This article explains why people change their cell phones more often than other electronics, pointing to planned obsolescence and the marketing strategies of manufacturers as reasons. The limited lifespan of cell phones, the impact of new product release cycles on consumers, and environmental concerns are also covered, emphasizing the need for smart consumers.
Do you change your refrigerator at home every few years? What about your washing machine or television? How often do you change your cell phone? Nowadays, people replace their other electronics only when they break or have problems, but they may change their cell phones two or three times a year. So why do people change their cell phones so often? On the surface, the answer may be that consumers are curious about new things or don’t want to be left behind, but that’s not a good enough explanation. To find the underlying reason, we need to look at one of the characteristics of the cell phone industry: Planned Obsolescence. Planned obsolescence is the practice of companies intentionally making previously released products obsolete in order to sell new ones.
Planned obsolescence is done by designing cell phones to have a limited lifespan. Despite the fact that smartphones are now an integral part of modern life, phones are built too poorly. For example, while the technology exists to make waterproof phones like the Galaxy S5, very few phones still have this capability. As a result, many people accidentally drop their phones in water, rendering them unusable, or drop them and crack the screen. Rather than fixing these issues, phone manufacturers focus more on design and features, releasing thinner and more powerful phones every year. As a result, phone durability is slow to improve, and users are forced to replace their phones frequently.
The battery problem is particularly acute: most smartphones use lithium-ion batteries, which rapidly degrade after about 300 to 500 charges. A battery that initially lasts a full day might not last a day without a power bank a year later. This is especially true when a new phone is released or near the end of the one-year warranty. In fact, iPhone batteries are known to lose about 20% of their capacity after every 400 charges. Assuming you charge it once a day, after a year, the battery capacity will be reduced to 80%, and in three years, it will be halved. Eventually, users will have to choose between replacing the battery or buying a new phone.
This problem goes beyond personal inconvenience to environmental concerns. Phones that become unusable due to short battery life end up as waste. Electronic waste (e-waste) is a serious problem around the world, with cell phones and other electronic devices being discarded at short intervals, putting a huge strain on the environment. Components like lithium-ion batteries in particular are not easy to recycle, and the environmental costs of producing them are not negligible. This forces consumers to replace their phones frequently, which also has a negative impact on the environment.
Not only that, but battery replacement itself has become very cumbersome. Manufacturers intentionally make battery replacement complicated to encourage users to buy new phones. For example, the iPhone uses special screws to make it impossible to replace the battery without specialized tools, and Android phones are increasingly designed with one-piece batteries. Even Samsung’s Galaxy S series, starting with the latest model, the S6, is built with a non-removable back. What’s more, the cost of replacing a battery is set to be similar to the cost of buying a new phone with a contract, making it more attractive to many consumers to buy a new phone.
In addition to this, cell phone manufacturers announce a new flagship product every year. Every year, a new phone is announced with a new feature or design, which naturally attracts the attention of consumers. As a result, many people feel that their phone is outdated. In the early days of the smartphone market, new models were justified because there were major technological advancements every year, but in recent years, this has become less and less the case. However, manufacturers continue to release new products, and consumers are more likely to get caught up in the hype and buy new products.
This can work against cell phone manufacturers as well. A heavy reliance on a planned obsolescence strategy can lead to a loss of consumer trust in the long run. Also, when phones become too stale, consumers no longer feel the need to spend big bucks to replace them. As a result, there is no incentive to develop innovative technologies, and the cell phone industry will slow down.
In the end, consumers have a choice in how often they replace their phones, but they need to be smarter consumers now that they recognize the existence of planned obsolescence. It’s important to make the decision to replace your phone based on your own needs and not be blindly swayed by manufacturer marketing. Otherwise, we will continue to be trapped in a consumption pattern of planned obsolescence.
