Although software updates are intended to enhance user experience, new findings from enterprise human insight platform UserTesting indicate that many Australians believe they achieve the exact opposite.
A survey of 1,000 Australian adults—commissioned by UserTesting and executed by Talker Research as part of a wider study across Australia, the US, and the UK—revealed rising skepticism regarding the purpose of updates, irritation with frequent layout modifications, and anxiety over potential disruptions to daily device habits. Notably, 85% of Australians admit they dodge device updates until a clear reason presents itself, marking the highest avoidance rate among all surveyed countries.
Australians growing skeptical of update motivations
Local consumers are increasingly under the impression that software updates serve corporate interests over user needs:
- 53% suspect apps and software are intentionally degraded over time to force users into paid upgrades.
- 61% feel software updates are built to only make sense to younger generations.
- 55% believe corporations roll out software updates far too frequently.
- 59% would choose an unusual chore over updating their devices—with 20% opting to spend an hour clearing email subscriptions, 16% choosing to listen to a single track on loop, and another 16% preferring to eat a mystery-flavored jelly bean.
The update button triggers genuine anxiety and irritation
For a significant portion of the Australian population, updates induce emotional distress both preceding and following installation:
- 37% experience anxiety and 22% feel annoyed prior to hitting the update button.
- When a well-known feature or button is relocated, 40% feel annoyed and 38% feel frustrated.
- When routine tasks demand extra steps post-update, nearly half (47%) experience frustration and 44% feel annoyed.
The collective impact is substantial. A total of 74% of Australians long for the simplicity of past technology, and 64% have developed strong muscle memory regarding the placement of their features and apps. When this habit is broken without notice, user trust erodes. Furthermore, 36% of Australians have encountered an app update that actively hindered their ability to finish a task, while 26% have stalled or bypassed updates altogether out of fear that their device would become unusable.
Security stands as the primary motivator for updating
In spite of widespread annoyance, security continues to be the most effective driver for update acceptance.
More than three-quarters (77%) of Australians state they would willingly install an update that enhances device security, even if it brings minor design alterations.
These results show that users do not reject updates entirely; they merely desire updates that are practical, intuitive, and considerate of their current technology habits. The research also underscores distinct pathways for brands and product developers looking to boost update compliance and restore consumer confidence.
“Software updates have become a trust test,” said Paul North, General Manager, APAC, at UserTesting. “Australians are not rejecting change, they are rejecting change that feels unexplained, disruptive or designed around the company rather than the customer. As AI compresses product cycles and pushes more features into markets faster, every update becomes a moment where brands can either build confidence or erode it. The message from consumers is clear: lead with security, explain the value, and test the experience with real people before asking them to relearn how their technology works.”
