Planned obsolescence is a strategy that makes a product unusable or undesirable sooner than necessary. It increases resource extraction, energy use, pollution, and electronic waste (e-waste) by accelerating replacement.
This SL and HL topic belongs to the environmental context, particularly pollution and waste (4.3B). It can involve physical design, software support, or marketing.
| Form | Mechanism | Environmental effect |
|---|---|---|
| Technical obsolescence | Components fail early or cannot be repaired economically. | More discarded devices and raw-material demand. |
| Software obsolescence | Updates or security support end while hardware still works. | Replacement cycles increase manufacturing emissions and e-waste. |
| Perceived obsolescence | Marketing makes older products appear outdated. | Usable products are replaced, increasing consumption. |
The mechanism creates a system of repeated production and disposal. Material extraction, manufacturing, transport, and disposal use energy and resources; unsafe disposal can release hazardous substances into soil and water. Recycling recovers some materials but does not erase production's environmental costs.
System: Apple's iPhone combines hardware, software, batteries, and repair services. Example specifics: In 2017, Apple confirmed that software reduced peak performance on some older iPhones with degraded batteries. Apple said this prevented unexpected shutdowns, while critics argued limited transparency could encourage replacement instead of battery repair. Impacts and implications: The case increased scrutiny of lifespan and repairability. Longer support, replaceable components, and repair access could reduce future resource use and e-waste. Concepts: It demonstrates systems because a software decision affected hardware use and consumer behaviour, and values and ethics because stakeholders prioritized different interests.
A common misconception is that planned obsolescence means every product is deliberately made to break. It also includes limited repairability, discontinued support, and marketing-led replacement.
In an IB response, explain the mechanism, separate observed impacts from future implications, and evaluate effects on at least two groups, such as manufacturers, consumers, repair businesses, and waste-affected communities.
