When Sony Made Walkman Players Worse To Sell More

Summary

Imagine this: people are willing to pay less for a pack of 10 black Sharpies if one is a different color, simply because it feels odd. But an advertiser can make it work by framing that odd pen as a bonus, like a free highlighter. This idea also applies to product design. Sony's original Walkman was designed to play music, and adding recording functionality, even if cheap, made it confusing and less appealing. Sometimes, removing what seems like useful features can actually make a product more desirable by making its purpose crystal clear.