Americans are suspicious that software updates make their electronic devices worse: research

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 percent) believe it’s done to push them towards premium features or device upgrades.

And just as many (55 percent) believe updates are designed to only make sense to younger people.This was especially apparent for Gen Zers themselves, 63 percent of whom believe updates are only designed for them.Still, more than half of millennials (54 percent), Gen X (52 percent), and baby boomers (56 percent) also believe updates cater to people younger than them.In fact, 62 percent believe OS updates disrupt the daily usage of their devices, and 53 percent believe app updates do the same.As a result, more than three-quarters (78 percent) avoid changing anything on their devices unless absolutely necessary, revealing a growing resistance to updates altogether.When updates become available, only 20 percent install them immediately.

Others either wait a day or two (26 percent) or at least a week (30 percent) before installing the update.And 15 percent 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 last manually updated their devices.

Nearly half said they’ve updated their phones within the past month (48 percent) — though those with iPhones did so more than their Android peers (49 percent compared to 42 percent respectively).And a majority (54 percent) of tablets were also updated within the past month — again, iPads more so than Android tablets (56 percent, compared to 47 percent, respectively).But devices that are more utilitarian were updated less recently.Close to half (46 percent) 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 h...