Planned obsolescence, a term with many consequences, let's find out
This is a term much loved by consumer associations and much less by hardware manufacturers, we are referring to planned obsolescence and the consequences for users.
What is meant by obsolescence? 
This term refers to a real or perceived concept, whereby an electronic device of a certain type breaks after two or three years.
Planned obsolescence is defined as the case in which a product breaks a few years after its release, a period of time after purchase such that the warranty expires and which usually corresponds to the release of one or more new improved versions of the item.
Also part of obsolescence is the fact that the cost of repairing the item is made difficult due to costs and timing, in order to "push" the unfortunate person into purchasing a new product.
Here is a good definition of what obsolescence is, a definition coined by one of its discoverers and partly supporters:
«Instilling in the buyer the desire to buy something just a little newer and a little earlier than necessary»
Obsolescence
We can divide obsolescence into two different types. One more material and one more "mental" and "psychological".
Planned obsolescence
This is the first case, already explained, in which the product is made in such a way that it breaks after three/four years of use. There are many possible causes, but one of the "most loved" defects of planned obsolescence is that caused by overheating. This defect is often incremental and therefore perfect for this type of failure.
Perceived obsolescence
Another type of obsolescence, in which the defect is not in the product which continues to work very well. The target of perceived obsolescence is in fact the user, who is pushed by advertising, influencers and testimonials to evaluate his product as "old" and not "performing" in order to push for a change which is the very essence of consumerism . In this case the triggering factor is advertising.
Since perceived or symbolic obsolescence is based more on psychological than operational factors, in our article we will focus on planned obsolescence.
Obsolescent PC? Obsolescent phone?
One of the most famous cases is the one that cyclically includes Apple. With each new release of the iPhone, users have often encountered drops in performance and battery life in previous versions, an aging and worsening of performance that probably affects the devices at the software and firmware level.
Why do companies push obsolescence?
The main reason is business, the need and desire to increase turnover and consequently purchases by customers. In fact, if the good we sell is not perishable nor is it a good to be purchased in large quantities, if you want to increase sales there are only two possibilities:
So the concept of obsolescence becomes a strategy to ensure more frequent and repeated purchases over time.
Planned obsolescence, how is it done?
This type of "acceleration" in electronic devices is often "programmed" during their creation. The "triggering factor" can be, as already written, a hardware defect, perhaps the result of a breakdown due to use or overheating, or much simpler to manage, something activated at the software level. In this second case the triggering factor is the updates, which become real "Trojan Horses" which in addition to solving problems also slow down performance, reduce battery life or block and limit access to any third-party devices and peripherals .
Who do it?
It is not possible to draw up a list of "good and bad", also because hardware manufacturers are very careful about this aspect. Public opinion pays a lot of attention to this factor. Many million dollar lawsuits have already been filed and won in many countries. In some countries, this "artificial creation of defects and problems" is even a criminal offence.
However, almost all producers have been "touched" by some controversy or suspicion over time. From Apple, to Samsung's cases of planned obsolescence, up to those of many other manufacturers of complete PCs but also of single boards and power supplies.
How do we defend ourselves?
Faced with multinationals and "designed" marketing and sales strategies, it seems impossible for the normal user to defend themselves. Yet something can be done. In particular:
Obsolescence not only affects our wallet but also has a serious impact on the environment, creating tons of electronic waste that is complicated and expensive to dispose of.
Refurbished against obsolescence.
An increasingly popular and used alternative against planned obsolescence is that of refurbished products. Perfect choices from both an economic and ecological point of view, refurbished products allow us to replace an old or no longer working device with a reliable and high-performance one but not necessarily new.
A refurbished product is in fact an item, a smartphone, a PC but also much more, which has been removed from the disposable cycle and put back on the market. An item that has been checked and restored to perfect condition in order to offer optimal performance.
Choosing a refurbished PC, for example, allows us to have one less obsolescent PC to throw away, triggering a virtuous cycle that "protects" our wallet and gives work to many small local companies that "fight" the large multinationals with a modern, ecological and not just focused on profit, dividends and turnover.
Refurbished is the present and the future, the bottom-up response to planned obsolescence.
