Part II: Examples of Planned Obsolescence

By: Shannon Campbell

Part II: Examples of Planned Obsolescence

June 24, 2013

            

Examples of planned obsolesence can be seen in a variety of products. TheEconomist.com states that one of the first planned obsolescence items was the nylon stocking. The laddering of the stocking rips after a few uses and drove away manufacturers from finding a new fiber that would better suit the purpose because of the easy profit. However, most fashion garments, especially in fast-fashion stores, do have some sort of built-in obsolescence in their construction, whether it is because of its fiber content or not.  

            But planned obsolescence doesn’t apply to just fashion, it can really mold into itself into any kind of item falls within its definition. Most notably, computers fall into its category because of software constantly being updated to new versions. Usually, the old version can only used with old devices. However the new version is compatible with all of the older versions, but not vice-versa. Companies such as Intel are the number one perpetrators of this crime; they begin working on their new versions of PC chips before they even release their last version of said chip. Other examples include products like ink cartridges, which are incredibly expensive yet cheap to make (Howard). Many have smart chips that will not let the other ink work if that cartridge runs out. And the list continues, with products such as video games are never compatible with other systems (such as using a Playstation 2 disc with a Nintendo 64 game machine), which is similar to the example of software products. 

            Companies do know when planned obsolescence should be intact or not. Especially when consumers have the option to resist a product, a new demo or version should not be in stores every other month.  TheEconomist.com gives the example of the automobile. A car is an investment and people are not willing to trade in their car if a simple part needs to be fixed. Thus, the industry usually just makes cosmetic changes to their models and making the older versions seem extremely outdated and undesirable. However, luxury and antique cars and products do not fall into this category. Many collectors items are unused and preserved for future profit, thus making the idea of planned obsolescence irrelevant.