#user-backlash

#user-backlash

When Sonos released its redesigned app in May 2024, the backlash was immediate and brutal. Users couldn't access basic features like volume control and alarms. Systems became unusable. The company's stock plummeted 25%. Eventually, the CEO was replaced, and lawsuits claimed over $5 million in damages from customers who'd lost functionality they'd paid for.

In December, when Mozilla announced it would finally add AI to Firefox, the reaction from users wasn't exactly welcoming. What Mozilla failed to realize is that the majority of Firefox users don't want AI. Many Linux users, who make up a large share of Firefox's fan base, don't want AI in their OS, either.

Earlier this month, Strava, the popular fitness-tracking app, released its annual "Year in Sport" wrap-up-a cutesy, animated series of graphics summarizing each user's athletic achievements. But this year, for the first time, Strava made this feature available only to users with subscriptions ($80 per year), rather than making it free to everyone, as it had been historically since the review's debut in 2016.

Pinterest, a platform Futurism described as "being strangled by AI slop," is not having a great day. The image-based social media company yesterday released its third-quarter earnings and, despite a 17% increase in revenue year-over-year (YOY), its shares took a tremendous tumble. Pinterest stock (NYSE: PINS) dropped about 20% through after-hours trading and into premarket on Wednesday, sitting at 18.6% down at the time of publishing.

'Messages are for the conversations you're already having about music, podcasts and audiobooks with your friends and family,' Spotify explained. 'It's easy to start a chat in the app with people you know and have previously shared Spotify content with. 'You'll also see suggested people to message based on things like whether you've previously shared Spotify content with them, joined Jams, Blends, or collaborative playlists together, or if you share a Family or Duo plan.'

OpenAI's launch of its long-awaited GPT-5 AI model turned out to be a bit of a dud. Those expecting a revolutionary change, something CEO Sam Altman promised outright months ago, were left sorely disappointed. In many ways, GPT-5 felt more like an iterative improvement, while a colder and less personable tone took aback those looking to foster an emotional relationship with the bot.