Modern technology has its ups and downs. Naturally we live off of it; everyone has a refrigerator, washing and drying machines, an oven, a phone, a TV, etc.
Have you ever thought about why these pieces of tech feel so flimsy? Have you ever had a slow, clunky smart TV or an iPhone with a battery that dies in 30 minutes? Modern trends encourage customers to replace their products with newer versions by designing technology parts to wear down over time.
It’s a trend most notably seen in modern smartphones like the iPhone, but it applies to every piece of household technology in modern day. Anything that uses a screen or user interface, like a smart fridge or TV, will inevitably get slower as time passes. Dishwasher and washing and drying machine parts will eventually break or wear down within 5-10 years because of their modern parts, and those parts will become difficult to find.
Most people would rather not bother with hiring a repairman, paying the costs of parts and replacement labor. The cumulative cost of multiple replacements can exceed that of a new model, leading many to simply replace their technology. People need it in their everyday lives, and companies profit off of this model.
Back before this model was a prominent trend, plastic bowl company Tupperware went bankrupt because their products were too good. They lasted forever and were extremely durable; because of these qualities, people bought Tupperware once and never needed to buy it again. The company experienced amazing sales until one day they suddenly plummeted, leaving Tupperware unable to afford new product development due to a surplus of old products that people passed around and kept for decades.
Tupperware’s bankruptcy set a precedent for future companies; it showed them that if their products were too durable, then nobody would waste money on a new model if the old model works forever.
This situation set a precedent that products truly built to last wouldn’t retain customers in the long term. That precedent still exists, and our products are of lower quality than before. It’s corporations exploiting their customers through making their own products worse than what they’re capable of. There ought to be laws against it, especially with how Europe is condemning Apple for doing so with iPhones. Sadly, these products are here to stay. We just have to deal with the ups and downs of modern technology.
