In the relentless pursuit of making the world a better place (read: making shitloads of money, normally at our expense), our tech overlords continue to destroy legacy tech and throw a torrent of new technologies at us.
The thing almost all these have in common is they're products or changes that nobody asked for. But because the market demands non-stop growth, companies like Google or Apple can't just say "we have products or services that people like and work fine." They always have to be chasing something new and shiny to serve their investors, not their customers.
It's the noose around their neck – shareholder value. You're right, Apple can't just say, hey, we're good with making $50 billion this year. It causes stock to drop and leadership to be questioned, which is truly insane when you think nobody is able to step back and realise the sheer volume of cash coming in, and it's not enough? It's often the most valuable company in the world, ever, and yet, if that growth line stops...
I’ve said this before, maybe in a comment on one of your posts, but I firmly believe a reason we’re so fucked these days is politicians don’t think past their next election and corporations don’t think past their next quarterly report.
Jeff, my man! let’s not forget when you employee an army to chase growth they get busy. One consequence is the endless, minor changes that nobody is asking for.
The worst offender in the category is Apple Photos. Every year it seems they change the interface because I assume some UX/UI designer is justifying their position instead of letting users remain comfortable.
It also causes products to be early because the tech industry has rallied around winner take all platforms instead of supporting interoperable systems.
I've often wondered what's it's like to be working in one of the teams who gets left to update things for the sake of it. At some point, they must have realised this app/feature was a good as it got, and that must be a pretty soul destroying project to work on. Iteration for iterations sake.
Apple will likely try and “incrementally innovate” its way to success and it does have a excellent track record of that — but there is no doubting this first version was a bust
I agree with almost this entire post. Tech companies can't read the room on what their audience wants and continue to shove garbage down our throats.
People will tune out of social media.
People will stop upgrading devices that continually be integrated with their AI that you can't get rid of.
People will drop out.
It makes me hopeful that these companies are hurting because it shows that the majority of people are catching on to these smoke and mirror games that these companies are playing.
People are missing the simpler days and these companies still try to push us into a future that we don't want. All in the name of money and control. I'm not planning to upgrade my phone any time soon. I'll keep swapping batteries and use it indefinitely. I don't want more tech and products. I want more connection.
Yeah, I think the Apple Intelligence (AI, get it?! How clever of them...) was a sign of where we are at – half-baked, last minute and then one, not available well after phone was released, and two, not available in the EU. The Apple of old would have sat on it till next release and blew everyone out of the water.
I've fallen into a system of upgrading every two years, and giving my wife the old phone so each one does four years... it's not great though.
I’m still with the iPhone 13 Pro. Apple Intelligence obviously doesn’t seem like a reason to upgrade. Camera is no longer worth a full upgrade. As long as my battery lasts and can be changed it works fine.
The only reason I would upgrade would be for USB-C just to have all my devices to have continuity in charging ports but again, I don’t see that as a reason to upgrade.
Although it wasn't a tech invention per se, Cory Doctorow's 'invention' of the word 'enshittification' could have had its own spot on your 2024 review. Indeed, the word was chosen as Dictionary's 2024 'Word of the Year.' https://tinyurl.com/22ugh2gp
Also, as the year staggers to a close, Trend Mill will be on my list of 'favorite Substack newsletters' for 2024. Keep up the crusade, Stephen.
Honestly, if I had a dollar for every time someone told me about that word... I don't use it intentionally because it's his thing. Though interestingly, he coined the term in 2022. Also, I've been down this rabbit hole before, and discovered that the term "Crapification" came first and was used sometime around 2019.
As I say, it's a great term, but don't want to steal from Cory, who is far better at the tech-criticism game than me. I'd recommend reading his book 'The Internet Con' if you haven't already.
Haha. I don't mind open world, just not the current copy paste format we have now. Have only played Cyberpunk this year... PS5 has become an expensive dust magnet.
You're right about the wallpaper app.. don't love or hate MB, but I reckon I almost felt the physical sensation of whiplash when he announced it. A.. a... a wallpaper app?
Glad to see Twitter on here, and you even added all of social media. Agreed! While I wrote about the demise of X, I think replacements like Bluesky are also still bad for other reasons. No central social media going into 2025 I guess.
Not sure how you make the sad state of the world fun reading, but you deliver Mr. Slop.
Thanks. Maybe I should create the character Mr Slop and post it under all the AI stuff I see 😂
The thing almost all these have in common is they're products or changes that nobody asked for. But because the market demands non-stop growth, companies like Google or Apple can't just say "we have products or services that people like and work fine." They always have to be chasing something new and shiny to serve their investors, not their customers.
