One day your phone will stop updating. Here's why.

It was announced last week that a compulsory new update for WhatsApp will not support iPhone 5s, 6, and 6 Plus, making the app obsolete on these older iterations of Apple’s smartphone. 

This taps into a wider trend of planned obsolescence, with big tech companies tending to only provide software updates on consumer devices for a limited number of years. In fact, on average, manufacturers only offer software updates for smartphones for around 7 years. When this period ends, older smartphones (and subsequently important everyday apps used for things like messaging and banking) essentially become useless bricks due to not aligning with the latest security features. 

By following this approach big tech is “not favoring less affluent populations” claims Nina Quellier, head of brand activism at Back Market, who believes the public shouldn’t be forced into constantly spending out, especially during a cost of living crisis. 

“At some point, you will be forced to change models and get a more recent one and that’s all because the goal of tech giants is to encourage regular purchases,” Quellier adds. “On average, people keep a smartphone for 2.5 years, even though we should be able to make them last much longer!” 

Yet there’s hope on the horizon. Thanks to the Right to Repair movement, consumer interests are now being taken into account. Supported by Back Market, Right to Repair has a core mission of extending the life of devices like computers and smartphones by making their repair a “fundamental right” and refurbishment far easier than the current standards.

Even though there are legal changes afoot in Europe that will require manufacturers to ensure a minimum of five years of software support for devices, Right to Repair considers these insufficient. It is instead pushing for models to be compatible with new feature updates for a minimum of 10 years, while security updates for 15 years. “Additionally, separating security updates from other updates can streamline the process, making it easier for users to maintain their devices without compromising security,” explains Alexandre Tanay, public affairs manager at Back Market. “And this should not be exclusive to smartphones.” 

“[Old] devices end up in landfills. This is why it is an absolute necessity to extend the life of our phones using software maintenance to make them more repairable.” 

So, keeping our dustier, more weathered iPhones and PCs alive and functioning with the latest software and security protocols is much more important than many might first assume. “There is a social and economic injustice in limiting the use of our electronic devices,” agrees Quellier. “We should be able to keep them longer, especially when they are described at each release as the ‘best piece of technology ever conceived’”. 

Aside from how costly it is for the average person to keep updating their everyday devices, there’s also an ecological cost that comes with big tech constantly pushing consumers into upgrading. E-waste is the fastest-growing solid waste stream in the world. In 2022 alone there was an estimated 62 million tonnes of e-waste produced globally, of which only 22.3% was documented as formally collected or recycled. 

Quellier asks: “Where do all those former devices end up? In landfills, in your drawers, and thrown away. And the saddest part is that only a small portion is then recycled. This is why it is an absolute necessity to extend the life of our devices using software maintenance to make them more repairable.” 

So, the next time a shiny advertisement makes you consider upgrading your phone, think twice and also consider how supporting Right To Repair will add a fairer balance to our everyday lives.