Introduction
In today’s fast-paced tech world, the products we rely on daily are increasingly riddled with bugs, inconsistencies, and poor user experiences. Despite having immense resources, big tech companies seem to struggle with delivering high-quality, polished products. Instead, we see rushed features, flaky user interfaces, and outdated dependencies taking center stage. But why does this happen, and what are the long-term consequences?
This blog dives into the reasons behind big tech’s declining product quality, the impact of AI hype, the challenges of maintaining long-term vision, and why prioritizing short-term stock gains over user experience is ultimately unsustainable.
The Quality Crisis in Big Tech
Tech giants have long been known for innovation, but in recent years, their products have become increasingly flawed. Some of the most common issues include:
- Unstable and buggy interfaces – Users frequently experience app crashes, lagging, and inconsistent performance.
- Outdated dependencies – Many tech products rely on aging frameworks and libraries, making them vulnerable to security threats and inefficiencies.
- Band-aid fixes instead of real solutions – Companies often implement “acceptable workarounds” rather than fully addressing underlying problems.
Why does this happen? The primary reason is that quality is often deprioritized in favor of speed and market dominance. With increasing competition, tech companies are racing to release new features and updates without ensuring they are properly tested. The pressure to deliver quick results leads to compromises in product stability and user experience.
The AI Hype vs. Product Quality
AI is currently the hottest trend in tech, with companies integrating artificial intelligence into everything from search engines to chat applications. While AI holds great potential, many implementations prioritize hype over functionality.
How AI Hype Affects Quality
- AI-driven features are rushed – Instead of refining existing products, companies introduce AI functionalities that are often half-baked.
- Marketing over substance – AI integration is used as a selling point to boost stock prices and investor interest rather than solving core usability issues.
- Misallocation of resources – More time and money go into AI development rather than fixing longstanding problems in product quality and user experience.
This “AI-first” mindset often shifts focus away from essential improvements, making existing platforms more unstable and frustrating for users.
The Struggle for Long-Term Vision
Building great products requires a commitment to long-term quality, but the fast-moving nature of big tech often gets in the way. Employees and developers who push for better design, cleaner code, and stronger testing frequently face resistance from leadership.
Why Long-Term Quality Is Overlooked
- Shareholder Pressure – Companies prioritize immediate financial returns over long-term stability.
- Fast Iteration Culture – The “move fast and break things” mentality leads to constant experimentation at the cost of reliability.
- High Employee Turnover – Developers move between projects quickly, making it difficult to establish consistency in product development.
Ultimately, the industry favors speed and profit over user satisfaction, which leads to widespread frustration with digital services.
Cory Doctorow’s ‘Enshittification’ and the Decline of Tech Products
Cory Doctorow coined the term “enshittification“ to describe how digital products gradually degrade in quality. It follows a pattern:
- Phase 1: Companies attract users with high-quality services and minimal monetization.
- Phase 2: As user numbers grow, companies introduce minor monetization efforts while keeping most users satisfied.
- Phase 3: Companies fully shift to extracting revenue from users, leading to aggressive advertising, subscription walls, and diminished product value.
Many popular platforms, including social media apps, streaming services, and e-commerce giants, have followed this cycle. Once a company achieves market dominance, the user experience starts taking a backseat to profitability.
The Unsustainable Nature of This Model
The current trajectory of prioritizing quick wins over product integrity is unsustainable. Consumers are growing weary of unreliable tech, and there is a growing demand for high-quality, stable products that genuinely improve user experiences.
Why This Model Will Fail
- Diminishing User Trust – Customers are becoming more aware of companies prioritizing profits over usability and are seeking better alternatives.
- Increased Competition – Smaller, quality-focused companies can disrupt markets by offering superior experiences.
- Regulatory Scrutiny – Governments worldwide are introducing stricter regulations to hold tech companies accountable for poor security, data practices, and deceptive monetization.
Tech companies must shift their focus toward sustainable development practices, strong quality assurance, and innovations that genuinely address user needs.
The Path Forward for Better Tech
To reverse this trend, big tech companies must take meaningful steps toward prioritizing quality. This includes:
- Improving Testing and QA – Investing in better testing methodologies to catch and fix issues before products reach consumers.
- Focusing on Long-Term Stability – Reducing the reliance on rapid, untested iterations and ensuring new features integrate seamlessly.
- Enhancing User-Centric Design – Prioritizing intuitive, bug-free, and secure interfaces over gimmicky features.
- Balancing Innovation with Functionality – Ensuring AI and other advancements improve core usability rather than serving as mere marketing tools.
Conclusion:
The tech industry has reached a critical point where quality must take precedence over stock prices and rushed product launches. The current cycle of enshittification is frustrating for users and ultimately unsustainable for businesses.
By shifting toward sustainable development, robust testing, and meaningful innovations, companies can regain user trust and build products that stand the test of time. At StartupHakk, we believe in fostering a new generation of developers who prioritize quality in software development.
