When was the last time you repaired a device? Unlearning Consumption, Day 2

In just the last year, I've had to replace my phone's screen three times and its battery once. Great.

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In just the last year, I've had to replace my phone's screen three times and its battery once. It wasn't from misuse or lack of care, but seemingly a stroke of bad luck with a faulty device. Great.

After my latest visit to the repair shop, the technician's question struck a chord: "Why not just buy a new one?" he asked.

"Because it's not that old" I blurted out, "I've only had it for 2 years."

"Well, that's past warranty, which means it is old," he said, confidently, as if I was the crazy one.

Introducing planned obsolescence.

Where gadgets break down with such perfect timing that it almost looks like a conspiracy theory.

Planned obsolescence is "the purposeful implementation of various strategies designed to get a customer to buy another similar product by making the older one useless, undesirable or non-functional within a set period of time."

Companies do this in a few ways: by using parts that are just reliable enough to last until the warranty ends, by programming devices (like printers) to suddenly become unusable after a certain number of uses (like printed papers,) and by discontinuing software support and updates for older models.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, my favorite tactic is the ever-so-subtle upgrades that are marketed as revolutionary. It’s clever marketing, sure, but it should also make us wonder if we're being wise or just wired to want the latest and greatest.

The new iPad is a great example of that. Apple calls the new iPad Air "more powerful and versatile than ever, featuring phenomenal performance, a landscape front-facing camera, and faster Wi-Fi, along with support for Apple Pencil Pro."

In other words - incremental improvements.

If you find yourself upgrading your phone the moment a new one hits the shelves, then you're exactly the customer tech companies love. Businesses ❤️ impulse buyers.

Why not just buy a new one?

This seemingly innocuous question showcases our deeply ingrained ‘take-make-waste’ culture that dominates our approach to consumer electronics.

Each year, millions of devices end their life prematurely in landfills, contributing not only to environmental degradation but also to a significant squandering of resources.

Look at your phone. No, seriously, look at it, I know it's within arm's reach. Take a good hard look.

This is what your phone is made of:

And these are the lengths we go through to get these materials:

This is what it takes to assemble just one device.

Cobalt, essential for lithium-ion batteries, is predominantly mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Gold, a critical component for circuitry, often comes from mines in South Africa.

The actual assembly of these components into a smartphone often happens in countries like China, where manufacturing infrastructure is extensively developed and labor is cheap.

And on and on it goes...

Your phone has traveled more than you have.

Why not just buy a new one?

Because I live in Vietnam. And most days it's so polluted I can't see the sky.
Because I don't need to go to the DRC or China to know those poor souls are not paid a livable wage.
Because I'm very comfortable with my social standing and don't need a gadget to signal my status.

This cycle is not sustainable. It is a system designed for profit, not for longevity or environmental stewardship, and in the process, it is taking advantage of the countries at the bottom of the food pyramid.

These countries are not underdeveloped, they are overexploited.

And somehow we land back on marketing.

The pressure to upgrade is relentless.

And it's primarily driven by marketing strategies that highlight incremental upgrades as necessities, ultimately diminishing the value we place on our existing devices.

The subliminal message marketers send is that the introduction of an improved model diminishes the quality or functionality of your existing model. Which is, of course, incorrect.

Unfortunately, our current consumer ecosystem is predicated on a cycle of rapid consumption and disposal. And we need more than just a few pretty words on a screen to change this culture.

So where do we go from here?

Legislative Shifts Pointing Toward Sustainability

Recent legislative developments in the EU, including the Right to Repair mandate are a step in the right direction.

These laws compel manufacturers to make devices that last longer and are easier to repair. By 2027, all phones sold in the EU must have replaceable batteries and standardized charging ports.

"Manufacturers will also have to provide spare parts and tools at a reasonable price and will be prohibited from using contractual clauses, hardware or software techniques that obstruct repairs.

In particular, they cannot impede the use of second-hand or 3D-printed spare parts by independent repairers, nor can they refuse to repair a product solely for economic reasons or because it was previously repaired by someone else."

This is HUGE.

The whole appeal behind Apple is exclusivity and having a closed ecosystem. Now the EU is telling them their "walled garden" needs a few more gates.

Bare in mind, these are not just technical requirements; these are policies that encourage a shift from disposability to durability.

These laws are part of the European Commission's broader goal of becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. But this can only happen if consumers and businesses are consuming and producing more sustainably.

You may remember, back in the day it was common to repair and maintain all sorts of household items and electronics. This was largely due to the economic practicality and a culture that valued longevity and "things well made."

Over time, as technology advanced, products became more complex and integrated, making them harder to repair. There was also a push towards making these devices more compact and portable, which often meant that components had to be soldered together, limiting the ease of individual repairs and replacements.

