A device that still works, but can no longer be updated. This is the reason why many French people decide to get rid of them, says a recent study published by Back Market. At a time when Microsoft has decided to end support for Windows 10, this survey of 1,030 people takes on a very different resonance and reveals that two out of three French people have already faced software or hardware obsolescence.
Worse yet, 60% were forced to get rid of a device that still worked, but was no longer receiving updates. 33% even went so far as to throw it away just for this reason. A figure that rises to 40% among young people between 18 and 24 years old.
A problem that will accelerate
The consequences of planned obsolescence do not end there. The study also reveals that 62% of French people have been forced to repurchase accessories that have become incompatible. And this problem will accelerate with the end of support for Windows 10 this Tuesday, October 14, Back Market highlights.
In total, up to 400 million PCs worldwide are affected. And if Microsoft is going to conditionally offer a one-year deferral to users who will benefit from free security updates, companies, schools and associations will have to pay to receive them.
An economic and ecological problem
However, the French have decided to no longer take this planned obsolescence into account. 79% continue using their device, even if it can no longer be updated. Which is obviously a very dangerous situation since it exposes the user to potential cyber attacks. But this position is not hasty. Many of these reluctant users are aware of its impact on their budget, but also on the ecological footprint.
72% see it as an incentive to consume excessively. A figure that, however, falls to 55% among young people aged 18 to 24 and rises to 83% among those aged 65 and over, a sign of a difference in perception between generations. 62% also believe that the increase in electronic waste is one of the main consequences of planned obsolescence.
Considering that manufacturers are responsible for this harmful race forward, 96% of French people expect them to “concretely commit to making the manufacture of sustainable products the norm.” One of the ways, according to them, to “free ourselves from the all-disposable cycle.” Among others, 95% of those surveyed also call for the effective establishment of a “real” right to reparation.
Source: BFM TV
