Planned obsolescence

From RationalWiki

Planned obsolescence is an industrial/mercantile tactic that involves supplying products (and sometimes services) that have a shorter lifespan than could be engineered for the same or a lower price.^{[citation needed]}

This is done in several ways.

Sometimes subcomponents are built poorly, to ensure revenue from parts sales and service calls. The classic example of this were starters and alternators on American cars, which would corrode and die with regularity. They were easy to stock, easy to install, and easy to rebuild. Another common example is the incandescent light bulb, which can easily be manufactured to last several decades.

Entire products are also built to endure less time than a consumer might expect. For instance, a washing machine could easily be useful and efficient for several decades, perhaps with minor service. But if they only last ten years, people will get used to buying new ones every decade. An adjunct to this method is to simply stop providing parts (or repair information) after a few years of service life.

Another slightly more sophisticated technique has developed, which is, in a word, fashion. We are all familiar with the constant churn in colors and styles in the fashioin industry, and to an extent in the automobile industry (would you like fins with that?), but this tactic can be used for almost anything. If it ain't cool no more, you gotta buy a new one!

[edit] Version support

In the world of Office software and Operating systems, perfectly good products are rendered obsolete by the practice of issuing "upgrades" which add a few bells and whistles here and there, and announcing that technical support for the older version will sunset by a certain date. Many people consider Vista to be a downgrade from Windows XP, yet the same tactic of cutting off support to encourage migration to the crappier version applies.