It is quite annoying that functionality just changes on products I buy. I hate applying updates because rarely are they an improvement. Sometimes it's just reduced functionality
Another aspect of force updates is much more interesting: the updates don't have to provide value to the user anymore. No need to convince people that you fixed something, improved something and that it'll make users experience better. No more nasty accountability.
Whatever the engineers, PMs, UX have for a pet project? Now you can shove it down users throats, no need to worry. Every initiative is a success, every launch a 100% one :)
I particularly hate UI changes. There seems to be a constant trend in phone software to "improve" UI while disregarding the value of consistency and familiarity. Sure UI can be improved but if it's not a massive improvement the negatives of relearning the UI and retraining muscles memory far outweigh the positives. Same applies to features too, though often due to the UI changes that come with those features (Android Chrome's bullshit tab groups pushed me to Firefox).
And it's not like "hey in 6 months we're going to be implementing this change, so get ready in case it affects your workflow" it's sprung on you with no warning and no options, and often isn't even clearly communicated after the fact.
> my maps app wouldn’t connect to my phone’s music player any more
Sorry a bit of a detail but I don’t understand this. What does it means for a maps app to connect to a phone’s music player?
Are we talking about 2 apps on the same phone? 2 apps on 2 phones? I use map apps on my phone all the time, while listening to music, but I’ve never “connected” the two.
Just a guess, but Google Maps has (had?) an integration with Spotify that adds basic playback controls below the map view during navigation. It's meant to keep you from needing to switch apps while driving.
- poor testing between front and backend so that ppl don't know what versions of apps can work on that versions of apis, so forcing updates, "just to be safe"
- security slop - forcing the update of apps because they have an insecure library, like curl, so inane policy forces them to update...
On Debian, you can choose to only have automatic security updates. So nontechnical people can just use it and never have any system-relates support requests.
It is quite annoying that functionality just changes on products I buy. I hate applying updates because rarely are they an improvement. Sometimes it's just reduced functionality
https://www.sammyfans.com/2025/04/16/samsung-explains-why-bl...
Or sometimes it's destructive. Postman update removes all your stuff if you refuse to create account
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37792690
Another aspect of force updates is much more interesting: the updates don't have to provide value to the user anymore. No need to convince people that you fixed something, improved something and that it'll make users experience better. No more nasty accountability.
Whatever the engineers, PMs, UX have for a pet project? Now you can shove it down users throats, no need to worry. Every initiative is a success, every launch a 100% one :)
I particularly hate UI changes. There seems to be a constant trend in phone software to "improve" UI while disregarding the value of consistency and familiarity. Sure UI can be improved but if it's not a massive improvement the negatives of relearning the UI and retraining muscles memory far outweigh the positives. Same applies to features too, though often due to the UI changes that come with those features (Android Chrome's bullshit tab groups pushed me to Firefox).
And it's not like "hey in 6 months we're going to be implementing this change, so get ready in case it affects your workflow" it's sprung on you with no warning and no options, and often isn't even clearly communicated after the fact.
Anakin Skywalker if he chose a different profession:
"I am altering the app. Pray I don't alter it any further."
> my maps app wouldn’t connect to my phone’s music player any more
Sorry a bit of a detail but I don’t understand this. What does it means for a maps app to connect to a phone’s music player?
Are we talking about 2 apps on the same phone? 2 apps on 2 phones? I use map apps on my phone all the time, while listening to music, but I’ve never “connected” the two.
Just a guess, but Google Maps has (had?) an integration with Spotify that adds basic playback controls below the map view during navigation. It's meant to keep you from needing to switch apps while driving.
Two main reasons i see:
- poor testing between front and backend so that ppl don't know what versions of apps can work on that versions of apis, so forcing updates, "just to be safe"
- security slop - forcing the update of apps because they have an insecure library, like curl, so inane policy forces them to update...
- increase "engagement"
- add after-sales revenue streams
You forgot the main one: it's just less work for the engineers and everyone else so they'll prefer such approach.
On Debian, you can choose to only have automatic security updates. So nontechnical people can just use it and never have any system-relates support requests.