planned obsolescence
Designed-in product death
Planned obsolescence is the practice of designing products to become outdated or wear out within a predetermined timeframe, encouraging consumers to buy replacements.
A phone battery that degrades after two years, software updates that slow older devices, fashion cycles that make last season's styles look dated—all reflect planned obsolescence.
Critics accuse tech companies of planned obsolescence to boost sales.
- overconsumptionExcessive use of resources
- wastageLoss through inefficiency
- consumerismPreoccupation with acquiring goods
- lightbulbElectric illumination source
- materialismPrioritizing goods over spirit
landfill waste · consumer protection · electronic waste · fast fashion · product design · product lifecycle · underuse · battery · printer ink · electronics · tech companies · pollution · capitalism · class action · replacement · cheap · upgrade · flimsy
- wastefulnesswaste, squandering, extravagance, profligacy, dissipation
- disposable culturesingle-use plastic, disposable razors, plastic bags, plastic bottles, plastic straws
- tech ethicsAI ethics, AI bias, data privacy, deepfakes, digital rights
- obsolescencedatedness, outmodedness, outmoding, supersession, desuetude
- planned obsolescenceforced updates, short lifespan, consumables
- marketingadvertising, digital marketing, ad campaign, advertisements, ads
planned obsolescencebuilt to last
Designed for longevity
heirloom quality · repairability · modular design · upgradability · future-proofing
planned obsolescencecircular economy
Regenerative resource management model
zero waste · eco-design · sustainability · sustainable design · cradle-to-cradle
planned, plans, planning, planner, unplanned, obsolete, planners, obsolescence, obsolescent