It’s not necessarily software you need to look out for, it’s networking. If it connects to the internet that’s how they can require that you pay subscriptions, track your usage to adjust prices/packages, and limit on uses per set time period. My early 2010s washer has a rudimentary computer that operates it.

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everything needs software to some extent, how else do you control the hardware

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Do you want to wear hard clothes?? Neither does your washing machine! /j

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