In 2013, I warned about an alarming trend: consumer electronics becoming unrepairable. Back then, ultrabooks and tablets dazzled with their sleek, lightweight designs, but the trade-offs were hard to ignore. RAM and SSDs were soldered to motherboards. Batteries were glued in place. Proprietary screws and tools locked users out of their own devices. The writing was on the wall for repairability.
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Now, a decade later, the situation is no longer troubling — it’s infuriating. Nearly every device we rely on — from laptops and smartphones to IoT gadgets — is designed to fail. Repairs are so expensive they might as well not exist. Upgrades? Forget them. And when something breaks, you often have no option but to replace the entire device. It’s a scam, plain and simple, dressed up as progress.
This isn’t an accident — it’s by design. As Netflix’s Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy reveals, manufacturers deliberately make products disposable to maximize profits. Even worse, this is happening during a time of skyrocketing prices. Inflation has pushed the cost of devices to unprecedented levels, yet we’re being sold products with shorter lifespans. This isn’t poor design — it’s betrayal. Here’s how the tech industry is failing you.
1. Soldered components trap you from the start
The rise of system-on-chip (SoC) architectures has transformed modern electronics. These chips integrate the CPU, GPU, RAM, and sometimes even storage onto a single component, delivering incredible performance and efficiency. But there’s a catch: soldered components mean no upgrades, repairs, or flexibility.
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Take Apple’s M-series MacBooks. The RAM and storage you choose at checkout are the maximum you’ll ever have. Need more storage in two years? Too bad — you’ll have to replace the entire device. Worse, the entire system becomes a brick if any part of the SoC fails — whether it’s the CPU, RAM, or storage. Repairs are nearly impossible, and replacement costs are astronomical.
This isn’t an accidental trade-off — it’s deliberate. By soldering components and tightly integrating them, manufacturers lock you into their ecosystem and ensure you’re forced to replace devices instead of extending their lifespan. Even outside of SoCs, soldered parts have become the norm, turning previously modular devices like laptops and desktops into repair nightmares.
2. Batteries are guaranteed to fail
Battery degradation is inevitable, but manufacturers have turned it into a feature designed to drive repeat purchases. Batteries are now glued into devices, making replacement expensive, risky, and often impractical.
Consider Apple’s AirPods. These wildly popular earbuds have non-replaceable batteries that last only 2-3 years. Once the batteries die, the entire product becomes e-waste. Similarly, laptops, smartphones, and wearables now follow this pattern. What used to be a simple task — swapping out a battery — is now a costly ordeal requiring professional tools and expertise.
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Even larger devices aren’t immune. Laptops and tablets now feature glued-in batteries that require disassembling multiple components, sometimes including the display, just to reach the battery. The cost of these repairs often makes buying a replacement seem like the only practical option.
This isn’t an oversight — it’s a calculated decision to ensure you can’t extend the life of your device. By making battery replacement as difficult as possible, manufacturers bet you’ll give up and buy the latest model instead.
3. Fragility is baked into the design
The obsession with thinness and aesthetics has made modern devices harder to repair and more fragile. Ultra-thin laptops, smartphones, and tablets are prone to damage from drops, spills, and everyday wear and tear.
A single drop can crack a screen or bend a frame, rendering the device unusable. Repairs- if possible- often cost nearly as much as a new device. For example, replacing a cracked screen on a flagship smartphone can cost upwards of $300-$400, often approaching half the price of the phone itself.
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This fragility isn’t a bug. Manufacturers know that making devices more delicate increases the likelihood you’ll buy a replacement instead of repairing your existing one. It’s a deliberate strategy to keep you locked in the consumption cycle.
4. Proprietary software and IoT devices fuel an avalanche of e-waste
The issue extends beyond hardware. Many modern devices rely on proprietary software and cloud ecosystems to function. When manufacturers decide to end support or shut down platforms, these devices can become non-functional — even if the hardware itself is still in perfect working condition.
Take, for example, Google’s 2024 shutdown of its Nest Secure alarm system. Customers who spent hundreds of dollars on Nest hardware found themselves with expensive but useless gadgets. Similarly, Sonos faced criticism for its “recycle mode,” which rendered older speakers inoperable when customers upgraded, effectively locking them out of resale or reuse options. Fitness trackers and wearables often experience a similar fate when their proprietary apps lose support.
