March 20, 2025

The Steam Deck is one other good instance. Early adopters may need been disillusioned to see lacking options like overclocking controls, per-game energy profiles, or Home windows drivers. Valve has since added these options.

Valve solely had a couple of dozen {Hardware} division workers within the run as much as the launch of the Steam Deck.


Credit score:

Sam Machkovech

Valve has additionally added extra management over the Steam Deck since its launch, together with the ability to regulate decision and refresh charges for linked exterior shows. It is also upped efficiency by way of an October replace that Valve claimed may enhance the battery lifetime of LCD fashions by as much as 10 p.c in “gentle load conditions.”

These are the sorts of updates that also allowed the Steam Deck to be playable for months, however the options had been thrilling additions as soon as they arrived. When firms situation updates reliably and in ways in which enhance the consumer expertise, individuals are much less averse to updating their devices, which is also essential for gadget performance and safety.

Including new options by way of software program updates could make gadgets extra worthwhile to homeowners. Updates that handle accessibility wants go even additional by opening up the devices to extra individuals.

Apple, for instance, demonstrated the ability that software program updates can have on accessibility by including a listening to support characteristic to the AirPods Professional 2 in October, about two years after the earbuds got here out. Equally, Amazon up to date some Hearth TV fashions in December to help simultaneous audio broadcasting from inner audio system and listening to aids. It additionally expanded the variety of listening to aids supported by some Hearth TV fashions in addition to its Hearth TV Dice streaming gadget.

For some, these updates had a dramatic impression on how they might use the gadgets, demonstrating a give attention to consumer, fairly than company, wants.