Technology develops faster than law can respond, it always has – but we cannot ignore the harmful practice of planned obsolescence, which Apple has perfected. Technology has become integral to life. Cell phones are not a luxury, they are necessary for work and education. Apple purposefully ruins older product models to maximize profit, and there is a vast percentage of Americans that cannot afford to buy new devices every release and hence suffers.
In terms of proving intentional deception, evidence is not difficult to find. In their hardware, all components of the iMac are fused to the motherboard, which makes repair impossible and can render an entire system broken when one element is faulty. Similarly, Apple has made it needlessly difficult to find certified parts when fixing iproducts, forcing consumers to use Apple-only retailers. France fined Apple $1.23 billion for this anti-competitive behavior and vertical integration, which defined it as a monopoly.
The issue continues in software. Apple has made deliberate decisions to tamper with software of older iphone models under the guise of “updates”. Updates slow older models to the point of malfunction. This forces American customers to buy newer products, even though the device technically has no issues. This is not a conspiracy, Apple has admitted to doing this and again was fined by France for misleading consumers. Planned obsolescence pushes the consumer beyond a financial threshold that is sustainable and takes advantage of necessity.
The waste created by discarding new technology is another consequence. Carbon emissions that Apple manufacturers release are producing millions of metric tonnes of pollution. Also, when we trash our older models they end up in landfills where they are burnt. This produces all kinds of toxic metals that are released into the atmosphere. Even when we do not burn them, our soil and water still get contaminated. This is dangerous, but Apple has proved human life is not something they value, as currently, they are fighting tooth and nail for their right to use forced Uighur and child labor to produce new products.
We have dismantled monopolies in the past and we can do it again. We have to create laws to combat planned obsolescence. The market will never regulate itself for the benefit of the consumer without legal intervention. We could introduce bills to the House of Representatives similar to France’s consumer laws to protect Americans. The FTC could also sue tech companies and bring a case to the Supreme Court, establishing a new precedent regarding technological law. There are a myriad of routes, but the ultimate solution will be holding these corporations accountable for their unethical practices. Apple would not go bankrupt or operate at a deficit if these changes are made. There is a possibility of them losing some of the $64 billion they made last year, but the cost of protecting our global environment and economy is worth paying. Apple, and other tech conglomerates, can afford to create functioning, ethical products and should be held to this standard.
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