How Planned Obsolescence is Created and What it is – Guide
Have you ever wondered why large purchases like vehicles or appliances always break immediately after the manufacturer’s warranty expires? Or have you ever wondered why an advanced society can produce materials durable enough to fly into space, but not a car tire that lasts longer than a few years? The answer lies in planned obsolescence. This is a marketing and manufacturing trick designed to entice you to buy something. In this article, we take a closer look at planned obsolescence. We uncover some of the manufacturers engaging in these questionable practices and explain the Right-to-Repair movement, a modern campaign advocating the right of US consumers to keep their purchases for longevity and sustainability.
How Planned Obsolescence Is Created and What It Is
What is planned obsolescence
Planned obsolescence means that technology companies develop devices with a specific lifespan. This is to ensure future sales and demand, with technology often failing when new products are launched or final of the agreed warranty period. On paper, planned obsolescence seems reprehensible, if not criminal. But it is by no means a new tactic only used by tech companies and has been around in one form or another for decades. As a consumer, it’s hard to imagine a company intentionally designing its products not to work. But think about it: how many times have you had tech equipment break down right after the warranty expired? This is more than just a coincidence…. The purpose of planned obsolescence, or shortening the time between our repeat purchases, is to maximize profits through consistent sales. Manufacturers believe that the additional sales revenue generated by this strategy outweighs the additional cost of research and development.
How does planned obsolescence occur?
Apple’s example of intentionally slowing down iPhones (tacitly) is a notable case of potential planned obsolescence, but it’s not the only way manufacturers can make a product obsolete. One option is to stop software updates altogether. Android cell phone phones are the biggest offenders in this area. While Google’s Pixel lineup has been updated for some time, many mid-range devices on the market only get two years of Android updates and a single major Android version update. Because of this, many devices do not have the latest version of Android even when they are sold. This prevents the phones to get new features, performance improvements and important security patches. Another possibility is compatibility. Over time, a device may not work properly with the latest apps and software. This is especially true for manufacturers that produce both hardware and software, such as game console manufacturers. For example, when Nintendo released a new version of the 3DS with improved specs, newer games ran significantly worse on earlier versions of the 3DS. This forced users to look for newer versions to have a good experience. Another design decision that led to planned obsolescence is the lack of upgrade options. The disappearance of expandable memory in phones not upgradeable parts in laptops, and lack of expansion slots can affect the life of a device. For many users, the only way to upgrade their device is to buy a new one, which can be much more expensive than a potential upgrade.
Planned obsolescence is bad news for consumers – and for the environment
Planned obsolescence may make business sense, but it harms consumers and people in the poorest countries who simply cannot afford to maintain up. And this strategy is not just hurting our wallets. As the lifespan of electronic devices and gadgets continues to shorten, the demand for raw materials also increases, putting unsustainable pressure on nature. With the extraction of materials like gold and copper having a huge impact on the environment and consumers constantly throwing away outdated appliances, the concept of planned obsolescence is being scrutinized more than ever. However, it is important to remember that the problem of planned obsolescence is not a one-way street; we, as consumers, demand and expect new products from technology manufacturers, and the cycle continues. One argument tech companies use to justify planned obsolescence is this: if consumers weren’t so eager to keep up With the latest trends and always wanted the newest devices as soon as they came out, manufacturers wouldn’t have to cut production costs (eg using a cheap plastic part instead of a more expensive metal part that would likely last longer).
Final note
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