When software updates actually improve—instead of ruin—our favorite devices
For many of us, we dread software updates to our favorite gadgets. Updates to a beloved gadget can leave us outraged, whether it's because we're frustrated with bugs or we're Luddites and tech enthusiasts averse to change.
In addition to those frustrations, there are times when gadget makers use software updates to manipulate product functionality and seriously upend owners' abilities to use their property as expected. We've all seen software updates render gadgets absolutely horrible: Printers have nearly become a four-letter word as the industry infamously issues updates that brick third-party ink and scanning capabilities. We've also seen company updates that locked featuresbehind a paywall or removed them entirely. This type of behavior has caused users to be wary of software updates in fear that they will diminish the value of already-purchased hardware.
On the other hand, there are times when software updates enrichthe capabilities of smart gadgets. These updates are the types of things that can help devices retain or improve their value, last longer, and become less likely to turn into e-waste.