When is the next Genos update?

[Snicker740]

It's been a year since the last 2.02 update of Genos. Yamaha has not released a new update for the Genos yet.
Meanwhile MODX and Montage users have had a new update.
Has anyone heard anything? Or is Yamaha closing Genos and preparing for Genos 2?

[Rick D.]

The next update will be a new Genos!

Rick D.

[overover]

It's been a year since the last 2.02 update of Genos....

Genos update V2.02 was introduced on 2020-03-30.


Best regards,
Chris

[DrakeM]

What? You mean the Genos keyboard is still not working correctly? Jeez, this is Yamaha's TOTL arranger keyboard. 

[Rick D.]

Drake,

The Genos works fine, most updates are to add things that we in the forum would like added. Yamaha has always listened to its customers when it is cost-effective to do it.
And on a new keyboard, there are some bugs that they fix too. We are their testing platform. No one can think of every scenario when de-bugging a new product.

Rick D.

[EileenL]

High Rick,
  You have that the wrong way round. Most updates are to correct things that are not working quite as they should. The version two update was the first one we had that added new content.

[Rick D.]

Eileen,

I didn't realize that. I should pay more attention!

Thanks,

Rick D.

[Fred Smith]

High Rick,
  You have that the wrong way round. Most updates are to correct things that are not working quite as they should. The version two update was the first one we had that added new content.

Eileen,

In fact, every Genos update (other than maintenance releases measured in the hundredths) included new features.

1.1 added Audio Multi Recording
1.2 added search for voices, styles, etc.
1.3 added Voice Guide
1.4 increased what could be assigned to buttons and knobs
2.0 added Chord Looper, Reset Tempo and increased expansion memory.

Those are just some of the features added. Others, like sorting a playlist in alphabetical order, are too numerous to mention.

Cheers,
Fred

[musicman01]

Yamaha would be crazy to release a new Genos! Since the Genos it has been equipped with an upgradeable operating system like the Korg PA4X. There is still plenty of space and options. What can be improved except for a number of bugs? People can ask what they want, but the Genos remains in the first record a musical instrument and not a karaoke bar or DJ set !!!
Also at yamaha they know that the arranger keyboard market is saturated. Look at the Korg PA4X which has been on the market for almost 5 years and which is still the biggest competitor of the Genos and is even better in many ways !!

[mikf]

Upgrades make no money, so, no they would not be crazy unless the current model is still selling like hot cakes. Yamaha has released new models every 4 years or so and my guess is they will probably continue that pattern. There is an initial surge of sales, it gradually falls off over a few years, and they inject something new in a blaze of marketing.
They also have been very shrewd about initially releasing a TOTL very expensive model followed by several releases of 'lesser' models at a lower price point which have some but not all of the new features from the TOTL model. This offsets declining sales on the TOTL model and is a pattern they are obviously continuing from the Genos to the SX. Once that is milked, out will come Genos2 and the pattern restarts.
The arranger market is far from saturated. I make this point all the time, - the arranger market is primarily driven by older people and that is a market that is always growing and re-newing because not only does everyone ultimately get old, but they are more affluent and living longer resulting in over 60s being a growth not a dwindling market segment.
Mike

[DerekA]

I believe that the Genos hardware is quite capable of being pushed further than it currently is.

A V3 upgrade which introduces some interesting new features could push up new Genos sales for relatively little outlay. I got mine almost exactly a year ago, and it was the V2 upgrade that gave me the push.

Personally, I hope there will be a V3 upgrade. And I might even be willing to pay something for it this time.

But, I guess nobody really knows what the balance of the economics are these days. Past performance is no guarantee of future results !!

[mikf]

This is an excerpt from an article based on some McKinsey and other research addressing the market opportunity among the older population which I imagine drives Yamaha senior management policy.

Globally, the number of those aged 65 and over is growing at around twice the rate of the overall population. This age cohort is now the fastest-growing primary segment of the world's population and its growth rate is outstripped only by that of an even older subgroup – those aged 80 plus. The older consumer market is large and it is growing. When we compare this to the younger segment of the market, we see that the 18-59 year old group is only forecast to grow by 7% in comparison to the older market, which is forecast to grow by 81% from 2005 to 2030.
They not only are a large segment, they have significant wealth and disposable income. In the UK alone today, 'the majority of the UK's personal wealth is now held by over 65s wiith an estimated worth of well over £1 trillion.

Every so often there is a flurry of posts on this forum from the few techno wizz kids that own arrangers claiming that Yamaha is on a slippery slope if they don't market more to the younger segment. It's them, not Yamaha who don't understand the market.
Mike

[EileenL]

Well said Mike and I have to agree.

