Sony sees software subscription as future for data-analyzing image sensors

The analogy with online game subscriptions is worrying.

Free-to-Play games which have a Pay-to-Play subscription base, generally - tweak the settings in favor of those who Pay a subscription - even though it's an already written piece of software, and the original developers probably been long since let go. And even, there's more to it that just that, for those who plough more into the service, you get better returns.

Now take that forward to the Software as a Service approach Sony is tendering to provide for things like Cars. You buy your new car, with all the mod-cons turned on.... and because you have these, your insurance bill is less, your road tax is less, etc... but then after the trial period of a year expires... a trial period the car seller didnt properly tell you about, all those feature are disabled - and the car become a dangerous piece of junk thats unaffordable to drive... a bit like the Boeing 737 Max.