Powered Up: 4 ⚡ Control+
The latest addition to the Powered Up ecosystem is taking shape. The first set to include this system, the 42099 4x4 X-Treme Off-Roader has already been reviewed by a number of Recognised LEGO Fan Media (RLFM) and LEGO has now officially launched the app to control this set.
The app is available for Android and iOS
The download size for Android is 67MB, but after installation the app will take up over 250MB on your device.
The iOS version already indicates the app requires 452.5MB of space on your device!!
Unfortunately it is impossible to use the app unless you have access to a Control+ hub. There is some guidance on how to connect the hub that gives you a glimpse of what to expect from the hub and set:
Although the information was already available, the hub confirms the Control+ hub requires 6 AA batteries and that the set uses the same cable clips that were seen in the SPIKE Prime set announcement.
You can also access some basic configuration options before the app requests you connect to the hub in order to be able to see any of its functionality:
Fortunately, the images provided in the app description show a little more of what the app is about:
The Control+ app is set specific. This means that the controls are only really usable with the 42099 set. As new sets appear that use the same technology additional control panels will become available, but it is expected that this app will remain set specific.
The app has multiple control options for the set and contains lots of high quality graphics. Of course this requires a lot of space on your device and the app will likely need a lot of resources. Time will tell how responsive the app is on lower-end devices.
The app is not just a controller, but also contains some game elements and instructions.
+ What can we expect from Control+
Control+ is part of the Powered Up ecosystem. This means that the motors and hub use the same plugs and sockets as the other Powered Up systems. ALready now you can connect the new Technic motors to the Powered Up Train hub and control them either with the remote control or program them with the app. The functionality of these motors is essentially the same as the external Boost motor (motor with encoder).
At this time it is not possible to connect to the Control+ hub with the Powered Up app. However, LEGO has published the BLE Wireless Protocol on GitHub so you could already make your own controller. In time the Powered Up app will also be able to connect to this hub to control motors and access its internal Gyro sensor. The latest version of the Powered Up app already includes a customisable controller interface (see ">Powered Up: 3 ⚡ PUP App Functionality ) and more customisation options are expected to be added in future releases. The existing Powered Up motors and sensors will also be supported by the Connect+ app. We will have to wait and see when this happens as currently it is impossible to test this.
The Control+ hub is similar to the Boost and Powered Up hubs in that it requires a smart device to control program flows. As such it cannot be used independently, e.g. as a battery box. I have not been able to test if the physical remote can connect to the Connect+ hub, but it has been confirmed that this will be made available.
Is the Control+ app a total failure?
There have been some comments regarding the new Control+ system, criticising the fact that it is a single set app and cannot be customised for MOCs. While this criticism is accurate, it is worth bearing in mind that the same criticism was initially made regarding the Powered Up app. In time, though, this app has grown into a much more interesting and inclusive app that allows you to control different hub types and create programming sequences for them. There are still things that need to improve! The app can only connect to a single hub at a time. The 42100 Liebherr R-9800 set will include 2 Control+ hubs. When that set is released in October, the Powered Up app should also be updated to include multi-hub control. This might also be the time the Control+ hub is supported in the Powered Up app.
For now though, the app is a single-set playground. Of course I would prefer to have more functionality available from day 1, but the experience with the Powered Up app tells me there will be updates and improvements in time. For now, the app allows LEGO to get a return on investment for the development of the Control+ system while they continue working on making the system better and more complete.
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