Did OTC already replace the Genisys Touch?!

[toolenthusiast]

The OTC Genisys Touch #3895 was the big brother to the OTC Encore #3893. Now if you go on the OTC website, the OTC Genisys Touch has been replaced by the OTC Evolve #3896. The Evolve looks very similar to the Genisys Touch, but there are some visible differences such as the location of the power button. Also, they have moved from Windows to Android. (This brings it in line with the smaller OTC Encore, which is built on Android.)

Tooltopia still shows the Encore vs the Genisys touch.

It looks like the Mitchell Diagnostics System is based on a re-badged OTC Evolve. Maybe that means that the Evolve will stick around longer, since Mitchell probably negotiated some sort of SLA before they signed on with OTC.

I've seen so many comments saying that OTC abandons scan tools quickly, but... really? Less than 4 years for your flagship scan tool?!

 

[toolenthusiast]

Here is the side-by-side:

 

[Tallpilot]

Need any more reasons not to ever buy an OTC (Bosch, Actron) bi-directional scantool?

 

[emort007]

It does look that way, but as a user of a Genisys touch at my last job, I can see why they moved past it so quickly.

Its an expensive device with some flaws. I hope the new unit will be better.

Back to your other statement though, The Genisys and Genisys Evo were in production from 1999 to 2016. Hardly abandoned. You Can update a 1999 unit with 2015 software and it works as good as a 2016 model.

I'd say they dump what doesn't sell well pretty quick, but when they get a hit or make a good product they do tend to support if for quite a while.

I e-mailed OTC about the Evo asking if they would update it again, and they told me the only reason they won't be offering any further updates to it is it plain old ran out of room. 4 GIG is the max CF card it can handle, and the last software updates left the unit with less than 100 meg free. Just enough for trip recordings.

Anyway I always felt the touch was a bit slow for such a modern piece of equipment.

 

[toolenthusiast]

The Genisys Touch is already available pretty cheap on ebay, and now it should be even cheaper. Its VCI doubles as a J2534, so it's a pretty good value if you can pick it up used (I figure the updates will keep coming since the tool is similar to the Evolve and Encore. Maybe.)