I’m a gadget guy. I love consumer electronics. But there’s a critical flaw in the latest generation of devices: poor construction. Many devices I purchased in the late 1990s and early 2000s (and still own, believe it or not) still work like new, including video cameras, CD players, VCRs, stereos, tube televisions and answering machines — even an old Dell laptop. But it seems like everything I bought within the last four years has a lifespan of one to three years.
Here are a few examples of recent product failures among some of the most highly regarded brands:
- My one-year-old BlackBerry’s backplate cracked and had to be replaced. Shortly after that replacement, the circuitry fried and the entire phone had to be replaced.
- My two-year-old Mac’s keyboard circuitry fried, and that had to be replaced. Shortly after that, the camera failed and had to be replaced.
- My wife’s droid vibrated and then fell off her bedside table, resulting in a cracked screen (just like all the cracked iPhone screens you’ve seen).
- My son dropped his grandfather’s iPhone on a carpeted floor and cracked the screen.
- Last weekend my 18-month-old Samsung plasma television developed a short and stopped working — and I’m still waiting for the prognosis.
- Two of our four Panasonic wireless home phones — each under three years old — have significantly deteriorated in call quality.
- My lightly used, four-year-old iPod’s hard drive now freezes intermittently, while my wife’s has died completely .
This trend is a problem. I expect devices to work for many years, especially if I invest hundreds or many thousands of dollars in them. On an aggregate basis, dollars add up quickly and become significant. Second, the shortening lifespan of all these devices translates into excessive environmental waste. As far as I can tell, there is very little, if any, effort to minimize the environmental impact of this trend.
That’s why I’m making an open request for all consumer electronics manufacturers to increase the ruggedness of their products. In addition to building reasonably rugged products, they should back up their products with reasonable guarantees of performance and lifespan. That means standard warranties of three to five years, minimum — and 10 would be even better. (I’ve been using American Express’s extended warranty guarantee too often lately.)
To encourage quality and alleviate environmental impact, I propose legislation and taxes for manufacturers of products that break quickly or fill our landfills sooner versus later.
A friend recently suggested I should simply boycott cheaply manufactured electronics. The problem with that logic is that there are few ways to differentiate the cheap from the quality. Again, it seems like most devices are guilty, even the most esteemed brands.
That’s why I would like to see product reviewers focus just as much on lifespan and ruggedness as they do on bells and whistles of the latest gizmos. It should be easier to pick out the gems from the junk. I also would like to see more modular designs, so we can replace components versus entire products.
What else can we do to reverse the onslaught of cheaply-manufactured consumer electronics devices?
It’s a growing problem that nobody talks about. But enough is enough.
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Hey Max – this is a great point, but shows the importance of doing research before making a purchase. I built my own PC that I use for web projects, audio/video production, etc. It was built in 2002 and it *still* performs perfectly. Every part was chosen carefully and only the highest brands were used in the components. Yes, I paid a premium but it still works fine nearly a decade later. The only thing I have replaced is the power supply. I'm actually pretty impressed with my iPhone – it's taken a beating and still works great too. My experience has been that modern consumer electronics outlast expectation.
You have good karma. Not me. Even with best brands.
You're pointing out a trend that I've been complaining about for at least the last 5-7 years.
As a (late) teenager, I bought – for my standards – very expensive hifi equipment and spent nearly $10k on turntable, cd player, amp and speakers. This gear performs perfectly today still, nearly 20 years after my purchase. You'd be hard-pressed to find anything like that today, even with expensive components.
At some stage, manufacturers have figured out that it doesn't serve them if they produce lasting equipment, since their happy customers won't have to buy replacements for nearly a lifetime. Hard to grow business that way.
But the same manufactured “expiration date” applies to most other items as well. Clothing and shoes, kitchenware, you name it. This has led to a shift in public opinion where people are making statements like: “This ancient cellphone STILL works and I bought it ages ago – maybe 2 or 3 years ago!”
Your iPod experience is well known to me and I am convinced that this is a manufactured flaw. The problem is, that a repair is so prohibitively expensive that you'll end up sending your old iPod to the landfill and buying a new one (which has more bells and whistles) – if this bad experience hasn't convinced you yet to change the brand.
Thanks for posting this, I completely share your sentiment.
Yes, thanks. And I hear you on the fact that the cheap trend is not
exclusive to electronics. I especially notice it with clothes, particularly
those made in China. Seams go faster, as do zippers. Drives me crazy.
One of the few product categories that do seem to last longer are
cars…some of them are well-made and corrosion resistance is increasing.
Hey Max, I'm typing this on a tinny Asus netbook that I fully expect to be dead within 2 years. If I'm stuck with this longer than that, I'll toss it out the window.
At the root of the trouble is Moore's law. When computing power doubles every year or two, we grow out of our electronics. So why should they build it to last? I paid about $350 for this netbook and wouldn't have dreamed paying another $100 for a sturdier machine. In fact, I have a nice sturdy Mac laptop I bought in 06. It's still working, and beautiful, but kinda stogy, and I'm thinking: Should I unload it on my sister?
This is one of my dad's favourite bugbears. He often says, and I agree with him, that one way to massively reduce over-consumption and help save the planet is to pass legislation that says consumer electronics have to provide a 10 year warranty. Things might get more expensive, but I'm sure you'd find that companies would very suddenly up their game and we'd throw far less away.
That's why we need modular components. What you describe is similar to
my separate appeal for a powerful netbook in the <$99 price range. It
would be nice to have that kind of power at such a low rice point —
because it's not a huge burden. You lose it? You abuse it? It's
stolen? So what — presuming you follow data security and backup
procedures. I certainly don't feel the same way about my MacBook Pro.
It's portable, but I'm slightly paranoid to take it anywhere.
…your Mac from 2006 still works? Keep it going as a household
utility. Dedicate it to a room where it will be used casually for
email, Web, mumtimedia.
Indeed. I don't mean to sound like Michael Jackson, but there's too much ignorance when it comes to environmental impact of all those circuits, batteries and casings. Lots of plastic, mercury and other lethal stuff.
Stephen,
I agree with you partially. I am still using a PC I built myself in 2002 and it's just starting to feel too slow. But then, I don't process video and for photos, it's good enough still.
But the problem with most items is not Moore's Law. If I buy, say, a MP3 player, then that's what I want to do with it. I don't need a color display or video capabilities. If I need these, I'll buy a newer model. But I expect it to last a long time. Unfortunately, they don't. And I'll have to toss it out because I don't have a choice.
Stephen,
I agree with you partially. I am still using a PC I built myself in 2002 and it's just starting to feel too slow. But then, I don't process video and for photos, it's good enough still.
But the problem with most items is not Moore's Law. If I buy, say, a MP3 player, then that's what I want to do with it. I don't need a color display or video capabilities. If I need these, I'll buy a newer model. But I expect it to last a long time. Unfortunately, they don't. And I'll have to toss it out because I don't have a choice.
This is so true. I have a good stereo system from the mid 80s that still works like new, and newer systems I have had have fallen apart. The quality of today’s electronics does not even come close to those from say 20 to 30 years ago.
Hey, you have a great blog here! I’m definitely going to bookmark you!
I have a buy electronics cheap site/blog. It pretty much covers buy electronics cheap related stuff.
Come and check it out if you get time 🙂
thanks