It's the noose around their neck – shareholder value. You're right, Apple can't just say, hey, we're good with making $50 billion this year. It causes stock to drop and leadership to be questioned, which is truly insane when you think nobody is able to step back and realise the sheer volume of cash coming in, and it's not enough? It's often the most valuable company in the world, ever, and yet, if that growth line stops...
I’ve said this before, maybe in a comment on one of your posts, but I firmly believe a reason we’re so fucked these days is politicians don’t think past their next election and corporations don’t think past their next quarterly report.
Jeff, my man! let’s not forget when you employee an army to chase growth they get busy. One consequence is the endless, minor changes that nobody is asking for.
The worst offender in the category is Apple Photos. Every year it seems they change the interface because I assume some UX/UI designer is justifying their position instead of letting users remain comfortable.
It also causes products to be early because the tech industry has rallied around winner take all platforms instead of supporting interoperable systems.
I've often wondered what's it's like to be working in one of the teams who gets left to update things for the sake of it. At some point, they must have realised this app/feature was a good as it got, and that must be a pretty soul destroying project to work on. Iteration for iterations sake.
Vision Pro was a generational flop lol and it took billions to research and develop
Apple will likely try and “incrementally innovate” its way to success and it does have a excellent track record of that — but there is no doubting this first version was a bust
I agree with almost this entire post. Tech companies can't read the room on what their audience wants and continue to shove garbage down our throats.
People will tune out of social media.
People will stop upgrading devices that continually be integrated with their AI that you can't get rid of.
People will drop out.
It makes me hopeful that these companies are hurting because it shows that the majority of people are catching on to these smoke and mirror games that these companies are playing.
People are missing the simpler days and these companies still try to push us into a future that we don't want. All in the name of money and control. I'm not planning to upgrade my phone any time soon. I'll keep swapping batteries and use it indefinitely. I don't want more tech and products. I want more connection.
Yeah, I think the Apple Intelligence (AI, get it?! How clever of them...) was a sign of where we are at – half-baked, last minute and then one, not available well after phone was released, and two, not available in the EU. The Apple of old would have sat on it till next release and blew everyone out of the water.
I've fallen into a system of upgrading every two years, and giving my wife the old phone so each one does four years... it's not great though.
I’m still with the iPhone 13 Pro. Apple Intelligence obviously doesn’t seem like a reason to upgrade. Camera is no longer worth a full upgrade. As long as my battery lasts and can be changed it works fine.
The only reason I would upgrade would be for USB-C just to have all my devices to have continuity in charging ports but again, I don’t see that as a reason to upgrade.
Although it wasn't a tech invention per se, Cory Doctorow's 'invention' of the word 'enshittification' could have had its own spot on your 2024 review. Indeed, the word was chosen as Dictionary's 2024 'Word of the Year.' https://tinyurl.com/22ugh2gp
Also, as the year staggers to a close, Trend Mill will be on my list of 'favorite Substack newsletters' for 2024. Keep up the crusade, Stephen.
Honestly, if I had a dollar for every time someone told me about that word... I don't use it intentionally because it's his thing. Though interestingly, he coined the term in 2022. Also, I've been down this rabbit hole before, and discovered that the term "Crapification" came first and was used sometime around 2019.
As I say, it's a great term, but don't want to steal from Cory, who is far better at the tech-criticism game than me. I'd recommend reading his book 'The Internet Con' if you haven't already.
I loathe AI. It's infested every fucking thing😕
And will continue to do so for next year id guess
Ugh 🫤
PS5 Pro - essentially the same as a PS5 but marginally better graphics (that you can only notice on a massive TV) but way more expensive?
Apple AI. It's like giving Siri a hat and glasses and calling it sentient.
It’s funny you say that… PS5 Pro was on the draft list. Absolute nonsense — how about you just release some new games?
Apple AI for sure, but I think that would go on next year’s list as it only just came out (and isn’t even available in EU yet)
With you on the better games. If I play one more open world, go up the tower to show the side missions, craft better gear game it will be too soon.
Haha. I don't mind open world, just not the current copy paste format we have now. Have only played Cyberpunk this year... PS5 has become an expensive dust magnet.
You're right about the wallpaper app.. don't love or hate MB, but I reckon I almost felt the physical sensation of whiplash when he announced it. A.. a... a wallpaper app?
Yup. The strangest business move of the year
The Rabbit was a head scratcher for sure!
Google Search has been getting worse for a few years now. Right now, it's downright unusable.
Glad to see Twitter on here, and you even added all of social media. Agreed! While I wrote about the demise of X, I think replacements like Bluesky are also still bad for other reasons. No central social media going into 2025 I guess.
https://collegetowns.substack.com/p/finally-admitting-twitter-is-dead