Built in Obselescence - does this wind you up?

[Defenbaker]

I've placed this in AIBU for traffic, as I'm interested to know if others feel similarly to me about this subject.

Over the years I've become very aware of the notion of built in obselescence, and the fact that manufacturers have a vested interest in ensuring that products do not last much beyond the guarantee period, so as to encourage future sales. The history of this goes way back to the invention of the electric lightbulb... early versions had the potential to last decades, but the manufacturers deliberately tweaked the design so that lightbulbs would fail and need replacing regularly. Ironically this is less of an issue now, with low energy bulbs and long life versions available, but I think that built in obselescence is still very much favoured by manufacturers, especially those who produce household appliances. It is definitely an issue with technology, where things change at such a rapid pace.

I have a Samsung Galaxy tablet that has started misbehaving. It's 4 years old, and it keeps freezing when I do certain things like online banking and shopping. Messages appear, saying that the Android software needs updating and their systems may be incompatible with my device. It turns out that it's not possible to download the latest version of Android, unless I upgrade the software on the tablet first... which apparently is nigh on impossible to do! Grhhh!!! I've been happy with the tablet until this happened, and feel it's such a waste if time and money getting a new one, because physically the tablet is fine, but it seems I will be forced to replace it, as there is so much that I need to do online, especially during a pandemic.

So, what I'm asking is - AIBU to feel annoyed that built in obselescence is so rampant?

Also, if any techie types have any advice re my tablet issues, that would be great. Even if it's just the best way to recycle it (I kmow lots of school children are in need of tablets for home learning, but I'm unsure whether it could be upgraded for them to use).

@altiara

Im flummoxed with my work iPhone (6) saying the software is up to date when it’s way way behind.

Does it mean it's as up to date as it can be for that phone?

Apple are the kings of it. But anything that relies on computer programmes or operating systems will fail or be phased out eventually. Windows 7, Apple El Capitan etc being recent examples

@Pedallleur

Apple are the kings of it. But anything that relies on computer programmes or operating systems will fail or be phased out eventually. Windows 7, Apple El Capitan etc being recent examples

I keep my budget in a spreadsheet but thinking to return to pen and paper like when i had my first job 😂

Smeg dishwashers = never again!

I will never buy another Apple product again. You can literally write on the calendar the date your device will stop working: 3 or 4 years from date of purchase depending on product. Macbook (4) and iphone 7 (3). Apple make great products but they're thieves.

Printers. My printer is in perfect condition, works perfectly, gets regular of small use.

Had it for about 5 years and non need to replace as it’s in perfect working order.

Except that HP have no announced they no longer support it, so no more driver updates, etc. So at some point in the next couple of years I will be forced to buy a new one even though there’s nothing wrong with it!

The only reason I got it in the first place was the same thing happened with my last printer!!

@Precipice

The one that really gets me is when apps update past the phone and at the same time, the service is not available in website form. There's very little I would choose to do on the phone over a laptop. I got a smartphone for the first time (second hand) in spring 2019 because I needed Revolut for something, but it updated past the phone last January. They have website access only for business accounts, not personal. :/ So essentially if you want to continue using the service, it wants to force you to get a new phone.

They're all so big and inconvenient! Apple iPhones are basically the only ones that are relatively new and are not enormous. I did see a foldable smartphone Motorola that was a nice size but it cost nearly 3 times what I paid for my laptop in 2015, so it's not going to happen.

Have a look at Google Pixels. They're a nice size and you're not getting tied into apple.

@UniversalFlangeAdaptor exactly, it’s 4 yrs max

One of the most asked questions on our local fb page (which in itself annoys me because the poster is allegedly unable to search for the 5,000,000 other times the same question has been asked) is where can I get a smashed iphone screen replaced? It took me a while to wonder if this is a deliberate flaw.i dont have an iphone but there was time a few years ago that almost everyone I knew had an iphone with a smashed screen....are they made of transparent egg shells or something??
Didnt Saab go to the wall because their cars were too reliable and did not need replacing often enough?

3-4 years is a long time in terms of tech really. You'll find it'll carry on doing lots of things but will now be struggling under the weight of its last OS update. It'll work better if you can roll it back to its previous OS but this will make it less compatible with apps you might want to use

If you want to carry on using it for internet banking type things then don't try rooting it

Have a look at Google Pixels.

You still only get support for 3-4 years though

This is where places like CEX are a God send. I dont buy anything techie new now. All of my gadgets are secondhand and guaranteed via CEX.

Between me and dh we have found that iPhones have a 5 year life span so it's much cheaper to buy them second hand now. Especially with the kids doing home learning. I bought my ds a laptop with a processor that was a year old for 250.

Seems to be a never ending flow of people wanting the latest upgrades every year or two so there is always things coming into the shops

@Rinoachicken

Printers. My printer is in perfect condition, works perfectly, gets regular of small use.

Had it for about 5 years and non need to replace as it’s in perfect working order.

Except that HP have no announced they no longer support it, so no more driver updates, etc. So at some point in the next couple of years I will be forced to buy a new one even though there’s nothing wrong with it!

The only reason I got it in the first place was the same thing happened with my last printer!!

I apologise if this a stupid question

Will it work if it's connected up with the cable as opposed to wireless?

I no longer totally buy that I think that's a convenient "sellable" excuse for constant updates.

