Hi geedeenj,
Thank you for taking the time to share this — I hear the frustration in your message, and I want to respond directly and sincerely.
First, I want to acknowledge your experience. We designed Yarbo to be a powerful, long-term tool for yard care, and what you’ve described — repeated issues with mapping, thermal charging limits, and delays in support — is clearly not the experience we aim to deliver, especially for someone who believed in us from the beginning. We appreciate that you’re still here engaging with us, even when things haven’t gone smoothly.
Regarding GPS reliability — this has been a known challenge for many early users, and we’ve made it a top priority to resolve. We’re taking a multi-layered approach: our new dead-reckoning algorithm, which significantly reduces reliance on satellite signals, has already achieved industry-leading accuracy in lab tests and is now undergoing field testing. We’re also investing heavily in vision-based positioning — scaling up server infrastructure and expanding our dataset — to greatly improve navigation in areas with poor GPS coverage. These are not small tweaks; they’re fundamental upgrades to Yarbo’s positioning system. To give you a clearer sense of where we are, our team will be sharing some raw, unedited testing footage in the coming days so you can see the progress for yourself.
As for the recent charging limit — I understand it felt sudden and disruptive. But after reviewing data across our user base, we found that under certain conditions — especially during hot weather and peak sunlight — the battery temperature during charging could exceed safety thresholds. Our intention was to prevent long-term damage or risk, not to limit usability. That said, we recognize the rollout lacked proper communication and grace. The updated thermal control strategy is now being tested internally and will be released soon, aiming to strike the right balance between safety and convenience.
On the M1 vs. Mower Pro question — this is an important one. The Pro model is not a replacement for M1. It’s an additional option for users who have different needs or terrain types. The core algorithms are shared, so improving software stability benefits both. While a separate hardware team is working on the Pro, the vast majority of our resources — over 70% — are still focused on supporting and enhancing the existing product line. In fact, improvements like the new cutting discs and softened high-mount antenna bracket, which are headed for after-sales integration, stem directly from M1 feedback.
Now, about the trade-in program — I completely understand your concern, and it’s a fair question. The truth is, the cost of building and optimizing this product — from materials to engineering to manufacturing — is already extremely high. We’ve pushed to the limit to deliver what we believe is a powerful and innovative platform. At this point, we’re simply not in a financial position to offer a broader trade-in or refund program, even though we know many would appreciate it.
That said, we absolutely want to recognize and thank our early adopters. The $200 additional discount is a starting point, but we also know it may not feel like enough for some. We’re actively exploring more meaningful and sustainable options for those who feel caught between product generations. It’s a complex challenge — involving cost, logistics, and regional service capacity — but I want to be very clear: we hear you, and it’s on our radar. We’ll keep the dialogue open as we continue working on a solution that feels fair and feasible.
Lastly, your point on support responsiveness and firmware QA is absolutely valid. It shouldn’t take community Zoom calls to get issues escalated. We’ve already increased our U.S. support staffing and are expanding our service network in both the U.S. and Europe. We’re also implementing tighter QA protocols before pushing firmware updates, including staged rollouts and expanded internal testing across a broader set of use cases.
Yarbo is a global company, but we know success depends on earning the trust of every local user — including our U.S. community. We are committed to standing behind our early adopters and proving that your investment in us wasn’t misplaced.
Thank you again for being honest and direct. That’s the kind of feedback we need to grow and get better — and that’s exactly what we’re focused on doing.
— Allen