You are a victim of planned obsolescence

Srishti kabra
3 min readJun 30, 2022
Photo by Burak The Weekender (Pexels)

Have you ever wondered why some of the products you use on a regular basis only last a few years, months, or days? It could be a light bulb, phone, television, printer, or even a razor blade. But why do they stop working or start slowing down?

Are companies that are creating these Products not capable enough to make them more durable, efficient, or stronger? The objective behind slowing down or outcasting such products is to encourage consumers to spend more money, resulting in the company’s making a lucrative business to fill their pockets.

Countless businesses have been indulging in this strategy, known as planned obsolescence, for almost a century.

Planned obsolescence conspiracy theories include:

THE LIGHT BULB

The owners of all the light bulb-producing companies met in secret in Geneva in 1924 and decided to manufacture the bulbs so that they won’t run for a lengthy period now. They claimed their bulbs may have shorter lifespan but be better quality and brighter, through this they made their sales grow high and made colossal profits.

Photo by Dids (Pexels)

THE SLOWED IPHONE

Iphone’s are undoubtedly a symbol of status but according to rumors, Apple allegedly slows down older iPhone devices after the release of each new model, to convince users to buy the most recent iPhone, Apple had to deal with numerous lawsuits as a result. Due to multiple accusations made against it, Apple was forced to settle lawsuits for up to $500 million. This controversy is known as “batterygate”.

Photo by Jess Bailey Designs (Pexels)

THE TREND JACKING

When it comes to fashion, we’re all constantly trying to stay updated, right? However, nearly every fashionable clothing line uses trends to take advantage of the market and make profit. They produce clothing from inexpensive cloth and sell it for a large profit. They might be affordable, but they undoubtedly affect the environment and the consumers. The next time you purchase any clothes, be sure the material is decent and never let brands fool you.

photo by henry & co. (Pexels)

Above theories are just a few examples of planned obsolescence, There are slew number of theories on planned obsolescence.

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