The Shift

Regular software updates are a great selling point... But slowing the pace a little might make a lot of sense, says David Chartier

David Chartier on slowing the pace of change.

Like even the most modern of houses, our technology has bugs — little (and sometimes big) ways it doesn’t quite work right. It’s nearly impossible to squash all the bugs, but some apps, devices, and operating systems have more bugs than others. Much of Apple’s foundation was built on the overall quality of its user experience. In recent years, however, “it just works” has become “wait for an update or two and then it should just work. Maybe.” The latter doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, and Apple knows it. That’s why the company has started some spring cleaning and slowing down, and I think it’s the right thing to do for a few reasons.

Apple has been releasing major operating system upgrades and new features every year, for over a decade. While it makes for a good yearly show, it has ultimately made for devices that have lost some of their luster of reliability. Apple still sells millions upon millions of devices every year, but it’s hard to ignore that, with many people, a sentiment has arisen of “wait for the second version.” Recent operating system releases have stumbled over major bugs and missing features that weren’t ready, while some new Mac hardware has missed the mark in performance or purpose.

There are a lot of reasons why a company as monumentally successful as Apple might stumble like this, but I think a large factor is simply speed. Many tech pundits were surprised when Apple started a yearly software cycle. To be fair, the regular attention and constant stream of new features contributed quite a lot to Apple’s success. But it also seems clear now that this pace sacrificed at least some level of quality in software development and product reliability.

This is why I’m excited that Apple is changing things up. A renewed focus on quality and reliability — instead of packing every release with tons of new features — can help restore some of the reputation and excitement that has been lost. People may be able to get back to looking forward to Upgrade Days instead of putting them off for as long as possible, or until they can no longer abstain from that new set of emoji.

I find one aspect of Apple’s new approach to software releases particularly promising: waiting to release features until they’re ready. While this should also help in the reliability department, it might also allow Apple to roll out more focused releases that are more inviting to regular users. Fewer, but more polished, features might allow each release to feel less intimidating and more exciting. New features won’t amount to much if people are too overwhelmed to learn them, or if the features simply don’t work.

I know it might seem counterintuitive. But I do think that Apple slowing down (if only just a little) might enable its products and new, ideally helpful, features get adopted more quickly. Eventually, maybe we can even get back to saying “it just works,” and mean it.