In today’s connected world, every new piece of technology promises to make life easier. Smart TVs, thermostats, cameras, projectors, doorbells, appliances—even our watches—are now “smarter” than ever. But with every app we install and every subscription we sign up for, something gets lost: simplicity.
While the intent behind smart devices is convenience, the reality is often the opposite. The smarter the device, the more mental effort it demands from the user, managing logins, software updates, privacy settings, notifications, cloud accounts, and monthly fees. This complexity is not just an inconvenience. It creates friction between the user and the device, and over time, leads to frustration, neglect, or abandonment.
Installing a single app to manage your security camera seems harmless. But it doesn't stop there. Your smart lightbulbs, TV, speakers, thermostat, vacuum, garage door opener—even your washing machine—may each require their own dedicated app. Before long, your phone is cluttered with dozens of rarely-used apps, all fighting for your attention and storage space.
This growing pile of apps doesn’t just take up valuable memory on your device—it takes up mental memory, too. Every app means a new interface to learn, a new login to manage, and another set of notifications or permissions to configure. And when you need to actually control your device—say, adjusting a thermostat or checking a camera feed—you’re forced to dig through pages of icons or rely on search to find the right one.
Worse, many of these apps are subject to constant updates. You’re often left waiting for large downloads and installations before you can even access the basic functions of your device.
Sometimes updates fix bugs or improve performance, but they also frequently break existing features, introduce unwanted redesigns, or bury familiar settings behind new menu structures. The result? You have to relearn the app just to perform a task that used to be second nature.
This leads to a frustrating cycle: just when you become comfortable with how an app works, it changes. And if you don’t keep up with the changes—or if the app is no longer supported by the manufacturer—your smart device may become significantly harder or even impossible to use.
At scale, this creates a paradox: as our devices become "smarter," they demand more time, more attention, more updates, and more decisions. Instead of saving you effort, they often add to your digital to-do list.
Another creeping trend is subscription-based functionality. Want to store security footage? That’s a monthly fee. Want to use your projector’s streaming features? Another fee. Over time, these subscriptions pile up, and the user is left paying a premium just to maintain functionality they once expected to be built in.
The bigger issue is the slow shift in ownership. With subscriptions, you're not really buying a product—you’re renting an experience. If you stop paying, you lose access to core features of a device you already own.
Ironically, the best smart devices are often the ones that ask the least of us. Devices that are thoughtfully designed to work out of the box, without constant user input, endless configuration, or a paid service plan, offer the kind of experience that’s truly smart: low-effort, high-value.
Companies should strive to build products that solve problems without introducing new ones. That might mean:
Ultimately, companies that design around simplicity, not just features, will win customer trust and long-term satisfaction. When technology fades into the background and just works, people stop thinking about it—and that’s a good thing.
Less is more. And in the age of smart everything, sometimes a little “dumb” is the smartest move of all.
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