The subscription model is getting a bit of a bad rap these days with the amount you need to maintain spiralling ever upwards, along with the cost. The average American shells out $925 per year on 4.5 subscriptions (how can you have half a subscription?), at least according to Yahoo Finance.
Now, personally, I'm in favor of the subscription model for something like the best streaming services. It gives consumers the option to pick and choose how and where they want to spend their money. If there's nothing good on Disney Plus this month, cancel it and pick it up again in a couple of months time.
But my eyebrows certainly peaked in interest when I happened upon the news (thanks, MacRumors) that Logitech is considering charging a subscription fee for a mouse. That's right, a literal piece of computer hardware you likely use most days.
To be clear, the company isn't going to snatch the product back off you if you cancel the subscription. Rather, it will be supplied with a steady stream of software (and, I would guess, security updates) from Logitech in exchange for a subscription fee. Also, the second point to note is this isn't an actual thing yet and the company has no plans to release the so-called "forever mouse" at present.
Speaking on the Decoder podcast, Logitech CEO Hanneke Faber explained it would be a premium product designed to be used for many years. She likened it to an expensive watch and explained; "I'm not planning to throw that watch away ever. So why would I be throwing my mouse or my keyboard away if it's a fantastic-quality, well-designed, software-enabled mouse. The forever mouse is one of the things that we'd like to get to."
There's a lot to unpack here, and I can sort of see where Faber is going with it. On the sustainability side, we all acknowledge we need to limit e-waste and therefore this idea has merit. Also, the idea of a steady stream of income in exchange for software updates rather than having to R&D then manufacture and finally ship brand new products all the time would probably be enticing to both Logitech's shareholders and the company's bottom line.
The other idea Faber suggested is the mouse would be returnable via some kind of a trade-in program with a retailer like Best Buy. But it's not clear whether this would be for a discount or a like-for-like trade. During the interview, Faber says customers spend around $26 on a mouse, which is "really so low" for something you use every day.
So many other options
My issue with Logitech's proposal is twofold. Firstly, there are so many reasons why consumers need to upgrade or change their mouse over time. Perhaps they need an ergonomic option or a portable solution or there physical environment has changed and their peripherals need to reflect that.
And secondly, those customers who have the disposable income to drop a monthly subscription on a mouse likely have enough cash to buy one of the best mice outright and probably using them for several years anyway. I've had the same (relatively cheap) wireless Microsoft mouse for going on seven years, and it continues to perform as well today as it always has.
Finally, there are a lot of very good mice you can get for a reasonable amount. For example, check out our recent review of the Keychron M7. Of course, Logitech makes some great peripherals but does it hold enough clout to command enough people to crack open their wallet and hand over a fee each and every month just to make sure they get a new, non-hardware feature every once in a while? I'm sceptical.
So while I think this idea is pretty much DOA, I'm curious to hear what others think. Drop your thoughts in the comments box below this article if you've got opinions on whether you'd pay a subscription fee on a hardware peripheral or not.
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