https://www.npr.org/2019/03/27/707188193/the-phoebus-cartel
Summary of the Throughline podcast:
Have you ever wondered why your smartphone or toaster oven doesn't seem to last very long, even though technology is becoming better and better? This week, in a special collaboration with Planet Money, we bring you the history of planned obsolescence – the idea that products are designed to break.
Have you ever wondered why your smartphone or toaster oven doesn't seem to last very long, even though technology is becoming better and better? This week, in a special collaboration with Planet Money, we bring you the history of planned obsolescence – the idea that products are designed to break.
Essential question of the podcast:
the idea that products are designed to break
the idea that products are designed to break
Timeline:
- Planned obsolescence is the idea that companies are breaking products so we the consumer can buy more.
- Part 1
- In 1879 Thomas Edison introduces the first commercially viable light bulb
- Small history of an internal light called Byron the light bulb an internal light bulb which would never fade out
- Light bulb has been burning since 1901 (118 years)
- Some light manufactures called phibus want to stop this light bulb and destroy it.
- Light bulb market starts booming by the time the infinite light bulb came out.
- periods where companies where making very durable light bulbs
- Osram is the biggest manufacture of light bulbs in Germany.
- 1923 was a bad year for Osram
- The head of Osram William Minehart decides to get all the light bulb companies to rule the world of light bulb productions
- 1924 in Giniva Switzerland a secret meeting happens which they formed a secret cartel to control the market of light bulbs
- A big organization called the Phoebus Cartel forms which planned to increase sales by bringing down the lifespan of a bulb down
- They agreed on 2,00 hrs life span to 1,00hrs life span of a light bulb. Intentionally reducing the life spawn to increase sales.
- In 1929 the cartel has stared having fines of 304,000 Swiss Francs
- Phibus helped us move towards a more unified system.
- The reason thier is one incandescent light bulb threads that screws into some sort of socket and it partly because of Phibus.
- The General Electric a U.S. electric company was part of phibus resulting in illegall alleged practices in 1953.
- Part 2
- A dark art of a different obsolescence
- At the turn of the 20th century automobiles are getting popualr
- In particular one automobile the Ford Model T
- This car was geared towards mem
- Alfred P. Sloan.
- Electrical engineer.
- Graduates MIT in 1895.
- By 1918 got the eyes of genral motors.
- Introduced diffrent makes and models.
- He made better automobiles better than Henry Ford like a more comftorable experience and colors.
- A company called dupont tried to create duable paint and sloan would try to market them towards women.
- Sloans cars were obsolescence in the forms of fashion.
- In 1927 Henry Ford stopped production of his Model T to compete with the gerneral motor products.
- New car called Model A
- To create a brand new marketing strategy
- Sloan was figuring out ways to get in out heads through what the consumer wants
- The last part psychological obsolescence has to do with what markets and advertisers started doing in the 1920s
- Selling products based on pride and shame.
- By making every new car more desirable than the last.
- Part 3
- The Iphone
- In 2017 Iphone users were noticing after they have updated their software phones started to slow down.
- Apple said they were doing it for their own good. Saying slowing down older phones they wont crash as much.
- In order for people to buy the newest Iphone.
- Apple is a modern master of a differnet obsolescence.
- Their marketing strategy skeem to get people to buy a new Iphone year after year based on specs and looks.
- The strongest obsolescence is in our head and we cant stop it if we can.