iPhones, Lightbulbs, and the History of Planned Obsolescence

Key Takeaways

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• Planned obsolescence is the deliberate design of products with shortened lifespans through limited repairability, discontinued spare parts, and software-driven slowdowns.
• The practice dates back more than a century: General Motors introduced the electric starter in 1913, and annual styling changes to spur trade-ins and the Phoebus Cartel artificially shortened light bulb lifespans.
• Economists trace the incentive to “durapolists,” monopolists in durable goods markets who face slow repurchase cycles and secondhand competition, and who can boost sales by accelerating replacement rather than competing on quality.
• Apple was found in 2017 to have slowed older iPhones after iOS updates, and Samsung was fined by Italy's competition authority in 2018 over updates that degraded performance.
• A smartphone emits roughly 85 kg of carbon in its first year, 95% of it from production. So holding onto a device, repairing it locally, or buying refurbished cuts emissions, resource extraction, and e-waste.
• Regulation is starting to catch up, with the EU's Ecodesign Directive setting minimum durability and repairability requirements and the Right to Repair Directive obliging manufacturers to supply spare parts and repair options for longer, alongside voluntary trade-in and refurbishment programs from some companies.

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Ever had to replace your smartphone, tablet, or laptop because it slowed down, couldn’t keep up, or became incompatible after a system update? If so, your device may have been a victim of planned obsolescence.

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Planned obsolescence is a practice in which manufacturers deliberately design products with shorter lifespans to encourage repeat purchases. These tactics keep consumers trapped in a cycle of continuous consumption.

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As a result, durable products that are meant to last can become functionally obsolete. This differs from the inevitable, unplanned deterioration that occurs over time due to wear and tear and material degradation.

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Why Do Companies Use Planned Obsolescence?

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A 2004 study introduces the concept of “durapolists,” or monopolists in the durable goods market. Unlike perishable products, durable goods are purchased less often, which limits the frequency of repurchases. Because these products last longer, consumers may also buy them secondhand, further reducing sales of new units.

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To offset this slowdown, durapolists sometimes deliberately shorten product lifespans to accelerate replacement and boost sales. Common strategies include limiting repairability, discontinuing spare parts, and using software-driven obsolescence, especially in consumer electronics.

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While demand for newer models can benefit firms, increase production, and potentially contribute to GDP, it also carries social and environmental costs. Consumers pay more to replace products instead of repairing them at a fraction of the cost. Increased production also drives resource extraction, energy use, and e-waste generation.

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These concerns are not new: planned obsolescence has existed for more than a century.

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How Planned Obsolescence Began

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General Motors (GM) was among the first companies to experiment with planned obsolescence. In 1913, executive Alfred Sloan introduced the electric starter, making hand-cranked cars obsolete. Sloan also implemented annual styling changes to GM vehicles, encouraging frequent trade-ins.

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Around the same time, the Phoebus Cartel, an alliance of light bulb manufacturers, artificially shortened bulb lifespans to increase sales.

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The term “planned obsolescence” itself first appeared in a 1932 pamphlet. It proposed deliberately designing products with finite lifespans to stimulate consumption and mitigate the effects of the Great Depression.

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Together, these cases laid the foundation for what we now recognize as a widespread practice.

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Smartphone Industry and Planned Obsolescence

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Smartphone manufacturers are notorious for this. We saw it with Apple in 2017, when it was found to have intentionally slowed down older iPhones after iOS updates. Apple said it was throttling performance to compensate for aging batteries, but critics argued this nudged consumers into upgrades by making older devices feel “too slow” to use.

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Samsung did something similar in 2018, when it was fined by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) for misleading consumers into installing updates that degraded performance. Both are planned obsolescence wrapped in “legitimate” software improvements.

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Design choices do the rest: fragile materials, non-modular parts, batteries that are difficult or costly to replace, critical components soldered onto the motherboard, and proprietary screws or adhesives that complicate repairs. These practices speed up device turnover and work against circular economy initiatives.

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Every replacement means more raw material extraction, more energy-intensive manufacturing, and more e-waste. Smartphones emit around 85 kg of carbon emissions in their first year alone, and 95% of that comes from manufacturing. So keeping a phone longer directly prevents resource depletion and e-waste.

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That’s the one thing you can control if you’re feeling frustrated at this point. There’s also perceived obsolescence, where we assume our product is outdated simply because new launches keep arriving. It pushes us to replace devices that still work perfectly well. So hold onto yours a little longer, check whether a local repair shop can fix it, and if you do replace it, consider a working secondhand device. Here are some places to check out.

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Governments, particularly in Europe, have begun addressing planned obsolescence through regulation and policy. This includes the Ecodesign Directive, which sets minimum durability and repairability requirements for electronic products, and the Right to Repair Directive, which aims to reduce electronic waste by requiring manufacturers to provide spare parts and repair options for an extended period.

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Some companies have also pre-emptively adjusted their business models, offering trade-in programs and refurbished products.

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But we need more than what we have right now. Planned obsolescence needs to become, well, obsolete.