There was a period from just before Christmas and quite a few days into the new year when the Android app stopped working for many people after an app update. The timing couldn’t have been worse for so many reasons… new HM7000 locos and sets arriving (especially in TT:120), no option to speak to the app devs (as they’re always on a multi-week holiday at that time of the year), not a lot of online support (although the guys on the Hornby forum did their best).
How many people tried HM7000 in those two weeks, couldn’t get it to work, and have just forgotten about it? For me it’s been a great. But I started with it in the summer (using an iPad) and luckily I’m not dumb with technology. How might it have been for the mums and dads that bought their kids a Bluetooth train set for Christmas to run on a Samsung phone (other android models are available) and they couldn’t even get it to run.
One has to wonder who was the bright spark that authorised an app update just days before Christmas before it could have been properly tested in the void.