When most people hear about this term, they think about planned obsolescence. While it exists, it is relatively rare for an engineer to be given the task “make this thing fail sooner.” In reality, an engineer is more often presented with the task “make this thing as cheap as possible, make it last at least x years.”
This is an example of economic obsolescence. In short, economic obsolescence results from industry-wide trends, often in the form of a consumer being more likely to prefer a cheaper product. This is less of a decision to grift the consumer, but rather to remain competitive in the market. So this begs the question: are consumers really the victims of obsolescence when consumers drive the market? This question shouldn’t have a simple answer, but hopefully encourages discussion on why this is the case.
Other types of obsolescence
- Technological Obsolescence: Newer and more advanced technologies render old ones obsolete.
- Example: floppy disks and vhs tapes
- Planned Obsolescence: A strategy to increase sales by designing products with a limited lifespan.
- Example: phones with irreplaceable batteries (see batterygate)
- Style (Aesthetic) Obsolescence: Products become outdated due to changing consumer trends.
- Example: clothing styles or car designs