There’s an App for That. I’d Rather Have a Button.

In 2009, Apple launched a major advertising campaign entitled “There’s an App for That”. No matter how far-fetched the idea, there was bound to be an app available for it. Since then, apps have come to play an increasingly significant role in our lives. Now, in 2026, I find myself wondering more and more often: “Does everything really need an app?”

Apps have made our lives easier

A few years ago, for instance, our car broke down while my family and I were travelling through the middle of nowhere. Using an app, I was able to contact the breakdown service and our exact location was already known! When it turned out that the car couldn’t be repaired straight away, a nearby hotel was quickly found, even though many hotels were fully booked due to a major event.

Without apps, we would never have been able to arrange help and a place to stay so quickly and easily.

Apps can also make a real difference in other areas. Apps for solar panels, energy meters and thermostats, for example, can help you better manage your energy consumption, taking your daily routine into account.

Still, I’ve noticed that, for me, more options don’t automatically mean more convenience. Sometimes, an app actually makes something that used to be very simple more complicated.

Not everything has become easier

I remember the old days, way back when little me could walk into a room, flick a switch, and voilà, the light in the room would come on. If I wanted to leave the room, I’d flick the switch again and the light would go off. Those were wonderfully simple times.

Nowadays, you buy a smart bulb. There’s a QR code on the bulb. You scan it with your phone’s camera. You download the app. Create an account. Enter your email address. Choose a password. But not just any password! The password must be at least 12 characters long and contain uppercase letters, lowercase letters and numbers, as well as at least one special character! And oh yes, it must also be unique!

Next, you have to pair the bulb via your app with a control device that needs to be connected to the internet to function, and so on, and so on…

I’m being dramatic, of course. Today’s bulbs can do much more than they used to. Still, there’s something to be said for the simplicity of yesteryear.

When an app gets in the way

I don’t find all apps useful. For instance, I own several network devices that you have to set up using an app. The web interface offers only limited functionality.

Then there was the wireless speaker. I had to install an app just to turn off its horribly overpowering bass. Why wasn’t there simply a button for that on the speaker itself? Then I wouldn’t have needed an app on my phone for a speaker I hadn’t intended to use with my phone.

My car’s auxiliary heater can only be controlled via an app. I’d have preferred a button on the dashboard.

I could go on listing examples, but you get the idea. Some apps are required just to use a particular feature of a product, even when the app itself adds little value.

Why I want fewer apps

I’ve noticed that I want fewer apps on my phone, for several reasons.

Every product demands attention

Whereas my devices used to simply do their job, many of them now demand attention through app notifications or emails. Sometimes a device needs a firmware update, or you’re bombarded with adverts for fancier and ‘better’ products. Of course, you can switch off notifications on your phone and it’s possible to unsubscribe from mailing lists, but somehow, sooner or later, the emails seem to start arriving again.

I’ve replaced my smart scales with a good old-fashioned set of scales because they kept trying to install an update just when I wanted to weigh myself.

Every brand has its own app and account

Every brand has its own app and tries to push its own ecosystem. That means that for products from different brands, you also have to create multiple accounts for multiple apps.

I have no desire to enter into a relationship with a manufacturer when I buy a set of scales, for example. I just want to be able to step on the scales and read my weight.

I’m not keen on receiving emails from the scale manufacturer.

When support ends

One of my biggest grievances is that expensive products that are still working perfectly suddenly become unusable once the manufacturer stops supporting them. For instance, I owned a rather pricey audio system that became unusable overnight after the manufacturer discontinued app support. My audio system had been reduced to a very expensive paperweight. What I found particularly upsetting was that, technically speaking, the audio system didn’t need an app at all to function. Discontinuing support was an absurd waste of perfectly good hardware.

Why should software determine the lifespan of hardware that’s still working perfectly well?

Cumbersome

Controlling devices via an app is often cumbersome. For instance, you first have to pick up your phone, then unlock it, find and open the relevant app, wait for the app to load, find the control option within the app, and only then can you control your device. This is far more cumbersome than simply pressing a button on the device itself.

In conclusion

I love technology when it genuinely adds something to my life.

These days, when buying a device, I check whether it requires an app. If it does, I weigh up whether the benefits of using an app outweigh the drawbacks. As a result, I now have far fewer apps on my phone and have been able to close many of my accounts with manufacturers.

Apps aim to make life easier for consumers, but I’ve learnt that simplicity is also a form of convenience. And yet, the app for my lighting is still on my phone. Apparently, I’m willing to sacrifice a little simplicity when an app adds enough value.