Coldpaw I think is missing the funding angle completely.
NTL didn’t choose to invest resources in Lock Screen Glimpse. They’re forced to find alternative sources of revenue by the new board, which I assume is reconfigured/expanded with the funding acceptance.
They’ve done the easiest thing possible, which is to integrate an already existing package/module/system/libraries into an existing phone via update.
They can’t integrate Apps at the moment as those preinstalled apps are hooked into the entir OS for data monitoring and transfer.
Thus, the argument that NTL is wasting effort to add something not wanted is quite ignorant as it overlooks the demands of the new round of funding and it’s requirements and the ability to add a pre-existing package via update.
This is LEAST effort required from a Dev team and likely a MANDATORY requirement of founders.
Saying, “NTL is wasting time/effort on what users don’t want” is clearly missing both arguments entirely. NTL would’ve went BUST without this funding as Carl had to extensively pivot while accepting this funding, which I’m sure he had no interest in doing. This is after the Series A funding, which didn’t yield enough profit for those funders with forcing additional revenue streams for any more funding in Series B.
This is same thing I’m seeing in biotech with a £2.5MM/mo burn rate and potentially spinning-off/slashing 90% of the FTEs as the lead funder GV, wants a return after multiple years of bunkng roughly £250MM with only small licensing fees (on the order of £50MM.) Phase 1 and 2 failures haven’t helped.
tl;dr: NTL has employed the easiest and least-disruptive option required by the new round of funding.
speculation: the 3a lite will be loaded to gills with preinstalled apps for revenue generation as required by the funding round. Pp will be around £230 and those apps will probably generate £30/headset sold, which is a lot of profit.
