The slipped schedule and monthly charge for additional features were not the main source of the uproar. The announcement implied that the online reporting advertised as included with the purchase price was now only available at additional cost.
The letter was interpreted as, "Hey, we're running late, sorry. Oh yeah, we're also charging for the sleep report separately now; so, we'll make up for the delay by throwing in some free months that you already were planning on getting and then charging you for the latter months you also thought would be free. You're welcome!"
People felt duped, it's not about the dollar amount it's about trust. WakeMate have since clarified that basic reporting will remain free.
This is spot on. I purchased the WakeMate with the understanding that it was planned to be released in Jan. I am 100% OK with the fact that manufacturing issues is causing a delay in meeting their Jan 25 commitment. Shit happens. And for a 10% commitment on my end, I don't feel at all betrayed due to the push back on date.
It's the whole "Premium Analytics Features FREE for EACH month their delivery is delayed" that rubbed me the wrong way. When I read that, my first reaction was "Wait, did I miss something?". I then went to the wakemate site and saw no mention of this paid plan. That's when I realized I was being taken for a ride. Bait and switch anyone?
This is the response I got last night before any of these HN threads started:
The letter was interpreted as, "Hey, we're running late, sorry. Oh yeah, we're also charging for the sleep report separately now; so, we'll make up for the delay by throwing in some free months that you already were planning on getting and then charging you for the latter months you also thought would be free. You're welcome!"
People felt duped, it's not about the dollar amount it's about trust. WakeMate have since clarified that basic reporting will remain free.