Superfraggle wrote:So then you think ohhhh I can update them, only to find that it takes a month or so to update (at least for international).

Once a month updates is still faster than any other product on the market... Waze has said that the goal is two or three updates a week (on a set schedule), but that's a while out. The infrastructure upgrades have to be completed & the kinks worked out first.

Superfraggle wrote:Oh I know it is, ten times better than every product on the market, but if it was sold on that basis, and given the lack of comms it would be very annoying.

Even at their worst, Waze has been far more communicative as to the update processes, status and future than Tom Tom or Garmin ever have for me (my two previous GPS devices).

Simply put your concern is bogus because Waze is far more responsive than any of the competitors, even when they are too busy fixing (or breaking) stuff to bother posting what they are currently doing. Paid or free, Google doesn't post status updates like Waze, Bing doesn't, Apple doesn't. Waze is the only service I've ever seen paid or free that keeps it's users as well informed as they do.

I think at this moment in time, this is unlikely. Although this is my personal opinion and Waze may have other plans.

If you think of it like this, at the moment, the product is free, which means more people are forgiving of the flaws.

Imagine how you would feel if you paid money for a product, only to find the maps in your area are incomplete or even non existent in some cases. So then you think ohhhh I can update them, only to find that it takes a month or so to update (at least for international).

I think more likely Waze will continue to make money (assuming they do) through partnerships and outsourcing the data they collect.

Oh I know it is, ten times better than every product on the market, but if it was sold on that basis, and given the lack of comms it would be very annoying.

Avoid having the extra costs... just have it bluetooth to the phone you carry in your pocket. would reduce the hardware by eliminating the cell phone stuff...