Glossary / Planned obsolescence

Planned obsolescence

Designing or supporting a product so it becomes outdated or unsupported on a schedule, nudging customers to upgrade — often recast as progress.

Introduced in Chapter 17 — The Swatch Moment of Tangibles.

Related terms

• Perceptual map — A chart of how the market perceives competing products across two feature dimensions — reflecting the customer's mind, not the maker's intent.
• Positioning audit — A disciplined check of a product's market position that can catch a doomed concept before significant capital is committed.
• Parts pairing — Electronically binding each replacement component to a specific device so firmware rejects unauthorized parts — a core mechanism behind repair restrictions.
• Positioning map — A view of where competing products sit in the customer's mind along the dimensions buyers actually care about — used to find a defensible gap before building.