Batterygate is coming. No more choice.
Intentionally Shortening the Life of Products: A Sinister Business Model
It’s a well-known fact that technology advances rapidly, with new products constantly being released, rendering older models obsolete. It’s this reality that has always driven tech companies to push the envelope and stay ahead of the game. But what if they could speed up the process of obsolescence even further? What if they could intentionally shorten the life of their products, forcing customers to upgrade sooner than they would otherwise? That is exactly what some companies have been accused of doing, including tech giant Apple.
In 2020, Apple was fined $113 million for intentionally shortening the life of its products via their misleading software updates. This followed a 2016 class action lawsuit in which thousands of iPhone users accused Apple of intentionally slowing down their phones. Apple’s response at the time was that they did it to save the battery life of the phone, but it later emerged that this was the first time a company had intentionally hindered services in order to force customers to buy new iPhones.
Since then, companies like Apple have become even more sophisticated in their approach. Rather than intentionally slowing down the phone, they make small tweaks via software updates that gradually cause the phone to lose its capabilities over time. By the time a new phone is released, the previous model looks outdated, even though there are few significant changes in the new one.
Many users have complained that their older iPhones no longer function as well as they used to. Some have reported reduced battery life, poor performance with certain apps, and even apps crashing. These issues, along with the constant harassment of the “iCloud storage full” notification that can only be turned off by paying for an upgraded iCloud plan, diminish the user experience significantly.
The practice of intentionally shortening the life of products is not just limited to the tech industry. The rise of electric vehicles (EVs) has brought with it the potential for car companies to do the same. All EVs are controlled by an operating system, much like a smartphone. This makes it easy for companies to remotely decrease the overall performance of the vehicle or ruin the battery through software updates.
What’s even more concerning is that there are currently no laws to protect consumers from this kind of behavior. It’s unlikely that any laws will be put in place in the near future, as it gives companies the perfect business model. By subtly breaking down a product through software updates, they can force customers to purchase a new one, leaving them with no other option.
This kind of behavior is not only unethical, but it’s also a form of destruction of property, which is a crime. However, outdated laws do not cover this type of crime, and companies like Apple and others want to keep it that way. This effectively means that in this day and age, they can use new technology to commit crimes legally, and consumers cannot do anything about it.
It’s time for companies to be held accountable for their actions. As consumers, we should demand better from the companies we give our money to. We should be able to trust that the products we purchase will last for a reasonable amount of time, without the need for constant upgrades. The government also needs to step up and introduce new laws that protect consumers from this kind of behavior.
In conclusion, intentionally shortening the life of products is a sinister business model that needs to be stopped. Consumers deserve better than to be forced to constantly upgrade their products due to software updates that gradually render them obsolete. It’s time for tech and car companies to be held accountable for their actions and for the government to introduce new laws that protect consumers from this kind of behavior. Only then can we ensure that the products we purchase will last for a reasonable amount of time, and we can trust the companies we give our money to.
