Why Apple’s Trivial iPhone Change Is So Upsetting

Key points

• Recent changes by Apple and other companies have been met with resistance by users.
• It is a well-known fact that people have a psychological resistance to change.
• Resistance to change can be due to fear of the unknown or of losing control.
• Strategies to overcome resistance to change include involving people in the process and providing a rationale.

Apple recently announced a change to their iPhone (IOS 17 version) that caused many users to be upset and outraged. What was this dramatic change? Apple changed the end call button from the center of the call screen to the right corner. Not only did this seemingly trivial change upset some people, but there was discussion about how this change would mess with people’s “muscle memory “ and would lead to terrible telephoning errors.

It is not uncommon for people to come up with rationalizations for their resistance to change. That’s because resistance to change, no matter how trivial, is a common psychological response. People become accustomed to the familiar, the “tried and true,” and are simply resistant to change. This resistance can cause all kinds of problems, especially when the change might benefit the very same people who resist it. Let’s look at some historical examples:

Seatbelts, New Coke, and Crayons

In the 1960s, seatbelts were required to be installed in automobiles in the US for safety reasons. It wasn’t until the 1980s, however, that laws required drivers and passengers to wear seatbelts to protect themselves. Yet many people actively resisted this safety-related change, calling it an assault on their personal freedom. In fact, the legislators who introduced these mandatory seatbelt laws were vilified, compared to Hitler, and threatened.

In 1985, the Coca-Cola Company made a decision to change its formula and introduced “New Coke.” People were outraged, boycotting the new formula, and hoarding cans of the old, traditional flavor.

Binney and Smith, the manufacturers of Crayola crayons, encountered resistance when they changed the names of some of their crayon colors. People even picketed the company’s headquarters, protesting this small and harmless change.

How to Overcome Resistance to Change

There is a psychological tendency to hold onto the familiar and to try to avoid any threat, including those that are perceived to accompany a change. People resist change because they fear the unknown or because they fear a loss of control that comes from the predictability of the “tried and true” things that we are used to. Sometimes, familiar things can have a sort of “moral force” that tells us that the status quo is not only “right” but is “best,” and we dig in our heels and resist any change.

One way to help people adapt to changes is to involve them in the decision to change and in the change process. Also, communicating that a change is imminent, what the reason(s) for the change is, and continually keeping them informed throughout the change process helps.

If you are facing change, the best thing to do is to realize that change is an inevitable part of life. Changing your frame of mind to view change as an exciting challenge, rather than a threat, is a good way to move forward. In our ever-changing world, being flexible and adaptable is definitely a virtue.

Originally published at https://www.psychologytoday.com.