Consumer products and planned obsolescence?
- Thread starter Ice Tea
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Man of Honour
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One thing I've noticed is that stuff seems to be less robust than it used to be.
I have a dining room table that we've had for 30+ years and it's still going strong (we grabbed it from my parents when they returned back to the fatherland).
I think we're used to cheap tat now or accept that it won't last as long - I find that absurd, and loathe replacing stuff unnecessarily.
I think increasingly products are designed with cheaper components than they could be and the businesses behind those products aren't *unhappy* about the fact that will shorten the potential lifespan of the product, but I think where it is intentionally done is a minority.
I'm very suspicious when it comes to mobile phones though - after awhile many models will become overly slow, battery life decreased, even if you replace the battery and wipe and reinstall the OS you never really get back to where the product is new - if you buy a newer phone of similar spec or happen to have another of the same model which has been sitting in its box unused the difference can be stark. Not sure what is going on there but it raises my eyebrows. This isn't explained by just having more software or the heavier requirements of newer apps, etc.
I'm very suspicious when it comes to mobile phones though - after awhile many models will become overly slow, battery life decreased, even if you replace the battery and wipe and reinstall the OS you never really get back to where the product is new - if you buy a newer phone of similar spec or happen to have another of the same model which has been sitting in its box unused the difference can be stark. Not sure what is going on there but it raises my eyebrows. This isn't explained by just having more software or the heavier requirements of newer apps, etc.
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Annoying when it comes to clothing and footwear - one of the main trainers I've been wearing for years - the first pair I bought lasted in good condition for 50% of the time since I first bought them to now - while I'm on the 3rd pair since in that other 50% and the original pair are still just about surviving relegated to work use.
Soldato
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The Phoebus cartel was an oligopoly that controlled the manufacture and sale of incandescent light bulbs. They appropriated market territories and lowered the useful life of such bulbs.[1] Corporations based in Europe and the United States founded the cartel on January 15, 1925 in Geneva.[2] Phoebus based itself in Switzerland. The corporation named itself Phœbus S.A. Compagnie Industrielle pour le Développement de l'Éclairage (French for "Phoebus plc Industrial Company for the Development of Lighting"). They had intended the cartel to last for thirty years (1925 to 1955). The cartel ceased operations in 1939 owing to the outbreak of World War II. The cartel included manufacturers Osram, General Electric, Associated Electrical Industries, and Philips,[3] among others.So yes, the answer is yes
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No its a conspiracy theory pedalled by people who don't understand how things work.
You can still buy a washing machine that will probably last 15 years but you won't pay £200 for it, you will pay £1000 for it.
People look at these things far too simplistically. Labour costs have increased, regulations have increased, complexity has increased therefore points of failure have increased. People want to spend as little as possible so quality goes down.
Back in the day some things were very simple but quite expensive which meant they were well built but not likely to fail as there wasn't much to fail. Now you have dozens of points of failure in even the simplest of machines and people want to spend 1/5th of what they used to spend.
When it comes to things like phones and bleeding edge tech, thats the the price of fast progress and improvements. Like most other things you always have a choice as well. Apple support all their devices for 6 years plus but you pay a premium. You can get an android device that does 95% of what an iPhone does for 1/6th of the cost but it won't get any support or updates after a year in all likelihood. Pay you money and take your choice.
Exactly, want a washing machine or tumble drier thats going to last a decade or two, you buy a Miele but its going to set you back a lot of money.
You guy a £200 washing machine that will be made with the cheapest components at every step on the way its just not going to last.
Man of Honour
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Yes!! I have some old boots that I get re-soled but they're good quality leather and have lasted me a dozen years - they're just unbreakable!
but neither will you get better lifespan at the budget end of the range usually.
Agreed..
I wouldn't be surprised if there are some spot examples of it, but overall, how do people think it works, we all want everything as cheap as possible, we have incredible competition which keeps prices as low as they practically can in the vast majority of cases and they have to make a profit.. Unreliability is a consumer choice factor so they are motivated in most cases to not have it break just out of warranty.
Our last Hotpoint Ultima washing machine lasted 20+ years, it needed brushes for the motor, a door catch and had a recall for the internal drum plastics.. Our hotpoint ultimate timble dryer lasted the same time, that is still going as we gave it away, it needed some soldering as a dry joint on a relay developed. We still use our 20 year old Samsung RS21 american fridge freezer, that had a recall for frosting up at the back of the fridge, but aside from cleaning the fluff out of the compressor every few years, I'm amazed it's lasted this long.. I'm waiting for it to die!
Dish washers have been around 7 years each before I've replaced, I've had to do some basic servicing, mainly blocked filters or failed pumps or the dispenser stopping working, but ebay and cheap parts kept them going.
I wouldn't be surprised if there are some spot examples of it, but overall, how do people think it works, we all want everything as cheap as possible, we have incredible competition which keeps prices as low as they practically can in the vast majority of cases and they have to make a profit.. Unreliability is a consumer choice factor so they are motivated in most cases to not have it break just out of warranty.
