Sep 19, 2023 07:00:00

Why do apps become garbage over time?

X (formerly Twitter)

is banning third-party apps , and Reddit is making moves to charge for APIs and directing users to official apps, but many people are complaining that the official apps are more difficult to use than anything else. . In addition to these issues, it is often the case that the app is not easy to use, or that after a long period of service, the app feels like ``it used to be good, but it has become increasingly difficult to use.'' Former AI researcher Ivan Wendrov explains why apps continue to deteriorate like this.

The Tyranny of the Marginal User - by Ivan Vendrov
https://nothinghuman.substack.com/p/the-tyranny-of-the-marginal-user

The app Mr. Wendrov cited as an example is the dating app OkCupid. OkCupid uses a system that asks users to answer hundreds of questions about their personality, dreams, who they are, and what they want. Based on the data obtained from this question, a ``match score'' from 0 to 100% is displayed, and the system allows you to choose a date based on that score, according to Vendrov, who has actively used it himself. The score was eerily accurate.'

However, Mr. Wendrov laments that OkCupid has already become nothing more than a clone of ``Tinder'', a place where people seek temporary encounters. Despite living in an era where tools and AI are rapidly advancing, coupled with massive R&D costs, many apps are somehow difficult to use and of poor quality.

In his six years working at Google, Wendrov said he witnessed the decline of apps and how the features that users loved were mercilessly taken away.

At the core is a strong incentive for developers to acquire more users. The more users you acquire, the more money you can earn from advertising, so many developers try not to let go of the users who use them every day (daily active users).

However, even if many users use it, there is no point in making it difficult to use. The reason why such a situation occurs is because the app developer focuses on 'marginal users'.

Mr. Wendrov describes the characteristics of marginal users as follows:

・Attention like a goldfish starved of oxygen
・After opening the app, users start looking for ``sparkling images'' and ``eye-catching headlines'' within 1.3 seconds.
・I don't think about messing with the app's settings.
- Zero tolerance for interface complexity, only moves one thumb
- Zombie-like movement where you just flick upwards over and over again

These marginal users, says Wendroff, ``If they get even a little annoyed by the app, they swipe to open TikTok and never come back.''

A marginal user is not limited to a person, but can also refer to a 'state.' This is when you scroll half-consciously in bed or use your phone to distract yourself from painful memories.

“Much of our digital lives are designed to align with this state of affairs,” Wendroff said. In contrast, apps that are inherently useful are often created as hobbyists and used by a handful of geeks. 'Companies full of advertising, growth, and trying to serve marginal users will take away the tools and kill them. That's how it is.'