[mikf]

I thought Genos was created to AVOID this model upgrade every 4 years, with totally new hardware and software capable of upgrades, 

That may be wishful thinking on your part because I don't believe Yamaha has ever said or inferred that software upgrading would replace periodic model upgrades. Their model upgrade policy is working, why would they change it?

[Rick D.]

Mikf,

Why would they do that? They are in business to make money, not save us money.

Rick D.

[Fred Smith]

Why would they do that? They are in business to make money, not save us money.

Yes, but the only way they make money is by providing a good or a service we're voluntarily willing to pay for. And virtually every company in existence started out by saving people money (think Amazon).

Not everything is a conspiracy, Rick. There will be a free Genos OS upgrade in the foreseeable future.

Cheers,
Fred

[Rick D.]

Fred,

I wasn't thinking conspiracy, I just know businesses don't last as long as Yamaha has, by giving everything away.
Don't get me wrong, I am a huge Yamaha supported with music and all the other things they are into these days. Snowmobiles, Outboard motors, etc...


Rick D.

[mikf]

I don't think there is any doubt as Fred says that Yamaha will provide free upgrades periodically. It's easy to do and good for customer relations. But it is not likely to replace their overall model upgrade strategy which works so well. It's a similar approach to Apple's super successful strategy, -  embellish and provide fixes with interim upgrades but then push replacement models in a blaze of publicity every few years. 
Mike

[Fred Smith]

I wasn't thinking conspiracy, I just know businesses don't last as long as Yamaha has, by giving everything away.
Don't get me wrong, I am a huge Yamaha supported with music and all the other things they are into these days. Snowmobiles, Outboard motors, etc...

I think Yamaha has figured out the can make more money by providing enhancement upgrades.

It costs a lot of money to retool for a new product. If they can extend the life of a product (like Genos) by a couple of years, but maintain a decent level of sales by providing OS enhancements, it helps their bottom line.

So they win with lower product lifecycle costs, and we win with free upgrades.

Cheers,
Fred

[Rick D.]

Fred,

I hope you're right!

Rick D.

[metsasarv]

I decided not to wait for the next Genos forever and bought one. (    ) The current one has been the psr S750, so from a completely empty spot I didn't start. However, the new Yamaha "Windows" needs some learning and adaptation. My expectations for the future superkeyboard  may not be related to the arranger keyboard market at all, but in the future I would expect some kind of open VST keyboard that would deal quickly, but in detail with 3rd part things like KONTAKT and parts of these, SWAM, etc.

[JohnS (Ugawoga)]

The only thing would be to get a program that was like EMC Styleworks as that was so easy to make a style, but unfortunately it has not been updated very well and does not work properly in Windows 10 and with the Genos. In fact now useless.That was an expensive mistake.
Midisoft have a great program which does a lot for the Genos , but making a style is long winded.
All In all The Genos is a great instrument once you get the hang of it. Lots of practice though is the key to getting the interaction with drum fills ,pads etc.
The hardest thing for me is not the playing, it is using footpedals and pressing buttons all over the place whilst having one hand on the keyboard.
Lots of practice and making chessboard patterns in your head for all movements for each song is the key, but sometimes a lack of concentration takes you down a different road.
Oh Blast!! "I pressed the end button instead of the break"!!
Just love the Genos and what it can do.

all the best
John                                                 Steady as she goes Metsasarv

[attachment deleted by admin]

[ckobu]

Bravo John, I totally agree. We need good little software to fully manage the Yamaha Style. As part of a video in which I explained how to switch chords, I remembered my old Technics KN3000 and the software I got for free with the keyboard.
It was the keyboard ...

https://youtu.be/krF8tKCHCnw?t=600

[RoyB]

I decided not to wait for the next Genos forever and bought one. (    ) The current one has been the psr S750, so from a completely empty spot I didn't start. However, the new Yamaha "Windows" needs some learning and adaptation. My expectations for the future superkeyboard  may not be related to the arranger keyboard market at all, but in the future I would expect some kind of open VST keyboard that would deal quickly, but in detail with 3rd part things like KONTAKT and parts of these, SWAM, etc.

You don't have to wait for the future - you can have that today, although you will have to pay double the price of a Genos for a Wersi OAX1.

[EileenL]

I find that most people are more than happy with there Genos. It dose what it says it will and we all know this before we buy it. With so many styles around to purchase for dedicated songs which can be tweaked to your own liking it gives most people what they want. Style assembly is also very good to use and also the Groove section gives a new look to most styles.

[Toril S]

True Eileen! I am very happy with my Genos! It does what it says on the tin😀

[terryB]

Not tin, plastic 

Cheers Terry

[JohnS (Ugawoga)]

Toril meant to say Gin!!!

[Toril S]

Yes, gin in a plastic cup😀😀😀

[Genos!]

Yes, gin in a plastic cup😀😀😀

ok, i'm game...   now you can play some tonic chords