I suspect you are right.

I really have no listening issues with it, if it offers an experience I like, but I strongly fear software dependencies and vendor lock-in, subscription add-ons etc.

That would be a ripe field to sneak software into being that the output is intangible and very abstract, they just need to claim we are paying for software to improve the sound stage, 3D effect or whatever this month.

Much easier to sell than physically disengaging a moto that drives the car sunroof we paid for and tangibly experience being disabled.