The term planned obsolescence has been bandied around since the 20s, where manufactures deliberately make products that will depreciate quicker than they should.

 

This con allows companies to make more money from consumers and the technology industry is one of the biggest perpetrators.

 

However, it could be argued that those companies have to get the money from somewhere to develop more impressive technology so they can release newer models. But it is frustrating when your phone stops working two months shy of the contract renewal.

 

Of course, building a product like a phone to last forever, would be pointless as the tech inside would soon be outdated and the phone unusable. 

But other products such as TVs and DVD players should have longevity as they only get replaced when a new fad (HD anyone!!!) comes to town.

 

However, the real problem isn’t that products aren’t build to last it is the fact that consumers are letting these manufacturers get away with it.

Once upon a time they were king – demanding new products that would help their life, forcing down prices by shopping around and withholding funds when a product didn’t do what it said on the tin. Now, times have changed, consumers  are meek they have no voice, they aren’t even complaining when their 2 year old laptop dies due to a rubbish processor, they just obligingly go and wait in a queue to buy a new one for couple of hundred pounds.

 

No wonder household bills are increasing when every other year the average person buys new technology,  they sign up to a ridiculously high monthly phone contract – just to have the new, expensive must-have phone – and have to pay for internet/sky contracts just so they can be the same as everyone else.

 

 

It is time to take some of the power back people - what do you think?