Have you ever worked anywhere in the product development cycle, as an engineer, designer, or product manager?
Have I? No- but we dealt with a fella from a company who was hired for their obsolescence department- We dealt with thigns such as dehumidifers, washing machiens etc and was commentign on how they didn’;t last very long (we bought several new dehumidifiers and they were fubarred within a few months time under a year- tried a couple of brands too- We got ahold of an old old one at a garage sale- looked like it wouldn’t work, but have been using it for several years now- no fancy electronics, thing rattles terrible, but it just keeps working-) and the fella described his job to us and how they are designed that way now- although usually they last longer than ours did-
Toasters are another item that fail quickly these days- Again- we got ahold of an old model- and it just works- it aitn pretty- no shiny chrome or anythign electronic about it- handle is busted- but still works-
Anectdotal evidences I know, but backed up with what the fella described about his department- I believe things are designed ot break and stop working much quicker htese days- Heck- we even have a washing machine decades old now- had to replace a few minor parts- but still working- no expensive elctronics panels to replace- no diagnostic tools needed - just replace rubber parts or dial knob, or whatever- and it keeps on working-