Hardware is not even the biggest issue imho. Software/firmware is even much worse. How is it possible to sell a phone that does not even get updates for 5 years. And why is Fairphone, Google Pixel and iPhone standing out with only 5 ish years.
Luckily the EU is currently working on that.
IMO its fine for vendors to abandon their products but they should be required to release all technical documentation and software used with the device into the public domain so enthusiasts can continue where companies stopped.
Exactly. Right to Repair should include software and whatnot, not just parts and schematics.
I’m continually mystified as to why companies don’t want to release the old technical documentation and software. Is it all so bad that they are THAT embarrassed to show it?
The changes for the company in releasing old software is minor, the vast majority of users don’t have the skill to deploy it and people who do have the skill can earn enough money doing a variety of technical work that repairing old phones isn’t going to be an attractive option.
What portion of phones capable of running LineageOS etc end up being used in that way? 1%?
Fair point re: software. Part of manufacturing products that don’t need to be thrown away would entail longer software support, naturally.
But realistically, software was never an issue 15+ years ago, when your toaster and microwave weren’t connected to the internet and your fridge didn’t have a large tablet interface.
I think we would all do better by having a few more “dumb, but immortal” products in our lives.
Exactly.
Why can’t I buy a decent dumb TV? I get that people want smart TVs, but surely there’s a decent market for people who really don’t need those features and would be happier with a simpler product. I’m absolutely part of that market, and I’m sure there are others.
I generally prefer simpler devices, and it was difficult buying a fridge with decent longevity (i.e. limited smart crap, ice maker in the freezer instead of fridge, etc). That’s becoming more and more difficult, and large appliances have shorter and shorter lifespans (I had my compressor die twice in <10 years in my LG fridge… fridges used to last 15+ years).
I generally prefer simpler devices, and it was difficult buying a fridge with decent longevity (i.e. limited smart crap, ice maker in the freezer instead of fridge, etc). That’s becoming more and more difficult, and large appliances have shorter and shorter lifespans (I had my compressor die twice in <10 years in my LG fridge… fridges used to last 15+ years).
I should say that my current fridge is 27 years old and has NEVER had a problem (other than over-stuffed crisper drawers being broken).
I was reading that the average life for a fridge is 10-15 years, and I can’t honestly believe they are being made so poorly these days. They are such simple appliances, and I dread the day when I have to replace this one for a modern version.
But I’d love for my next TV to be a dumb TV. All the features my LG tv has just gets in the way of using it. LOL
Yeah, seriously. Phones work fine hardware-wise for much longer than they get software updates for. If a company has to choose between supporting their existing model or making a new phone in terms of workload, they should support their existing model until at least most of the people who bought the phone when it was new now have physically broken phones.
The new Pixel is 7 years, which really should be the norm.
I’d really rather use a Linux phone, but a mix of closed modems and other non-technical issues are causing headaches. But theoretically, support on those devices could be indefinite because I could patch it myself if needed.
I just want a simple headphone jack that has worked for like the last century instead of relying on flaky Bluetooth that becomes a physical fingerprint, but apparently that’s too much to ask for in phones now
It would also be nice to have a microsd slot like my crappy flip phone had almost 20 years ago, instead of paying out the nose for non-upgradeable storage.
I worry that it’ll just become a million distros with incompatible apps and dumb shit like that. Bad enough we have to have 5 or 6 guides for each piece of software on Linux.
Im.glad apt, yum and systemd exist.
I think we’ll largely just piggy back off Android, kind of like WINE/Proton does for Windows stuff. There will probably be a few flavors of that, but it’ll all essentially be the same thing.
But who knows, I’d like that to be the problem we have instead of current problem where basic functionality doesn’t work reliabiably (like waking to receive a call/text).
I had an iPad I won from work and Apple successfully turned it into a paperweight. I had to do these convoluted things just to get apps installed, because the app store refused to install them on an old device. Apple and it’s walled garden are very much to blame, Steve Jobs perfected modern day planned obsolescence and the company does everything it can to ensure even small failures require a device replacement.