Title: From Reliable to Painful — Apple Has Forgotten Its Core UsersBy Angela DavisI’ve been a long-time iPhone user, and I never imagined I’d feel so let down and disappointed by a product I once trusted and loved. What Apple has done with its recent updates feels like a betrayal of everything that once made these phones so dependable, intuitive, and easy to use.After the last upgrade, all of my apps were scattered out of their folders. My entire phone became disorganized, and now just trying to find the basics feels like digging through a mess I didn’t create. Important emails are no longer in my inbox — they’ve been moved to some secondary folder labeled “More mail,” where I’m likely to miss something crucial. My alarms don’t ring. My calendar doesn’t remind me. When I tap on something, it often takes multiple tries before the phone responds.Even the Notes app, which I used to love for storing thoughts, reminders, and important information, is now completely unusable. Instead of displaying the title or first lines of each note, I now see a long list labeled “New Note,” with no way to distinguish one from the other. I can’t even find the things I’ve saved. It’s abysmal.This phone, which I paid over $1000 for, has become painful to use. That’s the word I want to emphasize: painful. I used to rely on my iPhone daily, and now it’s a source of stress and confusion. Why do these upgrades make things worse, not better? Why do we all have to participate in changes that seem designed to please a 20-year-old’s whim, without any thought for those of us over 60?It almost feels intentional — like Apple is slowly designing its products to exclude older users. I truly don’t understand the thinking behind it. And to make things worse, instead of offering clear solutions, Apple pushes users to attend classes or watch online tutorials just to regain basic functionality. Who has time for that? Why isn’t support integrated into the phone itself?This should not be a one-size-fits-all device. Not everyone has fast-flying fingers. I often use voice-to-text, and even that has become unreliable. I now have to go back and painfully correct the errors made by a system that used to work. I used to feel confident using my phone. Now, every interaction is a source of frustration.Apple, hear this: Baby boomers have been some of your most loyal customers. We were the ones who believed in your product, who kept coming back, who relied on your phones for everything from business to health to staying in touch with loved ones. And now, it feels like you’ve left us behind — designing for a younger audience while ignoring the people who built your brand’s reputation for excellence.I am writing this not just for myself, but for every aging user who feels abandoned by a product that once worked beautifully. We need functionality, clarity, and respect — not confusion, disorganization, and digital gymnastics.Do better, Apple. Because right now, your product is no longer worth the name.Angela Davis
