Your phone's battery was engineered to degrade. Your laptop was designed to slow down. Your tablet was built to become obsolete. Nobody asked if that was OK. In 2026, the European Union's new battery regulation goes into effect, requiring all consumer electronics sold in the EU to have user-replaceable batteries. Apple, Samsung, and every other manufacturer must now allow you to fix the device you own. This regulation exists because, corporations have been running a decades-long conspiracy to ensure your devices die on schedule. It's called planned obsolescence, and you've been paying for it with every "upgrade" you never needed. The Conspiracy of Failure Planned obsolescence isn't a theory. It's a business strategy: The Definition: Deliberately designing products to fail after a predetermined period Making repair difficult or impossible to force replacement Using software to slow down functional hardware Creating artificial scarcity of replacement parts The History: 1924: Phoebus Cartel (light bulb manufacturers) agrees to limit bulb lifespan to 1,000 hours 1950s: GM and Ford design cars with annual cosmetic changes to encourage replacement 2000s: Software updates begin slowing older devices 2017: Apple admits to throttling iPhones with aging batteries The Present: Your phone battery is glued in place Your laptop uses proprietary screws Your tablet can't be opened without special tools Your smartwatch battery dies in 2-3 years and can't be replaced "If we made devices that lasted forever, we'd only sell each customer once. That's not a business model. That's a charity." — What we imagine corporate boardrooms sound like The Apple Example Apple is the master of planned obsolescence, though they'd never admit it: The Battery Throttling Scandal (2017): Apple secretly slowed down older iPhones The stated reason: preventing unexpected shutdowns from degraded batteries The actual effect: making old phones feel slow, encouraging upgrades The settlement: $500 million (approximately $25 per affected user) The Repair Hostility: Proprietary screws prevent easy opening Parts pairing makes third-party repairs impossible Apple Store repairs cost nearly as much as new devices Independent repair shops are systematically undermined The Software Slowdown: New iOS versions are optimized for new hardware Older devices struggle with updates Users face choice: slow phone or security vulnerabilities The "upgrade cycle" is artificially accelerated The Environmental Cost: Millions of functional devices discarded annually E-waste is the fastest-growing waste stream Mining for new devices devastates developing nations The carbon footprint of constant replacement is staggering The Samsung Situation Samsung isn't innocent either: The Android Update Problem: Samsung devices receive 2-4 years of updates (vs. Apple's 5-7) After support ends, devices become security risks Users forced to replace functional hardware for software support The Repair Resistance: Samsung has historically resisted right-to-repair legislation Parts availability is limited after a few years Repair documentation is restricted Third-party repair voids warranty The Foldable Fragility: Galaxy Fold screens fail at alarming rates Hinge mechanisms degrade within 1-2 years Repair costs approach replacement costs The technology is arguably not ready for market The EU Fights Back The European Union has decided that consumers deserve better: The New Battery Regulation (2026): All consumer electronics must have user-replaceable batteries Manufacturers must provide battery replacement instructions Batteries must be available for purchase separately Tools required for replacement must be standard What This Means: Your next phone will have a battery you can swap No more $100+ battery replacements at the manufacturer Devices can last longer with fresh batteries The upgrade cycle slows down The Industry Response: Claims that replaceable batteries make devices thicker Arguments that water resistance will be compromised Predictions of higher device prices Lobbying against similar US legislation these are excuses, not reasons. Phones had replaceable batteries for decades. The industry can adapt. The US Regulatory Vacuum While the EU acts, the United States does... less: The Federal Situation: No federal law against planned obsolescence FTC has authority but rarely uses it Washington Law Review calling for enforcement Congress has introduced but not passed right-to-repair bills The State Situation: Some states have passed right-to-repair laws Most are limited in scope Industry lobbying blocks stronger protections Patchwork of inconsistent regulations The Washington Law Review Analysis: Planned obsolescence may violate FTC Act Section 5 Deceptive practices when failure is designed but undisclosed Unfair practices when consumers have no repair options The FTC has the authority but not the will The Right to Repair Movement Consumers are fighting back: The Movement: Growing coalition of consumers, repair shops, and environmentalists State-by-state legislative campaigns Public pressure on manufacturers DIY repair communities (iFixit, etc.) The Arguments For: You own the device; you should be able to fix it Repair is more environmentally friendly than replacement Local repair shops create jobs Competition lowers repair costs The Arguments Against (from manufacturers): Safety concerns with third-party repairs Intellectual property protection Quality control issues Security vulnerabilities The Rebuttal: Cars have user-serviceable parts and safety isn't compromised You don't need IP protection to change a battery Quality control is the manufacturer's problem, not the consumer's Security through obscurity isn't security The Environmental Catastrophe Planned obsolescence isn't just annoying. It's destroying the planet: The E-Waste Crisis: 50+ million tons of e-waste generated annually Only 20% is formally recycled Toxic materials leach into soil and water Developing nations bear the disposal burden The Resource Extraction: New devices require mining rare earth minerals Mining devastates markets and communities Supply chains involve human rights abuses The environmental cost is externalized The Carbon Footprint: Manufacturing a smartphone produces 70+ kg of CO2 Extending device life by 1 year reduces emissions significantly The EU estimates 30% of emissions could be reduced through longer device lifespans Planned obsolescence accelerates climate change The Circular Economy: Repair and reuse are more sustainable than recycle and replace Designing for longevity reduces resource consumption The current model is linear: extract, manufacture, discard We need circular: repair, reuse, recycle Naming the Problem Immediate Actions: Support right-to-repair legislation in your state Buy from manufacturers with better repairability scores Use devices as long as possible before replacing Learn basic repair skills (iFixit has great guides) Consumer Pressure: Demand repairability information before purchasing Choose devices with replaceable batteries when available Support independent repair shops Share repair success stories Political Action: Contact your representatives about right-to-repair bills Support organizations fighting for repair rights Vote for candidates who support consumer protection Attend public hearings on repair legislation Environmental Impact: Properly recycle e-waste through certified recyclers Donate functional devices instead of discarding Consider refurbished devices for your next purchase Calculate the true cost of "cheap" electronics The Net Effect Your phone was designed to die. Your laptop was engineered to slow down. Your tablet was built to become obsolete. This isn't a conspiracy theory—it's a business model documented in corporate strategy meetings and shareholder presentations. The EU's new battery regulation is a step toward changing this. But until the United States and other nations follow suit, we'll continue living in a world where the devices we depend on are designed to fail. They didn't ask if your device should be built to last. They just made sure it wasn't. Remember: The most sustainable phone is the one you already own. Use it until it truly dies—not until it's designed to. --- _This article is part of our ongoing coverage of corporate overreach. For more on consumer rights and corporate accountability, see our investigation into food additives banned in the EU but legal in the US and the history of corporate lies._