less is more

Are we too caught up in bells and whistles to appreciate and explore novelty? It seems like so many companies are focusing on product development in developing markets where they can create much cheaper alternatives to products that already exist. Creating medical equipment that hospitals in poorer countries can actually afford is an admirable achievement, but the disparity between what seems to be necessary here when compared to other places is somewhat troubling. In an effort to create more affordable alternatives, companies are finding new and innovative ways of doing things. I wonder if we are missing out on this kind of innovation by being so focused on having the most expensive, most detailed products available. It seems like it requires more novel thought to make things cheaper than it does to make them fancier. The focus in America on having products that doing 100 things at once seems like it is hindering us from thinking differently on what products and services we actually need.