The vent option looks like it's part of the services they are bundling in one of the new connected services plans (i.e., Connect WiFI PLUS). When I saw the app version bump up a level, I was excited that maybe the digital key tile would be there. It wasn't.
It's funny that that they continue to advertise this feature, trying to make it a discriminator vs. other brands. And it's still not working....
I had the same excitement about a new app version.
But, I suspect that the feature is already in the app - thus why there are at least 2 people that we know of that have it working - and it won't take a new version in order to see the digital key tile. I suspect that it's something in the server back end that has to be changed - a virtual switch that has to be flipped, if you will - for the tile to start showing.
It is sad - to me - how a company as big, that has been around as long, as RAM can still be so bad at getting software right. I've been writing software for a living for over 40 years. I have worked for actual software companies and started a couple of software companies of my own. I have seen it SO many times.
So many companies do not have management that has any real clue of what it takes to produce and maintain good quality software. They look at software engineers just like they look at custodial staff. Hire 'em cheap and if one isn't doing a good job or quits, we'll just replace them with another one. "No big deal."
The company's management really has no clue on how to build and retain a team that can and actually does produce and maintain good, high-quality software. Which usually means they believe it can be done much more cheaply than it really can. Which ends up meaning that it takes longer than anyone estimated and what gets produced is ... suboptimal.
This issue with SPAAK is just another example from Stellantis. It has all the hallmarks of what I just described. Obviously, the hardware is all there. Every time I put my iPhone in the wireless charger it pops up a dialog box to add a digital key to my Apple Wallet. The NFC reader is there and works. Is there any other actual hardware needed (from Stellantis)?
The only thing keeping it from working is the software that is necessary. For the software to not be completely done and working well in production, this late in the game, tells me, either, the company has put almost-zero priority on it. I.e. nobody is REALLY working on it. Or the company is pushing hard on it but using crap management to do so. Most likely, simply refusing to pay what it costs for really good, competent software engineers and at least one software development manager that knows how to run a good team.
The resentment I have seen in the past from senior managers towards software developers because they view them the same as any other entry-level manual laborers, has been a recurring them in my career. These management types refuse to believe that any of them should be paid what it actually costs to get good ones. They refuse to recognize that there is any institutional knowledge that is truly valuable and needs to be retained, so they won't pay to keep the good ones after they get the initial delivery that they want. They think they can outsource to contractors and that that will be just as good. Because they are **** managers.
But I digress.... LOL!!!
Hopefully, that Digital Key tile will show up real soon now!!