There was a significant shift toward restrictive repair policies in the late 1990s and early 2000s as companies like Apple and Samsung started implementing measures that effectively monopolized repairs. These measures included:

- Proprietary Parts: Using parts that are available only through the manufacturer.
- Software Locks: Implementing software that would disable the device if it detected repairs or parts not sanctioned by the manufacturer.
- Warranty Voiding: Stating that warranties would be voided if repairs were not conducted by authorized service providers.

One of the most notable scandals is Apple's "Batterygate" back in 2017. When Apple was found to be slowing down older iPhones through software updates purportedly to manage battery health. This led to widespread outcry and several lawsuits, culminating in a $113 million settlement and a public apology from Apple. They’re still paying out claimants.

Today, the Right to Repair movement is increasingly recognized as a crucial part of broader sustainability efforts. And as a supporter, I firmly believe that enabling repairs not only reduces waste but also lessens the environmental impact of discarded electronics.

Adjacent to the Right to Repair there are Buy Back and Trade-In initiatives and while I won't discuss them at length, my advice to you is to read the fine print.

When I was asking around for advice on my phone, my brother mentioned Samsung's "guaranteed buy-back" program; but it didn't take me longer than 5 minutes of research to realize it is tightly laced with conditions that will disqualify most Samsung buyers - me and my shitty phone included.

So we're back to the drawing board...

I need a new phone

After my screen stopped working for the fourth time, I was beyond frustrated. So I stormed back to the repair shop, only to discover that the real culprit was my battery—it had expanded and was pressing against a wire, affecting the screen.

The technician told me if I had waited any longer, it could have exploded.

You have got to be kidding me.

I generally don't like accumulating *things.* Whether it's a phone, a bike, or a pair of shoes. The average lifespan for most of my phones is 5 years, I've had my Kindle since 2012 with daily use, and I buy second-hand whenever possible.

I'm not exactly eager to buy a new phone, but I'd also prefer not to sport a "battery explosion" scar as the latest fashion accessory - so here we are.

I'm getting a Fairphone.

This phone is at least 1/3 more expensive than what I'd ever be tempted to pay for a similar device, but I can't stop and wonder "Why are these other phones cheaper with better specs?"

Well the answer is simple, and you probably already know it, so say it with me:

"Because they use slave labor to build their devices." That pretty much sums it up.

Fairphone is the only brand, that I personally know of, that is trying to change the industry from the inside.

(Much like what I'm trying to do by preaching the gospel of Human to Humans Marketing. It wasn't too long ago that I was planning on a career change until I eventually realized that my energy is better spent fighting the good fight, instead of running away from it.)

Fairphone began as an awareness campaign, sharing the use of conflict minerals and mining practices in the electronics industry. In 2013, they grew the movement into a business.

I'm in no way affiliated with them, in case you were wondering.

I simply live in a capitalist society where I vote with my money, and this is where I choose to cast my vote.

Fairphone's approach is radically transparent, focusing on sustainability and repairability. They openly break down the cost of their phones, highlighting the investments in fair labor practices and environmentally sustainable materials.

It is literally everything I asked for.

I invite you to watch some review videos on YouTube, particularly this negative one from CNET

And you can see from the comments section that people are starting to get it:

"Yeah, tech journalists, it has a worse camera and battery than other phones priced similarly, but how many of those phones have the modular design? How many of those companies offer replaceable parts? How many of them offer the same [8 year] software support? The recycled materials? Ethically sourced minerals? Incentivizing fair wages? Does the Pixel 7A have ANY of those?

If we are here to nitpick we can do so all day, but the real conversation is much broader... and you should be fair on all sides, if you praise your objectivism!"

What many over 30 don't realize (a group that includes myself) is that the world hasn't just been changing—it has already changed.

From kindergarten, Gen Z has been educated about recycling. Every single year, since the year they were born, has shown record-breaking temperatures.

They see the drastic changes in weather, the flooding and wildfires, the declining health of community parks and green spaces, and the poor air quality, of course they have environmental anxiety, how could they not???

How could we not?

Upgrading to a slightly better camera doesn't make a significant difference for most people who aren't photographers. Similarly, the average user doesn't spend all their time on their phone, nor do they fully understand what 8GB of RAM means—they're simply told it's something to be happy about.

I don't care how thin my phone is, I will still slap a thick, bulletproof, case on it.

What I care about is paying workers a livable wage, ethically sourcing minerals, and ensuring my device is mine to own (and repair.)

Fairphone is never going to grow to the size of Samsung, I'm not naive, but what they can do, is prove to the tech giants that sustainable manufacturing can be done. And therefore start conversations within a community that can hold them accountable for their unethical practices and elitist designs.

If you work in marketing remember that your customer’s values are changing, meet them where they are. So when you create that list of the 6 most important bullet points about your product, maybe sustainability can now be one of them.

Maybe now, who knows, YouTube influencers will start reviewing other phones in the context of sustainability and repairability.

Maybe not.

What about you?

When was the last time you repaired your phone? Or any other device?

This article is part of a series titled Unlearning Consumption. You can read the first article “Why Do You Buy” here.

Why Do You Buy? Unlearning Consumption, Day 1