There’s talk in the camera industry of introducing a subscription model for firmware updates, with Sony being one of the companies believed to be considering this as an option for larger updates in the future. Currently, Sony is planning an A7S III update in the coming weeks with DCI 4K and content authenticity ID, but major updates have been few and far between for a camera released nearly 4 years ago.
These discussions could mark the beginning of a worrying new trend for cameras, that of paying full price for hardware and needing an Adobe-style subscription to unlock the full potential.
EOSHD has reached out to Sony in the UK, but did not receive a reply.
Other manufacturers are also believed to see the firmware subscription plans as able to generate signifiant new revenue, but they will not be used to subsidise or lower the original purchase price of the equipment.
Since the drop in unit sales and the shift to higher prices and margins to compensate, cameras have increased in terms of upfront cost and in terms of buying a complete system with a number of lenses, the costs can be eye-watering. Currently Fuji offers the best firmware updates in the industry, as well as some of the most competitively priced cameras given the specs-to-value ratio – with the X-H2 a particular standout. However Sony and Canon are by far the worst when it comes to firmware updates, and value for money.
There’s another firmware trend we’re seeing that is cause for concern – the release of cameras with features added-in by firmware within the first 6 months of release that should have been there to start with. Sometimes a firmware update has even been released as a new product as in the case with the OM System OM1 Mark II!
Personally I think some form of subscription is inevitable for future cameras and devices because of Ai. Future functionality such as Ai or cloud capabilities that rely on a server are ongoing fixed costs that can’t be covered by the high purchase price of the hardware, as we have seen with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The built-in Ai features of that require a subscription after approximately 12-18 months.
The challenge for the industry is that most people are reaching subscription saturation point. We really have too many, with our functionality and content so thinly spread between multiple platforms and apps.
If firmware updates are going to become a monthly subscription, I for one won’t be opting in.
What’s your opinion on firmware updates as a subscription service? Have your say on the EOSHD forum topic.
