In the rapidly changing realm of technology, one aspect remains unchanged: bugs. Be it a smartphone, smartwatch, or smart refrigerator, tech products have consistently been released with flaws. While it may seem that today’s devices have more bugs than before, the reality is that this has always been the case. The difference now is that we are simply more conscious of it.

The Facade of Deteriorating Quality

Pass any amount of time on Reddit, tech forums, or the comment sections on well-known tech websites, and you’ll encounter users expressing disappointment over modern technology’s quality. “This phone is a disaster,” they might exclaim. “I’ll never purchase from this brand again.” These feelings are understandable — no one appreciates a product that fails to meet expectations. Nonetheless, the truth is that tech has always exhibited these flaws. The distinction lies in the fact that now, due to the internet, we learn about every single problem, regardless of how isolated it may be.

Previously, if your BlackBerry rebooted unexpectedly or your Palm Pilot lost all data, you might have complained to a friend or reached out to customer service. In contrast, those same problems today would be posted online, shared, and analyzed by thousands — sometimes millions. The recognition of bugs has enlarged, though not necessarily the occurrence.

Tracing Glitches: From BlackBerry to Pixel

Recall the BlackBerry Storm? It was RIM’s hurried reaction to the iPhone — a touchscreen device that barely functioned at launch. The company eventually acknowledged that it was released prematurely. But it wasn’t an isolated case. Every significant phone manufacturer has experienced its share of early failures:

• Apple: iPhones have been plagued by various bugs, ranging from alarm clock malfunctions to battery depletion problems.
• Google: Pixel devices often launch with software oddities, such as weather widgets displaying outdated information.
• Samsung: Some Galaxy models recently developed a green line across the screen following a software update.
• OnePlus: Recent models have suffered from Bluetooth connectivity problems, with links dropping and reconnecting unexpectedly.

These are not new issues. They are merely more prominent now.

The Internet’s Influence on Bug Awareness

Before the advent of social media and tech journalism, most users were only aware of the bugs they personally encountered. Nowadays, platforms like Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube magnify every issue. An issue that affects 1% of users can feel like an extensive disaster when thousands of posts and videos bring attention to it.

This isn’t inherently negative. Heightened awareness means that companies are held accountable and can respond with fixes more promptly. However, it also leads to a tendency to focus on problems we might never even face ourselves.

Understanding Why Bugs Are Unavoidable

Contemporary tech products are extraordinarily intricate. A smartphone is a compact supercomputer comprising millions of lines of code, numerous sensors, and various radios. It is nearly impossible to test every conceivable combination of hardware, software, and user interaction prior to launch.

Companies frequently launch products with known issues, intending to resolve them through future updates. While this is far from ideal, it reflects a reality of technological development.