Of course everything comes to an end. So if something or somebody stops functioning, that’s not very remarkable. Yesterday I was hard at work and wanted to print a document. No way. I look in the printer’s display and read: “Your printer needs service. Some parts have reached end-of-life. Check your manual for more information. To start with that … the information found is very little. “Go to your dealer…”.

Dominique Chenet: “On June 1^st, I watched a documentary on the French tv France2 about the programmed death of our household appliances. A survey about the Giant Apple and other major brands of appliances, telephone or computer, who do everything to limit the lifespan of their products so that consumers buy more. The techniques of “planned obsolescence” are varied and sophisticated and their consequences are clear: widespread overuse and down the chain, major environmental damage.”

“Engineers were explaining how the use of a certain capacitor into a Samsung flat TV could reduce its lifespan while for a few cents more another capacitor choice will have increased the TV lifespan. Capacitors into those TV flat screen have a too low capacity or voltage (I do not remember) to do the job and are programmed to die after 2 years. Capacitors were also placed too close from transformers which is a design fault known by any designers. They were also showing that repairs were made impossible. No access, sealed components. The replacement capacitor costs 32 cents …”

“In The States, more than 7 000 Samsung TV flat screen owners have claimed that 2 months after the warranty  of their TV expired, their TV did not power on anymore. A court has found out that the power board were built with capacitors that could not hold up. Samsung did not want to go against this judgment and has offered free repair to any Samsung TV owner located into The States.”

“As repair techs point out, no matter what brand of TV you buy, today’s TVs aren’t being made to last long. Remember your mom and dad’s TV that lasted 15, even 20-years? They were big, boxy and remarkably reliable. Well today’s TV is NOT your parents TV.”

“During the same show, the engineers team pointed out the well-known battery problems of Apple. Undercovered, some Apple engineers admitted to have solutions, but that the management did not want to implement them.”

“Of course the goal is to make people buy more and more, increase production… but those products are not yet fully recyclable and no one cares !!!”

PS (Herman): I don’t think the current high end manufacturers are exploring the methods described above. Ánd I don’t think it is necessary :-). Due to the limited quantities produced, due the fact that parts are often used at the max of what is possible, the products too often give up spontaneously. You don’t need a manual to know what you have to do in such case … Go to your dealer. Hopefully you did not give up on your local or national dealer …

Link to the video