to think apple deliberately make their products to become obsolete ***title edited by MNHQ***

[lexiepix]

I really regret buying into apple stuff, it works great, until they release a new version then the updates come that you have to install in order to use the apps that no longer work. Then it just gets slower and slower. My Samsung was always the same. It should be illegal as I'm sure they do it on purpose to make you upgrade.

I would blame planned obsolence too.
I've seen that happening on computers and on phones. Whether it's Apple or not.

In the scheme opf things, an ip[ad2 for example IS old (and yes I know, it's still working well etc etc...).
How on earth do you want manufacturers to be able to seel us more and more computers/tablets/phones if the 'old' versions we have still work well years on (and they have released 3 or 4 new 'versions' of said items)?

OP, I've always steered clear of Apple products, have instinctively not trusted the brand because it seems to demand fierce loyalty yet exploits it at the same time. They've obviously got Planned Obsolescence down to a fine art.

By the way OP, I'm not at all offended by the title of your thread, either, having witnessed at first hand the horrors of dementia in close family members I have far more important things to be offended by.

I'm just wondering whether people might be offended if the OP had compared her gadgets performance to that of a child with SN?

And as for "I have far more important things to be offended by" why the crossing out? If you want to say it, just say it

OP, do you close down your apps regularly? You need to press the Home button twice and then swipe each open App upwards off the screen. If you have too many Apps open and running in the background, it will slow it down.

I don't automatically install new updates unless they're basic bug fixes. If it's a major upgrade, I usually leave it a few weeks or months before installing.

Planned obsolescence does not really apply in many of the examples given. Older iPads etc. are still entirely compatible with the versions of iOS they were developed for. Apple does work hard to make newer versions of the os compatible with older hardware, but as stated the newer versions will take advantage of the ability of new tech. For example, my Mac mini worked fine until an iOS came out which needed hardware not in my machine. Still ran fine and had 5 years of free os updates :)

Apple do have planned obsolescence, in that batteries and screens are prohibitively expensive to replace because of design choices.

Apple should make updates designed for the older models the same way you can still get parts for older cars. Or be very clear if an update is likely to make your device unmanageable.

For me, the difference is that dementia is a disease, usually of old age, and no one ever argues (or do they?, social model of disability) that dementia is just a variant of 'Normal'. Whereas a child with SN may not have a disease at all, the condition is more likely for life from start of life.

I'm not an apple apologist but I own several apple products some of which have survived over 7 years of regular use and being chucked into handbags etc - and are still working fine. I don't believe I could say the same of any other electrical device I've ever owned - in my experience it's rare for devices to survive much more than 3 years of regular use.

I think obsolescence is perhaps just more noticeable in apple products because the hardware is so durable.

lexiepix... I'd love to know you in real life. Some of your OPs in the last few days have made me laugh out loud mainly the one about prostate massage. Though I'm not quite getting the dementia bit here.

I see where you're coming from ragged but I still feel the thread title is offensive. Both disability and age are protected characteristics. Also it's possible though not common for people to develop early onset dementia.
Anyway I reported the thread title and am quite prepared to leave it to MNHQ to decide.

my experience is the opposite (as a techie who has managed Windows systems but chooses to use Mac for my own personal use). My Macs have carried on working, with updates, for years. The laptop I'm currently on was bought 7+ yrs ago, my original iPad still works fine - was only replaced because some of the new apps I wanted to use were not compatible.( why would a developer write stuff for old systems? of course they wouldn't!). I had an iPhone 3g until this year - only upgraded because I could get a new 5C and airtime for less than my original contract! My old Mac laptop (must be 9 yrs old now) is being used by my MIL, my old iPhone given to my nephew along with the iPad.

Operating systems have to be updated on a regular basis, and some components of older machines can't handle the updates, but Apple are actually very reliable. Because of my job I have been given a windoze laptop for work and it drives me potty with it's bloody "don't you dare shut me down I'm installing 3 million updates" messages!

