That common adage — and title of famous musician Kenny Rogers’ fourth album — refers to the ever-so-common feeling of nostalgia that people have about older devices and appliances. But how substantiated is the notion that the gadgets of yesteryear actually work better than their modern counterparts?
You may have heard of planned obsolescence, which refers to the popular claim that manufacturers intentionally design technologies — whether it’s cars, smartphones or televisions — that essentially force consumers to dish out more bucks to purchase an upgraded version. Well, it looks like there’s some truth to this, as noted by the folks at HomeServe, so we’re going to break it down.
Planned obsolescence in vehicles
In the case of cars, older models tend to last longer, compared to their modern counterparts, which are prone to needing repairs. It makes sense since that battery replacements are more common among hybrid and electrical vehicles, and the more expensive the car is, the more costly the repairs. So, there’s certainly a business case to be made for high-tech vehicles being built to fail — which leads to car owners racing to their nearest retailer for upgrades, repairs or quick fixes that end up being costly
In the case of Tesla, the proof seems to be in the pudding. recently faced a lawsuit by owners of the Model S and X car models. They claimed that a software update significantly reduced their vehicle’s performance by over 20%, forcing them to dish out $15,000 to upgrade to new batteries. The lawsuit claims that these software updates were implemented without prior notice. But whether this was strategically planned by the company to force Tesla car owners to upgrade is not clear.
Planned obsolescence in phones
In the case of smartphones, phone comparison company SellCell conducted a study last year that found that 40% of people upgrade their smartphone every two to three years. The primary decision-making factor for the upgrade is battery performance, according to the SellCell research, which found that smartphone batteries start to become problematic after two to three years. Is this intentional?
A media report from 2018 noted that both Apple and Samsung were fined — €10M and €5M, respectively — in Italy for what was considered planned obsolescence. Basically, the Italian Competition Authority conducted an investigation which revealed that the tech giants deliberately slowed down their phones through software updates. While Apple later admitted to intentionally slowing down iPhones with batteries already degraded, the company denied any intentions to deliberately shorten the lifespan of its devices.
Do smart TVs lose their smarts?
Smart TVs are not immune to shorter life spans either, but whether this too is due to planned obsolescence is inconclusive. Nevertheless, smart TVs are not immune to what’s called “inevitable obsolescence.”
Apps tend to inevitably become obsolete as streaming services cut off support for particular operating systems, leaving customers in frustration. One smart TV user took to Reddit last year to express their concerns when Hulu was no longer supported on their device.
While this may not have to do with the manufacturers, Samsung came under fire several years ago over allegations that the tech giant intentionally manufactured smart TVs with cheap capacitors that would impact their life expectancies.
A history of obsolescence
There may not be conclusive evidence to support the notion that manufacturers build appliances and technologies to fail, according to HomeServe, but history seems to indicate a pattern of potentially deliberate obsolescence.
For instance, last year’s allegations against Tesla weren’t the first time the car manufacturer came under fire for software issues that impacted the lifespans of its vehicles. In 2021, the company ended up paying $1.5M to settle a class action lawsuit by owners of its Model S electric sedans. The lawsuit originated over repeated claims that a software update impacted the vehicle’s life expectancy.
Similarly, Apple’s legal issues weren’t an isolated incident either, as the tech giant ran into further legal troubles with the U.S. Senate for what was considered to be planned obsolescence.
So what does this mean for consumers?
Well, the jury is still out on whether obsolescence is definitively planned and executed by brands — and it makes business sense as tech companies exist to make a profit. Regardless of whether or not it’s a deliberate move, it leaves consumers frustrated about rising costs associated with needing to repair their newish devices — or in some cases, having to upgrade their device altogether.
Perhaps, this might explain why the right-to-repair movement has gained so much momentum in recent years. Regardless, planned obsolescence necessitates consumers to take precautions, including doing your due diligence by looking into customer reviews, opting for gadgets with extended warranties, and demanding more options, such as longer-lasting warranties or the ability to repair, directly from manufacturers.
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Previously Published on Medium
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