Our last Hotpoint Ultima washing machine lasted 20+ years, it needed brushes for the motor, a door catch and had a recall for the internal drum plastics.. Our hotpoint ultimate timble dryer lasted the same time, that is still going as we gave it away, it needed some soldering as a dry joint on a relay developed. We still use our 20 year old Samsung RS21 american fridge freezer, that had a recall for frosting up at the back of the fridge, but aside from cleaning the fluff out of the compressor every few years, I'm amazed it's lasted this long.. I'm waiting for it to die!
Dish washers have been around 7 years each before I've replaced, I've had to do some basic servicing, mainly blocked filters or failed pumps or the dispenser stopping working, but ebay and cheap parts kept them going.
I got a guy out to fix our tumble drier because it stopped working and there was a known issue with them. Turns out it was an unrelated issue so they guy couldn't fix it for free but he told me the parts to buy and what to do and I did it myself.
One thing he did say was that it was in immaculate condition compared to 99% of the machines he sees. Apparently people don't clean the lint traps etc and then wonder why their machine breaks.
This was on a probably £250 tumble drier we have had for 5+ years I reckon. Would have gone to landfill if I didn't fix it. Problem is, the parts cost about £15 but I reckon that the technician callout would have been £100+ along with parts costs. There is a good chance he comes out and says its not worth fixing and then you have spent half the cost of a new machine to be told you need a new machine.
Having a look at new heat pump machines as well we could save a fair bit on electricity if we got a new machine.
All of these things add up to very quickly hit the point where fixing things only makes even a little sense if you can diagnose and repair them yourself. Most people can't so it goes in the bin.
Thats the tradeoff.
Most people are unwilling on unable to do basic maintenance and calling out professionals makes no financial sense.
100% this.
The 30+ year old dining table in the OP was probably hand made by a craftsman and put together properly from solid timber, but would cost you several thousand, rather than the factory built mass-produced £50 honeycomb cardboard and plywood cheapo stuff you can buy today which lasts 18 months.
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My parents still have the same dining table from when they were married over 40 years ago - fairly middle of the market mass produced one - it has lasted fine and is sturdy - we know people who've bought the same model in more recent years and they just don't last, feel flimsier and bits move around - where the extension can be clipped in eventually snaps through as they've used thinner amounts of material, with the same design, compared to the old one so the strain eventually gets it.
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Anything with a built in battery with no way to easily replaced has a life span. Is it planned? or a by-product of design? Especially all of these tiny battery in ear headphones, they are just not designed to be replaced or have program to change them easily and cheaply for the cost of them.
Recently I have started to buy kitchen items that are less dependent on new tech, less computer chips. Bought a Kitchen Aid (time tested), Niche Zero coffee grinder (no electronic timer, 1 switch).
But I find any quality stuff that are built well, it will cost money though, a £50 item 50 years ago will be £500 today.
Recently I have started to buy kitchen items that are less dependent on new tech, less computer chips. Bought a Kitchen Aid (time tested), Niche Zero coffee grinder (no electronic timer, 1 switch).
But I find any quality stuff that are built well, it will cost money though, a £50 item 50 years ago will be £500 today.
Yes it can and does happen. It's not a conspiracy theory, it's just misappropriated.
Apple are a very good example. They had to pay $113m after admitting they intentionally slowed down older iPhones.
www.forbes.com
Apple are a very good example. They had to pay $113m after admitting they intentionally slowed down older iPhones.
Planned Obsolescence: Apple Is Not The Only Culprit
Apple just got smacked with a class action lawsuit after the tech giant admitted it slowed down older iPhones. This act is also known as planned obsolescence.
www.forbes.com
Apple to pay $113m to settle iPhone 'batterygate'
The lawsuit argued the iPhone-maker slowed down device performance to make users buy newer models.
www.bbc.co.uk
Yes it can and does happen. It's not a conspiracy theory, it's just misappropriated.
Apple are a very good example. They had to pay $113m after admitting they intentionally slowed down older iPhones.
Planned Obsolescence: Apple Is Not The Only Culprit
Apple just got smacked with a class action lawsuit after the tech giant admitted it slowed down older iPhones. This act is also known as planned obsolescence.
Apple to pay $113m to settle iPhone 'batterygate'
The lawsuit argued the iPhone-maker slowed down device performance to make users buy newer models.www.bbc.co.uk
They throttled older phones with batteries that risked crashing due to the age of their batteries. They have since allowed users to decide if they want to risk this or throttle the device. It wasn't some nefarious way to make people buy new phones. I replaced my battery and all my issues went away.
Soldato
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I know the runners in self-assembly drawers are rubbish, as I've replaced a few of those (I love screwfix!).
I guess lots of people would just chuck out and buy new.
All my "old" furniture is more robust, and made from decent quality wood.
I guess lots of people would just chuck out and buy new.
All my "old" furniture is more robust, and made from decent quality wood.
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