Vesper acquired by Garmin

[DDW]

Too bad, getting acquired by Garmin is the death kiss for many small companies.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/newsro...-marine-communication-equipment-and-services/

 

[pjtemplin]

Great, one more thing that "John, from the Garmin Marine Team" will do webinars/YouTube videos about with the same death by Powerpoint, alway's has to use lot's of apostrophe's in his video's, we're going to call it a features highlight but it's really a sales pitch as all of their others.

 

[DDW]

Also, after the product is two years old, they will quit supporting it.

When Vesper was Vesper, firmware updates including feature enhancements continued for free at least a decade after product introduction. I have 3 year old Garmin devices that are door stops.

 

[bowball]

Perhaps they will incorporate that functionality into their products, sunsetting the stand alone products.

 

[catalinajack]

Perhaps they will incorporate that functionality into their products, sunsetting the stand alone products.

If they do they will lose a large part of the market. Garmin, with their proprietary charts that are updated only twice each year, are not attractive to many boaters for that reason.

 

[bowball]

I have one being installed with my Furuno suite as a back up vhs and AIS B+; let’s hope they still actively support them.

 

[DDW]

If they do they will lose a large part of the market. Garmin, with their proprietary charts that are updated only twice each year, are not attractive to many boaters for that reason.

Well Garmin did buy Navionics and have only damaged it so far, not quite ruined. They bought Active Captain and pretty much destroyed it. They haven't done terrible damage to InReach yet, but it's gone downhill a little.

The Vesper acquisition is more curious than the others. Vesper doesn't really have any proprietary technology, just a good implementation, good customer service resulting in loyal customers, and a good reputation. Perhaps it was just an anti-competition move.

 

[rslifkin]

The Vesper acquisition is more curious than the others. Vesper doesn't really have any proprietary technology, just a good implementation, good customer service resulting in loyal customers, and a good reputation. Perhaps it was just an anti-competition move.

Could be, or it could be the "we want a product that does X, so instead of developing one, we'll just go find one we like and buy the company"

 

[Stabi]

They haven't done terrible damage to InReach yet, but it's gone downhill a little.

We have had an InReach unit for about 9 years, acquired about when they first came out. Used it all over the world, never a problem, until this past summer, Thank You Garmin.

 

[DDW]

Could be, or it could be the "we want a product that does X, so instead of developing one, we'll just go find one we like and buy the company"

Garmin already make VHF and AIS units, the two main products for Vesper. The Vesper products are better, but that can be said about many of Garmin's competitors. They might have wanted the products, the customer list, the development team, unknown products in the pipeline....or just less competition.

We have had an InReach unit for about 9 years, acquired about when they first came out. Used it all over the world, never a problem, until this past summer, Thank You Garmin.

My InReach still works, but the website servicing it has gotten less friendly.

 

[CaptTom]

They haven't done terrible damage to InReach yet, but it's gone downhill a little.

They killed all the other product lines DeLorme had been into. And as far as I can tell, they stopped any real development on InReach, beyond what DeLorme already had in the pipeline.

I saw the same thing a thousand times in the IT world. Buy the competition and either kill their product immediately, or bleed it dry.

 

[Cigatoo]

Just another reason to support Mill Tech Marine. In my experience their products and support have been great.

Round and round it goes.

https://www.milltechmarine.com/new-owership.html?referer=mailid:52&emailmkt=carl@bowen.com

 

[sean9c]

Doug at Milltech was great, knowledgeable and helpful. The new owner is a serious dude judging by his positions at Victron. I wonder what his plans are? I noticed that their address is now in NJ, not sure how recent that happened, Doug was in the pnw.

Just another reason to support Mill Tech Marine. In my experience their products and support have been great.

Round and round it goes.

https://www.milltechmarine.com/new-owership.html?referer=mailid:52&emailmkt=carl@bowen.com