Back in the day, when we were kids, a pair of shoes lasted so long that we’d be praying for them to wear out just to get new ones. In the ’90s and early 2000s, it felt like everything was made to last. Now, it seems like everything’s designed to last... maybe two years.
My first mobile was a Nokia 3310, and if phone tech had somehow stopped there, aside from a few battery replacements, I might still be using that phone today.
Especially in the Android world, tech moves so fast that whatever you buy now will be outdone by something better next year. Apple’s a slower mover—case in point, the iPhone 16 Pro is basically a slightly larger 15 Pro.
I’ve got the 15 Pro, and after comparing it with the 16 Pro a few days ago, I can say that aside from a minor size difference, it’s the same phone. It even looks nearly identical to the 13 Pro, yet somehow, the 13 Pro is “already too old.”
One could easily just replace the phone’s battery every two years and avoid the need to buy a new one. But these newer phones are broken by design: battery replacements are tricky and expensive. For the 15 Pro, you actually have to remove the screen to access the battery.
That’s not something I’d get into myself, and I’m no stranger to DIY. But to replace this battery, you need a pro, and that costs money... making it easier just to replace your phone every one or two years and fork over hard-earned cash for a barely different model each time.
From what I’ve heard, the EU has a new law in the works to require manufacturers to make batteries replaceable in future models. I’d love to see that happen. My last phone with a removable battery was a Samsung S4 Mini.
But it’s not just phones that are broken by design. Our governance systems, clothing, cars—you name it—are all made to wear out. If phones lasted five to six years, you wouldn’t be spending so much on new ones.
If presidents didn’t need replacing every four years, maybe people would eventually see through the abuses of the system. They’d see that those who appear to be deciding a country’s direction aren’t really elected—they’re the ones who hand-pick the candidates.
One last question before I sign out: is Bitcoin in any way broken by default?
Thanks for your attention,
Adrian