Capitalist = SELL
Capitalist innovation = SELL MORE
Joke lands better with fewer words so I upvote this one instead of the other, similar comment you made. Both were good.
Personally I see planned obsolescence as exactly capitalist innovation - the innovation being how to extract more wealth from people
Planned obsolescence took off in the 1950s. It’s not new, or exclusive to electronics. It’s funny this article criticizes Apple over Samsung or Google. Apple provides hardware repair for 5-6 years after manufacture.
Apple provides hardware repair for 5-6 years after manufacture
They also design their systems in such a way that only Apple can repair it. That is in no way a positive. Why pair screens to devices? Because then Apple controls the whole chain, even repairs, which used to be doable by a whole independent industry. It is peak corporate greed that their marketing team tries to play off as in the best interest of customers, even though it just means customers have fewer choices and pay much, much more.
That’s not planned obsolescence, it’s encroachment on right to repair. I know some states have succeeded in legislation preventing that practice.
Making repairs cost so much that it’s less costly to buy the latest product and throw out the old one is a part of planned obsolescence.
It’s far cheaper to repair than replace an Apple device. Even a full overhaul for liquid damage is less expensive than replacement. You can check common repair prices right on their site.
In certain cases with certain issues. Keep in mind that your link also contains a long list of “obsolete and vintage” products which they refuse to fully repair if at all.
Planned obsolescence.
A model becomes vintage six years after Apple discontinues if from the current product line. They discontinue hardware repairs, but continue with software and customer support. After eight years, a product becomes obsolete, and Apple will only provide customer support.
I’ve worked in the industry for a long time, and I can say that Apple supports their products for longer than their competitors. Their goal is to get people to eventually trade-in their functional device for an upgrade, so they can use the already refined materials in future devices. A loyal customer base is far more important to them than getting a quick buck this time around. They have their ways of making money, just like any other business, but planned obsolescence isn’t one of them.
Apple may provide repairs, but if the repair costs as much as a new device then it’s planned obsolescence in disguise.
They’re far less expensive to repair than replace. You can see the part cost for the most commonly needed repairs here.
A new logic board costs as much as a new computer. Hard drives are impossible to replace, RAM upgrades are hard, and even opening a Mac or iPhone voids your warranty. Not to mention all their nonsense with macOS upgrade requirements, batteries, and so on.
Logic boards are indeed expensive, and primary components are soldered directly to the logic board of portable computers. Opening your device absolutely does not void your warranty. Using a third-party part does not void your warranty, other than its application to the third-party component, or damage as the result of a non-AASP repair.
https://www.apple.com/legal/sales-support/terms/repair/Retail_Repair_US_Terms_Conditions.html
Planned obsolescence is a form of artificial scarcity!
repair is a revolutionary act
Capitalist = SELL
Capitalist innovation = SELL MORE
I mean, they weren’t lying. mostly.
On the design side, while PO does happen, there’s a huge amount of deprioritising durability and user serviceability that all come under an umbrella of “consumer buy another one”.
Like, it looks like PO, but isn’t. If you can reduce weight by 10% but reduce user serviceability, most companies will take that choice easily.
That said, my last two phones have bricked themselves with 3 months of being out of warranty. My last one was a Pixel 3 that bricked due to an update (the pixel 4s that got bricked by the same update got replaced by Google, but my pixel 3 did not) (it was kinda random, not every phone with that patch got bricked, I think it was a minority)
