For consumers, it's neither been quality nor trash. They just don't think about it.

I think this tension arises from the commercialization of a consumer product. If consumers and product managers aren't pushing the product in all these different directions, there aren't issues. "Pro" software doesn't face these issues either - Resolve, Photoshop, SolidWorks, Excel; but consumer-oriented spinoffs do. Apple's attempt to consumerize FinalCut was poorly received at launch.