2025 Humminbird New Releases 12/9 12:09 ET

[Junger]

 

Any guesses? MegaLive 2.0 and some replacement for the Helix?

[Tennessee Boy]

I got the email today and was wondering the same thing. I'm sure fixing their live sonar problem is their top priority. That would be my first guess. It said two product announcements, so I don't think they will be replacing the entire Helix product line. Maybe a smaller Solix as a step toward eventually replacing all of the Helix line with smaller, cheaper Solix units. When Humminbird eventually replaces MegaLive, I wonder if it will be an incremental improvement that brings them closer to Garmin or if it will be a major upgrade that attempts to surpass the competition. One thing I'm sure of is it will be a year after they start selling whatever it is before they work the bugs out.

[Junger]

I'm hoping it's a MegaLive and 360 combo unit. If that comes out, I don't think I can wait a year.

[Tennessee Boy]

13 hours ago, Junger said:

I'm hoping it's a MegaLive and 360 combo unit. If that comes out, I don't think I can wait a year.

They can fix the bugs through software updates.  MegaLive was horrible when it first came out.  They made it much better with updates.  It's still way behind the competition.  My Solix units were very buggy when I first bought them.   I'm very pleased with them now.  The original 360 imaging left a lot to be desired and mine died after two years.  I've been very pleased with the new Mega360.

[casts_by_fly]

I’ve heard that it is mega live 2 and a new helix replacement called the explorer (I think?).  Mega live 2 is not backwards compatible with previous helixes. And the solix is going away. 

[Tennessee Boy]

The announcement was already made in Amsterdam.   No need to sell your Garmin stock.

 

 

 

[casts_by_fly]

1 hour ago, Tennessee Boy said:

The announcement was already made in Amsterdam.   No need to sell your Garmin stock.

 

 

 

 

I hadn't seen this video, but that ties up to what I'd read and heard.

 

The explore looks like a better product than the Helix and Solix but its 40-50% higher price than the equivalent Helix.  That's a tough road if you were planning for a Helix.  if you were going to buy a solix then I think you're about the same price.  

 

The live imaging looks like they caught up to Livescope.  One.

[Tennessee Boy]

The Xplore runs the same software as the Solix/Apex.  It makes sense.  Before the Helix topped out at 15 in,  the Solix ranged from 10 in to 15 in,  and the Apex started at 13 in.  Now the Helix will be the low end that tops out now at 10 inches.   The Xplore will start at 9 in and tops out at 12 in.   The Apex starts at 13 in.  As a Solix user I don't want to pay the price to step up to the Apex but I really like the mechanical knob and joystick that will now only be available on the Apex.  

 

I'm pretty sure you will not be able to connect MEGA 360 and MEGA Live 2 to the same fish finder and I only have one that supports both.  That's a problem that will require money to fix.

 

It's also appears that MEGA Live 2 includes Target Lock or something similar.

[TnRiver46]

Yall are determined if nothing else! Why not just switch brands if all the others are better ? 😂 

[casts_by_fly]

10 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Yall are determined if nothing else! Why not just switch brands if all the others are better ? 😂 

just depends on what you use and need. If you use 360 then you only have one choice. If the mapping is better for hbird on your lakes then so be it. If you prioritize side imaging over live imaging then a humminbird has better imaging for me. 
 

If your salary depends on ffs then then humminbird isn’t it. Yes, some of the pros still choose it but im not sure why. 
 

switching is a whole ‘nother thing. Once you’ve learned one it’s easier to stay than swap some times. 

[padon]

i wouldnt / wont switch all my units ill still use my 360 just get a seperate garmin for livescope.

[A-Jay]

I am glad I was able to upgrade my Helix units when I did. Just basic units no mega or live and I am still using the original 360.  Been happy with their performance so far.

Still, i wouldn't want to be messing with that deal now as the Proprosed Prices of these newest units seem disproportionately high.

A-Jay

 

 

 

[Tennessee Boy]

Looking a little closer at the Xplore,  there are a lot of differences from the Solix/Helix.  If it's unable to share data with my existing Solix units I'll be a very unhappy former customer.

[Dirtyeggroll]

On 12/6/2024 at 8:14 AM, A-Jay said:

I am glad I was able to upgrade my Helix units when I did. Just basic units no mega or live and I am still using the original 360.  Been happy with their performance so far.

Still, i wouldn't want to be messing with that deal now as the Proprosed Prices of these newest units seem disproportionately high.

A-Jay

 

 

 

Pricing scheme doesn’t seem too bad at all and very comparable to similar level units.
 

now the helix units are going darn cheap.

 

[22RangerZ520R]

ML1 has caught many big ones for me and I'm going to get the ML2.  The videos of ML2 on the release today look noticeably clearer than ML1.  Garmin still sits on the throne of ffs, but Humminbird has closed the gap significantly imo.

