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When Software as a Service Squeezes Too Hard
We recently booked a long-haul, eight-leg return flight, praying that the Coronavirus doesn’t derail our first overseas vacation in three years. Reserving seats in advance costs extra, of course, so in addition to the initial eye-watering ticket price, we’ve forked out the equivalent of almost $250 to avoid the risk of not sitting together or, worse, being trapped near the bassinets with their screaming bundles of inflight joy.

Such surcharges have become commonplace as a way for airlines to squeeze extra revenue from their hostages passengers. And now the auto industry is trying to get in on the act. BMW AG wants to charge owners of its automobiles $18 a month for a software update that will unlock the already installed seat-warming technology in their vehicles. Otherwise, their buttocks will remain unheated. It also plans to levy a smaller surcharge to warm steering wheels.

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Originally posted by Axtremus:
Maybe think of it as longer term granular leasing?

Wonder if pace makers and burial plots will go to the subscription model, too? Perhaps with ad sponsored options as well?

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Originally posted by RealPlayer:
I am annoyed to have to pay monthly to DropBox for sharing large files. I seldom need to exchange large files, but at the moment have to work on 2 files with several other people, so it's OK for now.

But I think it's going to be hard to cut off the service when I no longer need it.

I'd like to have a fee-per-use, but I don't know of such a service. WeTransfer was better, at least you could pay for a single month when desired.