This is happening right now with cars. Regular payments or some features on the car you bought outright stop working.

Mercedes restricts the performance of some cars if you don't pay $1200 a year for the “Acceleration Increase”. You have to pay more if you want to use the power you already paid for.

BMW offer heated seats for £10 a month. The car has heated seats that work fine, and you paid for the hardware already, but they are turned off if you don't pay more.

Neither of these are anything to do with ongoing costs to the company, like support or mobile connection, they just want ongoing revenue.