Planned Obsolescence
Planned obsolescence refers to manufacturers deliberately shortening product lifespans through design or strategy in order to stimulate repeat purchases. In the era of smart hardware it often takes the form of software obsolescence caused by the shutdown of cloud services.
Timeline (last 90 days)
In the era of smart hardware, planned obsolescence manifests more as "software obsolescence", that is, hardware remains intact but loses core functions due to cloud service shutdowns, app removals or protocol changes.
The deeper intent of repair policy is to combat planned obsolescence, extending the lifespan of electronic products to reduce e-waste.
Planned obsolescence was a key concept in the field of industrial design in the 20th century.
The concept of planned obsolescence can be traced back to General Motors in the 1930s.
France was the first country to legislate in 2015, classifying planned obsolescence as a criminal offense punishable by up to two years in prison and a €300,000 fine.
The Phoebus Cartel artificially reduced light bulb lifespan from 2,500 hours to 1,000 hours, making it one of the earliest traceable cases of planned obsolescence, occurring in the 1920s.
All Facts (6)
In the era of smart hardware, planned obsolescence manifests more as "software obsolescence", that is, hardware remains intact but loses core functions due to cloud service shutdowns, app removals or protocol changes.
50%UnverifiedThe deeper intent of repair policy is to combat planned obsolescence, extending the lifespan of electronic products to reduce e-waste.
50%UnverifiedPlanned obsolescence was a key concept in the field of industrial design in the 20th century.
50%UnverifiedThe concept of planned obsolescence can be traced back to General Motors in the 1930s.
50%UnverifiedThe Phoebus Cartel artificially reduced light bulb lifespan from 2,500 hours to 1,000 hours, making it one of the earliest traceable cases of planned obsolescence, occurring in the 1920s.
50%UnverifiedFrance was the first country to legislate in 2015, classifying planned obsolescence as a criminal offense punishable by up to two years in prison and a €300,000 fine.
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