I will not wait to buy until the unit have the 3.0 firmware. Everyone can do the update of his unit when the new firm is out. BTW i told Pioneer support that i have already the F-700BT. So they have no reason to telling me not the truth i think

 

I understand from your point of view, but I'm just surmising as to what Pioneer is thinking. They don't absolutely know that you have the 700, even if you told them (lies!) and they may be unsure that if they say something new is coming out, you may shop around and find something better/more to your liking.

 

I'm sure it's a combination of both this and what the next poster said - the reps don't know the full specs and would rather say nothing than get a minute detail incorrect.

[etienne22]

I don't think Pioneer would say anything about new hardware coming out until it's ready to be reveiled. No one there is "lying" - they just don't have any information until an official product announcement comes out.

 

About the iPhone 3G we know already for sure that there will come out a firmware update to 3.0 this summer, this is months in advance

I wonder why the P.R. of Pioneer is not the same as Apple ?

[EnochLight]

I wonder why the P.R. of Pioneer is not the same as Apple ?

 

LOL - have you ever seen a cheeky "Pioneer vs. [insert comp]" ad starring a comic and a B-list actor? You bet your sweet head-unit that their PR are different!

[FTL83]

...OK... and Pioneer could easily stop all support for their F-series and release new hardware instead! They have *NO* obligation to keep releasing firmware updates for the current series, despite what you may believe. There is nothing - no where - in their literature or sales brochures that states that they will keep releasing updates to us - at no charge - for the current hardware...

 

My advice is to be thankful that you are getting free updates - since the initial release - that improves the product's performance. It amazes me still that people think that they are "owed" free updates to products at any given time. Rewind 10 years - do you remember a period when such a concept was even conceivable???

 

I could care less if they charge a fee for an improvement in features. I expect to have to pay for a map data-base update due to licensing fees. If the firmware/OS update comes with it, then double bonus.

 

What's the big deal? Since firmware 2.0 the F-series performs admirably. For the money ($500-$600) it's a mega-bargain. That's how I feel anyway..

True Pioneer can just stop providing updates and release a new F series. How would that go over with all their current customers owning the current F-series and knowing that they were left in the dark by Pioneer? Not to well. Every manufacture including Kenwood, Alpine, Eclipse etc provide support for their products, so it doesn't matter what happened 10-20 yrs back weather or not they offered updates, the fact is they didn't have the technology to do so and we the users didn't have a way to accept the update other than shipping back a product so your comparing apples to oranges. Like I state above all other manufactures provide product updates to keep their customers happy and returning. The problem is not that we are not willing to pay for an update, the issue at hand is that Pioneer released a product that was not ready for market, so they attempted to correct it by releasing update 2.0, however that has not fixed all the problems in the F series line. I am very happy that some of you haven't had any major issues but that doesn't mean you wont in the near future. If it does happen do you really want to pay for a fix that should have been part of the unit in the first place?

 

We are not talking about Map data update... everyone knows that we have to pay for the Map updates, that's two different things.

 

I think you're missing my point - the fact that the tech didn't exist 10-20 years ago isn't what I'm talking about. I'm eluding to the typical 'net attitude towards free software updates. In it's current form - that is the 2.0 Firmware - the F-series performs well. Start-up time for core features is acceptable, stability is fine, and it generally works as advertised. If you're having issues (like the ones that wonderdiva mentioned), you probably have defective hardware that should have been returned or exchanged under warranty. The vast majority of users do not experience these issues.

 

For people - and it would appear yourself included - to feel as though you are owed a free software update to further enhance performance - I just think that's preposterous. Where in any of the advertising or literature does it say that if you buy any of their F-series products that you will continue to get free updates?

 

It doesn't.

 

So why would you think that you are owed them? And no - I'm not talking about map updates... I'm talking about OS/feature updates? And every year there's a hardware re-fresh, usually with new or enhanced features. That's what keeps moving the products along. Am I supposed to complain that I'm being slighted just because I bought last year's models and didn't get the new hardware features for free?!!

 

Don't get me wrong - the F-series in Firmware 1.0 was practically a beta test and not worth the money. The update that came out shortly thereafter made it more bearable but still not quite what one would expect - I know I wasn't satisfied. So finally at the end of 2008 we get 2.0 and it feels like an actual release-worthy product. I'm pretty happy with it. So are most users.

 

Do we want more? YES! Should we expect it to be free? NO. Can we hope that it is free? YES!

 

 

First I have to say I agree with you. Pioneer does NOT have to give us updates for free. Like you said 20 years ago we didn't have tech support. I can't speak for everyone else but to me it isn't about pioneer giving me something for free its about pioneer making a mistake right. They need to fix what they did wrong not because we deserve it or because we are special and deserve "free" product but because a company should care about it's customers. 20 years ago we didnt' have tech support, companies used their "word" they had "honor" and "pride" in what they made.

Unfortantly companies have lost this aspect of business and customer have gotten into a place where they think that they are owed something for free. This conversation could make it all the way to why our economy is the way it is.

Bottom line the only thing I think pioneer owes us is a working unit. I don't want the map update for free just my unit to work as it said it would. Bottom line!