I think the constant updates are driven at least in part by IT employees trying to justify their worth! While I sympathise with their motive it's still unacceptable to be constantly fiddling with stuff that is working absolutely fine!

I agree that the lifespan of digital technology is irritatingly small, but they will genuinely be security updates. It's not a matter of once built that's it, no further work needed especially for online devices, because there are always hackers looking for ways to exploit the system, so as they find them companies do then need to patch them. You'd be far more annoyed if you didn't get those updates and were then vulnerable.

Some of the updates will also improve how devices work, eg. Adding requested features, or making sure updated apps work to their best.

The downside of that is it usually takes up space, and some will need more processing power, therefore it negatively impacts on how well the device itself operates.

Yes, infuriating.

I've just had to pay £55 for a pair of mixer tap valves when if I had an old fashioned tap, a 10p washer would have done the job.

The valves are made of plastic so more unnecessary rubbish in landfill. We need legislation to stop this because it's definitely not an engineering need, it's blatant profiteering.

@Chanjer

Have a look at Google Pixels.

You still only get support for 3-4 years though

Yeah, but they're not huge like some smartphones.

@Chanjer

3-4 years is a long time in terms of tech really. You'll find it'll carry on doing lots of things but will now be struggling under the weight of its last OS update. It'll work better if you can roll it back to its previous OS but this will make it less compatible with apps you might want to use

If you want to carry on using it for internet banking type things then don't try rooting it

That's shocking

I need to buy a new computer for work, current one has done 9 years.

I have been wondering if people would reject tech with such a short life but apparently not.

@MedusasBadHairDay

I no longer totally buy that I think that's a convenient "sellable" excuse for constant updates.

I think the constant updates are driven at least in part by IT employees trying to justify their worth! While I sympathise with their motive it's still unacceptable to be constantly fiddling with stuff that is working absolutely fine!

I agree that the lifespan of digital technology is irritatingly small, but they will genuinely be security updates. It's not a matter of once built that's it, no further work needed especially for online devices, because there are always hackers looking for ways to exploit the system, so as they find them companies do then need to patch them. You'd be far more annoyed if you didn't get those updates and were then vulnerable.

Some of the updates will also improve how devices work, eg. Adding requested features, or making sure updated apps work to their best.

The downside of that is it usually takes up space, and some will need more processing power, therefore it negatively impacts on how well the device itself operates.

I use an ipad and I haven't noticed any improvements.

I don't use any apps really except Spotify though.

I wonder if there's a market for those of us who maybe don't need c

..oops
Constant security updates

Ipad is less than two years old and has issues with calibration drift.

I use an ipad and I haven't noticed any improvements. I wonder if there's a market for those of us who maybe don't need constant security updates

The thing about security updates is that you won't notice an improvement, the only time you are going to be aware of security updates is if they don't work - at which point you are hacked, or your data compromised.

@MedusasBadHairDay

I use an ipad and I haven't noticed any improvements. I wonder if there's a market for those of us who maybe don't need constant security updates

The thing about security updates is that you won't notice an improvement, the only time you are going to be aware of security updates is if they don't work - at which point you are hacked, or your data compromised.

Medusa, you said "Some of the updates will also improve how devices work, eg. Adding requested features, or making sure updated apps work to their best. "

I haven't noticed that. In fact, its hard to remember but I think there were some things I used to use that are now linked up to other things and I don't bother.

@UniversalFlangeAdaptor

I will never buy another Apple product again. You can literally write on the calendar the date your device will stop working: 3 or 4 years from date of purchase depending on product. Macbook (4) and iphone 7 (3). Apple make great products but they're thieves.

I agree, even though my 7 year old Ipad Air still works. I won't be replacing it with another Ipad when it stops working. I use it in bed and when travelling (pre covid), and mostly use my (Windows) laptop downstairs. I hate the incompatibility with other devices. I've heard it said that you don't own an Apple device, it owns you.

YADNBU OP, I work for a company that provides household appliances. Their next “innovation” is to stop selling these, and lease them instead.
This secures an income stream which ensures cash flow to the company, but continual expense for the consumer, and instead of people being able to purchase a robust machine that lasts decades, the company gets to decide how much people should spend on their use of a tool/appliance that previous owners have been able to buy once, and use for a lifetime.

This sounds like a potentially excellent idea, in fact I think the government should make it mandatory that appliances only be sold like this. People could sign up to a contract for a given number of years, and it would be the seller's problem if the devices didn't last, so they'd have an incentive to make them reliable. Making it mandatory would mean people would be able to shop around for contracts, so it wouldn't be more expensive. In fact it would be cheaper, as consumers could no longer be conned into overpaying for stuff when sellers convinced them things were going to be more reliable than they actually turn out to be.

Renting appliances would place all the risk of unreliability where it belongs, on the side of the contract that is in the best position to know how much there is, and do something about it.

One simple way the government could in effect achieve this is to have compulsory repurchase prices for appliances. Have a set rate of depreciation for each appliance type and people have a right to sell it back to the manufacturer at the depreciated price at any time. If it broke down people would just tell the seller to collect it and pay out the depreciated price. (Sellers would be required to have insurers who would pay out if the seller was no longer in business.)

HPprinters were not compatible with apple, I had both needed new printer

I think this ad the things that drive i might be our final downfall as a civilisation.