I have to wonder what in the world made Rachio think, for even a hot moment, that it was appropriate to subject customers to advertisements in the app needed to run the product for which they paid?
I think this is gonna be the straw that broke the camel’s back, for me. Time to find a different irrigation controller.
Too bad, in a way, because I see they finally got around to adding an enhancement I’d been requesting for two years.
Oh well…
For better or worse, whether we like it or not, it seems like I see that in most of my apps. I am glad to endure it to not have subscriptions.
Those would be free apps, like for weather and so-on.
I don’t know about you, but I paid for my Rachio irrigation controller, for which their app is, arguably, a necessity. I did not pay for my Rachio irrigation controller to give Rachio an advertising revenue stream.
TBH: If I’d known they were going to do this sort of thing I’d never have considered them in the first place.
Yes, paid for my Rachio and use the app without a subscription. I can list out several that are a similar model (some kind of advertising) such as myQ (Liftmaster), nest, Roku, etc. The hardware costs and the app is “free”. I can list out some that have no form of advertising too. To me, the ads are a “small price to pay” for no subscription. I have heard some of them have had a subscription in the past that nobody wanted to pay and they actually saw hardware sales go down.
Thanks for the list of products to avoid!
I’ve long considered getting a myQ for our garage door opener. That’s now off the table.
The need for ads stems from monthly costs to keep up infrastructure to serve the “free” app. When you purchase the product, you pay for the hardware it is comprised off. Unfortunately, Rachio’s cost with you as a customer does not stop there, they have barely just begun. Not trying to defend them, but there ARE KTLO costs associated with the app. Hope this makes you understand. Rachio does not produce sprinkler heads and nozzles like other companies - those can be seen as a steady revenue stream as nozzles always get replaced, eventually. Controllers don’t get changed nearly as often. The business model is just different.
Considering that I have to get into my Rachio a couple times a month, if that…I don’t really see the big deal. Like @Thomas_Lerman said, I’d rather have the occasional add for Rachio product/affiliate than a subscription service like many other smart controllers are moving to.
Blows me away that this would be something to drive someone away…
Your Roku app has ads? That’s news to me. Then again, it’s possible I have them blocked. 
Indeed. However, unless they’re pushing out app and feature updates like crazy, they have very low operating costs at this point that would actually go into the PCB and plastic housing that the $230 (list price) 8-zone controller is comprised of. The controller proper is probably less than a few bucks to mass produce/unit.
Frankly, for the cost of the unit, Microsoft Windows was probably cheaper even at the zenith of its early meteoric rise…
Well… this is unfortunate timing. Turns out, Microsoft Windows can be VERY expensive.
Absolutely, in my opinion. Roku has buttons on the remote to try to get people to subscribe to those services, which I would call affiliate ads (they get paid to put the names on the buttons). Plus, ads to go to movies many paid channels and others free. Plus, ads in the movies. My understanding is Roku makes little, if any on the hardware, and Roku’s digital ads and content distribution services now generate the bulk of its revenue.
Thanks for the feedback, everybody.
I detest advertising. It’s that simple. We’re bombarded by marketers from the time we open our eyes until we close them. I’ve little doubt they’re working on a way to advertise to us in our sleep, as well. They’ve invaded damn near every other aspect of our lives.
The part I find annoying is those adverts weren’t there until just this season. If they’d been there from Day 1 the product would’ve been returned and I’d have bought something else. Now, short of going to the trouble of reselling it or sending it off to the recycler, I’m stuck with it.
So I’m not going to go right out and replace our Rachio 3. As @tmcgahey noted: I have to access the app rarely, anyway. But when it dies, as surely someday it will, or its wonky behavior finally pushes me over the edge, it won’t be replaced with another Rachio product.
I utterly detest advertising. Did I mention that?
I’m none too fond of ads either but Windows was infamous for introducing ads to the desktop in Windows 11 for Update, Action Center, Taskbar, etc. As for MyQ, not only are there ads in the app but they now charge a fee for integrating with 3rd parties, which was free a year ago.
I feel you. Gave up trying with the MyQ API and installed a ratgdo to interface it to MQTT and using that. I never open the myq app. Pfft.
I feel you. Gave up trying with the MyQ API and installed a ratgdo to interface it to MQTT and using that. I never open the myq app. Pfft.
RatRachio? 
No clue what you are talking about or implying here. 
Wow. Really? I never knew that. Last MS-Win box I touched was before I retired, seven years ago. They were just starting to deploy MS-Win 10 at work. So MS-Win 7 was the last, for me.
No offense meant, but I’ve always been a bit taken aback by the amount of abuse MS-Windows users seem willing to tolerate <smh>