Upgradeability, explained: the Telos line

First things first: how did you come up with the idea of an upgradeable device?

As a manufacturer of electronics, we knew we needed to move towards more sustainable processes. While working on Telos, we thought it could be a great step towards a circular economy, and we knew our customers would appreciate it. The fact that it would also go in line with The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive by the EU was only an added benefit.

Sergejus Kochanenko

Speaking of benefits – what would you name as the biggest ones for the user? 

Thanks to the upgradeability, we can now make a truly long-lasting device. On average, the life cycle of an electronic device is two to five years, depending on the user and device type. Now, we can at least double it. You can buy a device, use it, and once you realize you need more functionality or other improvements, you can come back to us, and you’ll have a device that will be like new, except much cheaper. 

Incidentally, it allows us to stay closer to the consumers. By selling Telos, we also commit to take care of it post-purchase. So these are the main two things – you have a device that’s future-proof, and you’ve got us to take care of it. 

In case some people missed it, let’s have a quick recap. While all Pulsar devices get regular firmware updates, with Telos, you’ll be able to update the hardware, too. This includes the possibility of adding a laser rangefinder and upgrading the sensor and objective lens. 

Now, producing a regular device, especially if it’s a brand-new concept, is a complex task. But making one to be truly future-proof is a whole new level of complexity. So, what’s the hardest part of creating a device like Telos? 

Telos is our first upgradeable device. From the development stage, we needed to make it upgradeable. For example, we had to ensure that certain connections are easy to change and don’t take too much time. We had to make every part available for upgrades. 

The second challenging part is the one we are working on right now. We are creating an infrastructure so that the upgrades would be easily accessible for users. 

Look at it from the hunter’s perspective – they send us the device, and we tell them, “Okay, we’ll upgrade it soon.” But what exactly will we do? That’s why transparency is crucial. It’s vital for us that the customer would know when the device is on its way, when it reaches us, and what upgrades we are working on. Then, when the device gets back to the customer, they know exactly what happened, what kind of improvements were made, and to what corresponding changes in device it will lead to.

Creating such clarity is fundamental because, in reality, no one has ever done this before. Even in the global market or electronics, there are very few manufacturers willing to offer such a service. We are going on a path that international companies haven’t even put a single foot on. 

And how will this transparency be implemented in practice? 

We will have a portal dedicated to upgradeability. Currently, we have a prototype that has already received positive feedback. 

The next step is to implement the portal into our website where a hunter can have an account, sign in to it, and push that “Upgrade” button. 

Here, we will be with the customer at every step of the way. There will be super clear instructions about what to do, what to expect, and how much you need to pay for the selected upgrade type. We want this journey to be as smooth and as straightforward as possible. 

Then, once the device is shipped off, the portal will allow tracking its journey. You will be able to see what’s happening with your Telos at every step of the way. 

At this point, it is also worth adding that you will be able to schedule your update for the future. For example, it’s peak hunting season, and you realize you need to upgrade a certain part. Of course, you won’t wish to stay without your spotter during the season, but you’ll be able to plan the update for as long as 6 months in advance. This way, you’ll reserve your spot and parts for maximum efficiency and convenience. 

But let’s talk about timing in a little more detail. 

Our goal is to launch the early version of the portal in the first half of 2024. It’s surely an ambitious goal, but we have set it already, and we are going to make it happen. 

As for the users, our goal is to upgrade every device within 14 days from sending the device to us to receiving the upgraded one. Another ambitious aim, but this is what we strive for. Yes, there might be cases where it takes a little longer, but it shouldn’t ever last longer than a month. Of course, these terms are for the European Union because that’s where we’re launching first.

For other countries, you’ll have to stay tuned a little longer.

There’s no need to say that creating a device like this requires a lot of planning. But were there any things you totally didn’t plan for?

Oh, we still find unexpected things even now! Especially when we present the idea and the process to a wider audience. Recently, we had a meeting with some of the stakeholders, and some said that this project is very ambitious, even slightly dangerous. 

But in discussions like these, certain important things arise and are clarified. It’s a truly impressive project that no one has done before, but it’s ideas like this that show us the future. It’s obvious that our planet is in a really bad situation; we, humans, generate a lot of waste, and electronic devices contribute to it a lot.

There aren’t any obvious solutions for this. But this particular project is dedicated to the introduction of principles of circular economy, to upgrading rather than getting completely new things. 

Can you share a little bit about the behind-the-scenes from the factory? Will all devices be upgraded by hand, or will the process be automated?

Since we are making the portal from scratch, we implemented synchronization with internal programs from our factories to follow the status of a device. 

At the same time, the process of upgrading itself isn’t entirely new. It’s quite similar to what our service department does now when they need to fix faulty devices. 

We also wanted to take an extra step, so we won’t just do the ordered upgrade. Since we consider this to be a premium service, it will include some more added benefits for the customers. Because we truly care about them, and we want them to feel this.