As you probably know already, LEGO recently transitioned over to LEGO Powered Up, a Bluetooth-based app-controlled powering system from the previous IR-based LEGO Power Functions. The switch hasn’t been easy, particularly because documentation on the new system has been lacking severely, and because both systems are sold at the same time. People are confused when the components from the two systems don’t work together, and more experienced fans are upset about the lack of customization options.
At the LEGO Ambassador Network, these issues are regularly discussed, and the LEGO Community Engagement Team has been gathering feedback from LEGO fan community leaders and representatives, and sharing them with the LEGO Powered Up product technology team. In response to the latest round of questions, the LEGO Powered Up team shared the following information.
Dear AFOLs and Powered Up users,
First of all, we want to thank you for being AFOLs and users of Powered Up. Your feedback is always highly valued and vital to our future roadmap and vision of LEGO Powered Up.
The LEGO Powered Up app has a wide spectrum of users. From kids using the app as a remote control for their LEGO trains, Batmobile, or their own creations, to really technical users building amazingly advanced LEGO models, and everyone in between.
We aim to please the entire spectrum of users, without forcing anyone into a one-size-fits-all. We aim to lower the floor so that kids can easily get started with the app. We aim to widen the walls and offer different ways of coding and controlling LEGO models. We aim to raise the ceiling to remove limits for our most advanced users.
This means that when we launch something new, it isn’t always for everyone. Lately, we have launched a few very advanced features (Handset and LPF1 support). We realize that these are way too advanced for kids, but this is not for them – yet. These features is our way of trying to raise the ceiling and making new things possible with the app. In time, we will work on making these features more user-friendly and eventually usable by kids as well.
This does not mean that we have forgotten the kids. We are constantly trying to improve the usability of the app allowing kids to be explorative and creative. For the kids, we are focusing on making the app easier to use. Lately, we have begun the redesign of the overall user interface. This redesign is the first step in making the app easier and more intuitive for kids to use. And, more kid-focused updates are coming in the future.
On a final note, Powered Up’s primary purpose is two-fold. On the one side, we aim to make the Powered Up app the intersection for all connected LEGO play experiences. This means that we aim to support hardware from all connected LEGO play products, new and old, in one way or another, and make sure you can code and control them using the Powered Up app. On the other side, the Powered Up app is a creative tool that lets LEGO builders of all ages make their LEGO models come to life. Whether it is controlling or coding, we want to provide a tool that enables creativity. Your creativity. We want you to know that we listen to you. In the Powered Up team, we are constantly working on improvements and additions of new features.
The last Powered Up update may not have been exactly what you wanted, but it has brought joy to others. Maybe the next update will be right up your alley.
Lastly, we want to let you know that we have heard your wish for better documentation. We are working on several ways to make the Powered Up app easier to use and documentation, help, and support for users of all skill levels are a top priority of ours.
Thank you for being the best fans in the world – stay AWESOME!
Lots of love from the Powered Up team!
The LEGO Powered Up team highly values the comments, questions, and request from the LEGO fan community. They use the feedback to better understand what LEGO fans want, and how updates and changes are perceived by the community. If you have questions about LEGO Powered Up, the Device Guide on the LEGO Customer Service page is a good place to start. And to learn more about LEGO Powered Up, and check out all the sets that use the new system, visit the LEGO Powered Up section of the Online LEGO Shop.
So feel free to share your thoughts, comments, and questions below! I will make sure to forward them to the LEGO Ideas team.
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Power Functions are so much better in basically every way. Even on a basic standpoint of not every kid has a device.
So much this. Power functions was easy to use and understand right out of the box. Here, you need an extra expensive device and then go to college to learn how to use it. 🙁
There is so much more you can do with powered up, that is clear. I see why they went that direction. But we still need a simple, non-app based power solution that works. And we need documentation!
I wonder what they mean by this:
“This means that we aim to support hardware from all connected LEGO play products, new and old, in one way or another, and make sure you can code and control them using the Powered Up app.”
Are they going to make PUP compatible with PF? What about old 9V?
I wish! But that’s unlikely to happen. Although they may be able to do something between Powered Up and Power Functions. The market to make Powered Up compatible with 9v is small. It’s not worth their time, sadly.
What are they talking about when they say they introduced some very advanced features?
I think they mean that the powered up remote and power functions are now supported in the app? I’m not sure how this works though.