There are numerous examples of products that were really good but were messed up in subsequent versions. This phenomenon where good products are ruined in newer versions is not confined to software products. It exists in the automobile industry. How often have you heard someone talk about their old car fondly and disliking the newer versions of the same model? This phenomenon exists in wrist watches, in televisions, in airplanes, in computer hardware and in many other product segments.

Businesses that create these products know that there are competing products out there and they are continuously looking for ways to retain or gain an edge over the competition. This leads to an unending flow of new versions of the products, each with refinements and feature additions. A reduction in the number of features is rare. When a competitor adds a feature, the natural reaction is to add the same or similar feature to one's own product. The addition of features allows the business to advertise the new features to customers and keep them coming back. A product that does not change with time can sometimes be uninteresting to customers. Customers may perceive some features to be so important that they may refuse to buy products that do not have those features. However, simply adding features without sufficient design thinking can be equally disastrous.

Read more at: How to mess up a good product?

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