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Quote: Originally Posted by XJet |
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I suspect that the 2.4GHz craze came as a big relief to the big RC makers.
Let's face it, China was making huge inroads into the lucrative market for 72MHz FM receivers and pushing prices way-down.
Without a shift to 2.4GHz, radio sales would likely have continued to stagnate -- after all, just making a new "facelift" radio each year with a couple of extra channels isn't going to convince existing customers to trade up.
When 2.4GHz came along Futaba and JR saw the chance to sell new radios to people who previously would have been happy to keep using their old 72MHz gear for may more years.
And, even better (from an RC manufacturer's point of view) it was the ultimate opportunity to lock customers into a brand-specific receiver.
No more buying a cheap Chinese FM receiver to use with your expensive JR/Futaba radio. No. Now, if you've got a JR 2.4GHz radio, you have to buy a JR-brand receiver and if you've got a Futaba 2.4GHz radio, you have to buy a Futaba-brand receiver.
I really think that RC makers are laughing all the way to the bank and breathing a sigh of relief that (for the time being) they've dodged the bullet that cheap "made in China" compatible products represented. |
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That is likely one of the most intelligent posts made for a long time in this thread. The advent of 2.4 Ghz must have been like winning the lotto for the manufacturers. I have no doubt that the sales of new equipment increased 10 fold in the past two or three years. When you go to an event with 600 plus registered pilots and 579 have new radios I think it tells a story. $$$$$$$$