Digital public property

What happens when an app becomes a utility like a light switch, a cd player or a thermostat? What happens when you become very used to operating that utility every day. What happens when you become attached to that utility, not even thinking about it, just using it. And what then happens when that utility all of a sudden, overnight, changes its design? It’s functionings, its UX?

A lot of utilities have become replaced by apps. And we’re now at a point where manufacturers are making significant UI changes to those apps (like the new Sonos app release this week). And at a point where people are getting upset about that.

Apps are never ‘your’ property. Even though they might feel like it.