Planned Obsolescence

Whether products are deliberately designed to wear out or become outdated, famous examples, and the right-to-repair response.

Why do phones slow down after a few years, printers stop working with cheaper ink cartridges, and some appliances seem impossible to repair? Some people blame planned obsolescence: designing products to become unusable or outdated sooner than necessary, so customers must buy replacements.

The light bulb cartel

The most famous historical example is the Phoebus cartel. In 1924, major light bulb manufacturers from several countries agreed to limit the life of standard incandescent bulbs to 1,000 hours, down from longer lifespans that were technically possible. Companies were fined if their bulbs lasted too long. The cartel lasted until the Second World War.

Modern cases

In 2017, Apple acknowledged that software updates slowed down some older iPhones with worn batteries. Apple said this prevented unexpected shutdowns, but it faced lawsuits and fines in several countries, including a settlement of up to 500 million dollars in the United States in 2020.
Printer makers have been criticised for designing printers that reject cheaper third-party ink cartridges.

The economics

Economists note that not all short product lives are planned obsolescence. There are genuine trade-offs:

More durable products usually cost more to make.
Rapid technological progress can make older products outdated even if they still work.
Some consumers prefer cheaper products with shorter lives.

But when companies have market power and customers cannot easily repair products, firms may have an incentive to shorten product lives or make repair difficult.

Right to repair

The right to repair movement argues that consumers and independent repairers should have access to parts, tools and information to fix products. The European Union has adopted rules requiring manufacturers to make spare parts available for many appliances for years after sale, and in 2024 it adopted a right-to-repair directive. Several U.S. states have passed right-to-repair laws.

A repairable phone

If a phone's battery can be easily replaced for a modest price, a user might keep the phone for five years. If the battery is glued in and only the manufacturer can replace it at high cost, the user may buy a new phone after three years. Repairability shapes how long products last and how much electronic waste is created.

Thinking every short-lived product is a conspiracy

Many products have short lives because of cost trade-offs or fast-changing technology, not deliberate sabotage. Proven cases of planned obsolescence exist, but judging each product requires evidence about its design and the company's incentives.

Key takeaways

Planned obsolescence means designing products to become unusable or outdated sooner.
The 1924 Phoebus cartel limited light bulb life to 1,000 hours.
Apple faced lawsuits and fines over slowing older iPhones.
Right-to-repair laws aim to make products easier and cheaper to fix.