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The Internet of Things (IoT) has exacerbated this problem, providing unprecedented convenience at the cost of significant waste. Smart thermostats, cameras, and light bulbs heavily depend on software updates to function. When those updates cease, the devices can lose functionality and become obsolete, despite the hardware still being in excellent condition.
Even laptops are not immune to this challenge. For instance, Windows 10 will lose support in 2025, showcasing how software dependency can lead to hardware obsolescence. Microsoft offered free upgrades to Windows 11, but many older PCs fail to meet the stringent system requirements for the transition. This leaves consumers with three undesirable options: attempt unsupported workarounds to install Windows 11, continue using an increasingly insecure Windows 10, or purchase a new PC entirely. The third option — a complete hardware replacement — is the one that Microsoft and its manufacturing partners seem to prefer.
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The outcome? An avalanche of electronic waste. Devices that should last a decade are being discarded after just a few years, causing unnecessary environmental damage and financial strain for consumers. This situation is not just frustrating; it’s exploitative, designed to encourage constant purchases of replacements while the planet bears the consequences.
The harms: Who pays the price?
The financial cost of planned obsolescence is only the beginning. The true burden falls on consumers and the planet.
Inflation exacerbates the problem. A flagship smartphone now costs $1,500, while high-end laptops routinely exceed $2,000. For these prices, you’d expect durability and longevity. Instead, consumers are stuck with devices engineered to fail.
E-waste poisons the planet. Much of the world’s discarded electronics end up in developing nations under the guise of “recycling.” In places like Agbogbloshie, Ghana, workers dismantle electronics in hazardous conditions, exposing themselves to toxic chemicals like lead and mercury. Plastics are burned, releasing carcinogenic fumes, while heavy metals leach into the soil and water.
This system exploits consumers, endangers workers, and devastates ecosystems — all in the name of profit.
The solutions: Repair culture offers hope
Not every part of the world has embraced this disposable future. In some regions, repairability thrives, proving that sustainable alternatives are not just possible but practical:
Cuba: Ingenuity born of necessity
Decades of trade embargoes have forced Cubans to innovate, repairing rather than replacing. Mechanics and repair shops keep 1950s-era American cars and aging appliances running with salvaged parts and handmade solutions. This resourcefulness extends to electronics, where limited tools and materials are met with creativity and collaboration, proving the power of necessity-driven repair.
India: Hyper-local solutions
India’s extensive network of family-run repair shops offers affordable fixes for everything from smartphones to refrigerators. These small businesses specialize in reverse-engineering solutions and sourcing parts for older or imported goods, keeping devices functional long after manufacturers have abandoned them. It’s a pragmatic, cost-effective model for reducing e-waste while empowering local economies.
Japan: Repair as a cultural philosophy
Japan’s philosophy of mottainai — cherishing resources and avoiding waste — has fostered a robust repair culture. Government-subsidized programs and repair cafés provide tools, expertise, and communal spaces to help people fix their broken items. This fusion of tradition and modernity extends the life of consumer goods while promoting sustainability and community resilience.
Europe: Leading through legislation
The European Union has set a global standard with its right-to-repair laws, requiring manufacturers to provide spare parts, repair manuals, and tools for at least 10 years after a product’s sale. These policies are reshaping markets, encouraging modular design, and giving consumers the power to extend the lifespan of their devices. By prioritizing repairability, the EU has proven that policy can drive meaningful change.
Fight back: Demand better
This system is designed to rip you off, make you pay more for devices that last less time, and shift the environmental burden onto the most vulnerable. It doesn’t have to be this way.
We need open-source firmware, modular designs, and strong right-to-repair laws. We need longer support windows and accountability for manufacturers. Most of all, we need to embrace repair culture and demand products that are built to last.
In 2013, I asked:
“Are we heading toward a future of unfixable and unupgradable devices?”
Today, the answer is clear: we’re already there. But we don’t have to stay here. The time to fight back is now.
Source: Robotics - zdnet.com
