Do software updates make our devices worse?

Audio By Carbonatix

A majority of Americans believe software updates are making their devices worse, not better, according to new research.

The poll of 2,000 U.S. adults found a majority (54%) believe it's done to push them towards premium features or device upgrades. And just as many (55%) believe updates are designed to only make sense to younger people.

This was especially apparent for Gen Zers themselves, 63% of whom believe updates are only designed for them. Still, more than half of millennials (54%), Gen X (52%) and baby boomers (56%) also believe updates cater to people younger than them.

In fact, 62% believe OS updates disrupt the daily usage of their devices, and 53% believe app updates do the same.

As a result, more than three-quarters (78%) avoid changing anything on their devices unless absolutely necessary, revealing a growing resistance to updates altogether.

When updates become available, only 20% install it immediately. Others either wait a day or two (26%) or at least a week (30%) before installing the update. And 15% put it off until they're forced to.

Commissioned by UserTesting and conducted by Talker Research, the survey highlighted how people have felt burned and betrayed by poor update practices in the past.

Respondents were asked when they recall last manually updating their devices. Nearly half said they've updated their phones within the past month (48%) — though those with iPhones did so more than their Android peers (49%, compared to 42%, respectively).

And a majority (54%) of tablets were also updated within the past month — again, iPads more so than Android tablets (56%, compared to 47%, respectively).

But devices that are more utilitarian were updated less recently. Close to half (46%) haven't updated their smart TVs or their vehicle's built-in infotainment system in half a year.

Many shared what has caused them to be hesitant towards updating their devices: most commonly, it's simply because they forget an update is available (23%) or that they're happy with the current software and feel nervous about new versions being worse (22%).

Others claim it's because updates take too much time to install (15%), fear of updates resetting or changing their settings (15%) and concerns that the update will add unwanted AI features (15%).

Forty-four percent have experienced app updates that have negatively impacted their ability to complete tasks they could do before.

"If you back up a little bit, you'll see we're in an awkward phase in technology, where people rely more on the reliability of software than hardware," explained NAME, POSITION at UserTesting. "Because there's so much focus on how people interact with their devices, a bad update experience can really damage a person's overall perception of their devices and the companies that make them."

The study found that 40% of Americans need a few days to get comfortable with changes made by software updates, and 25% take weeks or even months to adapt. Six percent said it takes them a full year before they get comfortable with changes. Meanwhile, 29% said they adapt within minutes.

More than half (56%) say they feel anxious or annoyed right before hitting “update” — a small, but telling moment of hesitation that reflects a broader unease with constant change. However, the moment after an update is installed, 35% reported feeling happy and 23% feel excited.

If an update offered to improve the security of devices, but only slightly changed the design, 68% of people said they'd install the update — including 28% who said they'd press the button "right away."

A third (32%) have delayed or avoided updates because they were concerned it would slow down or make their devices unusable to the point of having to replace them.

The findings suggest a widening gap between how quickly technology is evolving and how comfortable people feel keeping up. As companies race to ship new features, especially AI-driven ones, users are increasingly wondering if this is actually better.

"What this data tells us is that people don't necessarily mind the updates themselves, and some can find the end results even exciting," continued NAME. "But to be effective, they need to prove usefulness and security, not just changing where buttons are located or how things look or other aesthetic changes that can cause confusion and anxiety in people."

1. They forget it's available    23%
2. They're happy with the current software and are nervous the new version will be worse    22%
3. The time it takes to install    15%
4. They're afraid it will reset or change their settings    15%
5. They're concerned that the update will add AI features they didn't ask for    15%
6. They don’t have enough storage    13%
7. They're afraid it will slow down their devices    13%
8. Needing to remember, reset, or re-enter passwords    11%
9. They don't have the time to wait for updates to install    9%
10. Their device is too old to update    9%
11. They don't know if it will cost anything to update    6%
12. They don't remember the password they would need    6%
13. They have muscle memory of my devices now    4%

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.