Middlesex County, Ontario | GcDm2010 - 2/11/2024 00:08
I was wondering though, with Deere now subscribing to StarLink, will that service be free, or will they have a fee on top of the free existing service for those who need it?
Deere has been very clear that their goal is for 10% of their revenue to come from Software As A Service (SAAS) by 2030. They want to get rid of unlock fees and make them subscriptions for re-occurring revenue.
If you look at precision ag technology that Deere has released since that goal then you have See and Spray - its a charge per acre (~$2/acre). Their Autonomous Tillage that they are working on will also be a per acre charge.
In order to charge you per acre they will need internet to the machine. Cell coverage wasn't good enough, so they are going to Starlink for full coverage.
I don't think they will be charging you for the data plan. They don't charge you today for MTG (cellular internet module) use. Everything these machines do can be recorded by Deere. They have your yield information, your planter information, they can track how many hours a machine sees. They take that information whether you want to give it to them or not, and that information is worth more to them than the data plan.
Basically every new vehicle these days has the same cellular internet tech, and OEMs are also looking to Starlink because cellular coverage isn't 100%. Those remote heated seats from your car app work via that internet. The OEM gets to see your driving habits and gets to sell your fast food drive through data and more. They don't charge you for a data plan either.
If it doesn't cost anything then you are the product. |
Starling rtk
