Hacker News Reader

Companies with insufficient competition treated customers badly always. Antitrust enforcement weakened since the 1970s. And investors demanded short term gains.

It's the private equity era. Much like how legislative behaviour is now dictated by the wealthy even to the point of contradicting the will/desire of informed voters, corporate behaviour is now dictated by private equity investment to the point of contradicting the demand from informed user/consumers.

> Did Henry Ford make his vehicles shitter to increase his stock value?

You should really really read about Dodge vs. Ford case. It all started with that case.