LeChat Yes PCs last for a few years but how do we access backups on floppy discs if our new computer has not slot for them?

Now we are saving photos etc onto CDs. What happens when we are no longer able to open them ?

Saving photos onto CDs... Fine & Dandy idea, but don't expect to be able to read them in 10 years as they have a shelflife (personal experience).

ilovesooty, this policing of language is ridiculous. Can't we say mad, demented, lunatic ( and the diminutive 'loony'), tapped, crazy or any similar words? Dementia is a mental illness, like many others. I have severe MH problems, but I don't mind any of these words. Language evolves and words have a life of their own. It's not worth getting so cats bum mouthed about; is that offensive too?

"Apple should make updates designed for the older models the same way you can still get parts for older cars. Or be very clear if an update is likely to make your device unmanageable."

Customers already get newer iOS ported FOR NOTHING, or the option to stay with the version that was optimised for their technology. Be aware that it might not even be possible to offer the new software without impacting speed.

I described a kettle as having prostate problems the other day. (It had got clogged up with scale and the flow had decreased to a dribble.)

Is that offensive, too?

My mother had dementia. I'm afraid I might get it myself. I'm not at all upset by OP comparing her phone to someone with dementia. I know exactly what she means.

OP - I've used Apple products for over 20 years. I buy them because they last. The update might not work on the system I have, and the device might not be suitable for being updated, but it goes on working just as it always has done, long after pcs are rotting in landfill.

I work in the electronics industry and have ZERO sympathy for a public that buys so much and then whines about it. The amount of still-working stuff that ends up in process plants in the UK is ridiculous.

If you think that the CEOs of Apple and similar are laughing all the way to the bank then maybe give yourself a good shake OP because YOU put them there.

They don't do this in France; most electronics thrown away are truly not working. They think we're ridiculous. I think we are too.

So Random why couldn't the OP simply have written that Apple create their products to become obsolete?

There's too much mockery of older people and of mental illness which goes unchallenged in my opinion. However as I said it's my opinion and I'm waiting for a response from MNHQ and am happy to accept their decision.

This is interesting - there's a strong correlation between new iPhone release dates and google searches for 'iPhone slow'.

Afternoon folks. We've had quite a few complaints about the original title of this thread and to be honest, we can see why. We've edited the title to remove the word 'dementia' now.

Thanks Iona.

Err, I'm using a 10 year old MacBook (before the macbook pro/air!) - in fact it's what I'm using now. It runs just fine, including Flash. I just ignore the message that pops up every so often saying "Would you like to upgrade to iOS 8?" Err no, this machine runs just fine on Snow Leopard thanks, I suspect iOS8 might break it tho.. In fact it got a speed boost a couple of years ago when I upgraded it to Snow Leopard from Tiger as it didn't have any of the legacy Universal code hanging around any more.

But yes, Apple have a policy of only supporting the latest 2-3 versions of their operating systems (fairly sensible actually, remember how many times Microsoft tried to obsolete WinXP?) If you have very old kit, just don't update it to the latest OS version if it won't meet the minimum spec...
And planned obsolescence isn't a new thing, it was invented in the 1930s with lightbulb manufacterers (or possibly even earlier, but that was the earliest documented proof of it).

I never have apple products as they are awful but i did have a pc that i used to say had demetia because it would think it was a windows 98 instead of xp then it would forget that it could do sound but then remember on a different day. Strange pc but it was at the end of its life lol. I dont see anything wrong with comparing items to other things it allows people to imagine what ypur describing. I know demetia is a horrible disease but everyone knows the symptoms so then we can apply that to the object describe. I dont thinks its meant to insult or cause offence at least not on purpose. I do think we have become a little sensitive nd overly pc

I dont thinks its meant to insult or cause offence at least not on purpose. I do think we have become a little sensitive nd overly pc

It doesn't have to be deliberate to be offensive. And in any case, HQ have now amended the title.

I know it doesnt but i dont see anything wrong with using a word as a descriptive tool to help others fully understand. I can see hq have edited it and respect their decision