[Tennessee Boy]

They put some time into creating a good user interface on the Xplore.  The interface on the Solix/Apex line was not well designed so this looks like an improvement.  The waypoint management looks great.  I spend a lot of time looking at Lakemaster maps on my iPad.  It has been infuriating to me that waypoint management between the app and the units was not integrated.   They FINALLY fixed this!!!  The biggest remaining question for me is will the Xplore be compatible with my existing Solix units on the network.  If they are,  I'm sold.  If not then they are forcing me to transition to a new platform.  If I have to make this transition then I might as well consider all of the new platforms available to me which include Garmin and Lowrance.  

[Junger]

The Xplore seems like it would work with the Solix since it uses the OneBoat network, and Lakemaster and Coastmaster.

 

I will be upgrading my Helix10s to Xplore, and ML2. I just don’t know if I will need/want target lock.

[Tennessee Boy]

3 hours ago, Junger said:

I will be upgrading my Helix10s to Xplore, and ML2. I just don’t know if I will need/want target lock.

I have target lock.  It's okay.   I like that I can use spot lock,  and auto pilot on my trolling motor without giving up control of my mega live.  Other than that it's kind of a pain to use.  

[Tennessee Boy]

Digging through the Hummingbird website I found this.

So it looks like the Xplore will have more in common with Apex/Solix than Helix. As a Solix user this makes me happy but I feel sorry for the guy who just bought a new Helix 15 and has no way to put it on the same network with a MEGA Live 2 compatible unit.  

[Junger]

The Xplore GUI and quickness looks really good.

 

 

[Tennessee Boy]

There will probably be a bunch of used Humminbird that are not compatible with ML2 hitting the market soon.  Great buying opportunity for those who are not interested in FFS.

[casts_by_fly]

10 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Digging through the Hummingbird website I found this.

So it looks like the Xplore will have more in common with Apex/Solix than Helix. As a Solix user this makes me happy but I feel sorry for the guy who just bought a new Helix 15 and has no way to put it on the same network with a MEGA Live 2 compatible unit.  

 

2 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

There will probably be a bunch of used Humminbird that are not compatible with ML2 hitting the market soon.  Great buying opportunity for those who are not interested in FFS.

 

 

I'm kinda in this boat.  I have a helix 9 G4N with ML1.  In the kayak I have no plan to upgrade or add on.  I'm buying a boat this winter and that will need 2 units.  So its either start fresh with explore/ML2 so that going into the future there is no compatibility issue, add a new to me Helix N knowing that the upgrade path is blocked and bring the Helix 9/ML1 with me, or sell the Helix 9/ML1 with the kayak and revert to option 1.  There isn't a bad option as the Helix is great.  That's the most likely path for me (add one) but that also means if I sell the kayak I need to strip the electronics.  It would just be easier to sell the whole thing as one if I had a buyer.

[Tennessee Boy]

Humminbird has an enormous gap in their fish finder offerings.  The high end Xplore without a transducer is $2500.  The next step up is the low end Apex at $4000.  You gotta think they plan to fill this gap soon with a 14 inch Xplore or a 10 inch Apex or both.

[casts_by_fly]

Nah, I don't see that happening.  Maybe the 11" Apex.  Maybe.  I agree there is a price gap, but I don't think there is a product gap.  Both are similar interfaces and styles.  Part of the reason for reorganizing this way was to have a clear difference in the product specs and features.  With the Helix, you could go from 5-15".  Solix 10-12-15.  Apex 13-16-19.  So in the 10-15" bracket you had 2 or 3 difference options at different price points.  But with what differentiation to get you to pay more?  Touchscreen for one.  The apex has better processing, but not many really need that.  If you're looking at side imaging, you're better off with the bigger screen and not touch screen than the other way around (IMO).  So why would someone buy a 16" Apex when a 15" Helix is nearly as good and ~half the price?  I'd take a pair of Helix over a single Apex.  So the explore is a lineup harmonization/simplification to get some of the features of the solix and some of the helix.  Charge a price between the two, and have a clear product differentiation up to the apex (size primarily, some capabilities second).  If you bring out a 14" explore, who is going to buy the 13" Apex?  Maybe if you bring out an 11" Apex then you could get some to upgrade.  Maybe.  

 

All that said, the helix 15 MDI G4N is down to $1700 which is $1k off.  That will push the used market down further yet.  I think I have a leaning in my quandry above.  The 15" helix would be a pretty good dedicated Mega live bow unit with a helix 9 on the console.

[stk44]

15 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Digging through the Hummingbird website I found this.

So it looks like the Xplore will have more in common with Apex/Solix than Helix. As a Solix user this makes me happy but I feel sorry for the guy who just bought a new Helix 15 and has no way to put it on the same network with a MEGA Live 2 compatible unit.  

I have two helix 10’s that I picked out for my boat when I bought it 2 years ago. I’m pretty bummed about this. Now I will eventually need to get an xplor unit and will only be able to use it for FFS, when the time comes to get it.