8 ms·

> to show his/her concern for the people While I'd be happy for this plan to go through, I don't think most of the people will be happy with the side effects.

> to show his/her concern for the people While I'd be happy for this plan to go through, I don't think most of the people will be happy with the side effects. Especially because of the spare parts requirements, I guess manufacturers will 1) Withdraw from EU market. 2) Reduce number of models on offer. 3) Raise prices.

_ZeD_ 5y ago
it's still better than the actual state of million of phones filled with "abandonware"
- photon-torpedo 5y ago
  I agree it's better, just I doubt it'll be popular.
- worldofmatthew 5y ago
  It would also mean poor people being unable to afford these devices.
  - turbinerneiter 5y ago
    Do poor people not have a right to secure devices? Should it be legal to make cars for poor people without airbags and seatbelts? And are we really gonna argue that this idea would be for the benefit of the poor people?
spoonjim 5y ago
Who can afford to just withdraw from 25% of world GDP? That’s the leverage of unionization.
- robertlagrant 5y ago
  I'm not sure how unionisation is relevant, but lots of models of products target different regulatory regimes.
  - iso1631 5y ago
    By forming an economic union, the EU punches at a higher weight than it's constituent parts.
    - robertlagrant 5y ago
      Oh, I see!
onli 5y ago
1. No enterprise will withdraw from the EU market because of this. There are too many customers with too much money in the EU. It's a bigger market than the US. 2. That would actually be good, the amount of models aims at confusing customers. But also: Why would that happen? Many models can (and do) share the same spare parts. 3. Prices are already as high as they can be. They do not get lowered because production gets less expensive, they get lowered because of competition. This might have an effect on prices if the competition was very high and profit span very thin - which might be the case for the cheapest budget phones. For something like an iPhone? To my knowledge they are already utterly overpriced, as is tradition (https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2017/11/08/apple-iphonex-profit-margin-price-cost/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2017/11/08/apple-iph...), then it will have no effect there.
- worldofmatthew 5y ago
  So, the price rises hit the poorest. Fantastic.....
  - Hackbraten 5y ago
    Buying a phone that lasts you seven years may still be cheaper than buying two.
    - worldofmatthew 5y ago
      Your average person breaks devices before than and you expect people to have access to a load of money at once?
      - danhor 5y ago
        A very capable smartphone currently costs ~200€, so if prices rise by 50% (an unbelievable amount), that would be 300€. Certainly not nothing, but car repairs or a new dishwasher are much more expensive. I expect the poorest to benefit the most from extended longevity, since more affluent people "need" the better camera or a more fashionable design the most. I know quite a few people with >3 year old smartphones, but mostly with custom roms, since stock firmware isn't usable anymore.
odiroot 5y ago
> 2) Reduce number of models on offer. I see this as a big plus. Not a fan of Apple but they did get this one right (at least in the past).
Hackbraten 5y ago
4) Use components for which open-source drivers are available. Phone vendors would then be able to build the drivers from source, possibly reducing the cost of shipping updates.
ksec 5y ago
In the modern day Smartphone market you are practically dealing with three groups. Apple, Samsung and Chinese Brands. These three represent over 80% of market and closing it to 90%. 1) Withdraw from EU market - I guess most people dont realise EU as a market itself is 2nd just behind US. 2) Reduce number of models on offer - Parts aren't that different across models. 3) Most likely answer - Although it doesn't cost that much at all. You can still get a 7 years old iPhone 6 repaired, it is just costly, as it did 7 years ago. The incentive pushes you to buy a new Phone.
krageon 5y ago
> withdraw Come on. Every time the EU tries to implement a consumer protection a whole contingent of people comes here to say that this will cause companies to leave the EU. China is so much worse in terms of constrictive laws and regulations and you can plainly see that companies don't care. They adapt and sell, that's how they work.

_ZeD_ 5y ago

it's still better than the actual state of million of phones filled with "abandonware"

photon-torpedo 5y ago
I agree it's better, just I doubt it'll be popular.
worldofmatthew 5y ago
It would also mean poor people being unable to afford these devices.
- turbinerneiter 5y ago
  Do poor people not have a right to secure devices? Should it be legal to make cars for poor people without airbags and seatbelts? And are we really gonna argue that this idea would be for the benefit of the poor people?

spoonjim 5y ago

Who can afford to just withdraw from 25% of world GDP? That’s the leverage of unionization.

robertlagrant 5y ago
I'm not sure how unionisation is relevant, but lots of models of products target different regulatory regimes.
- iso1631 5y ago
  By forming an economic union, the EU punches at a higher weight than it's constituent parts.
  - robertlagrant 5y ago
    Oh, I see!

onli 5y ago

1. No enterprise will withdraw from the EU market because of this. There are too many customers with too much money in the EU. It's a bigger market than the US. 2. That would actually be good, the amount of models aims at confusing customers. But also: Why would that happen? Many models can (and do) share the same spare parts. 3. Prices are already as high as they can be. They do not get lowered because production gets less expensive, they get lowered because of competition. This might have an effect on prices if the competition was very high and profit span very thin - which might be the case for the cheapest budget phones. For something like an iPhone? To my knowledge they are already utterly overpriced, as is tradition (https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2017/11/08/apple-iphonex-profit-margin-price-cost/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2017/11/08/apple-iph...), then it will have no effect there.

worldofmatthew 5y ago
So, the price rises hit the poorest. Fantastic.....
- Hackbraten 5y ago
  Buying a phone that lasts you seven years may still be cheaper than buying two.
  - worldofmatthew 5y ago
    Your average person breaks devices before than and you expect people to have access to a load of money at once?
    - danhor 5y ago
      A very capable smartphone currently costs ~200€, so if prices rise by 50% (an unbelievable amount), that would be 300€. Certainly not nothing, but car repairs or a new dishwasher are much more expensive. I expect the poorest to benefit the most from extended longevity, since more affluent people "need" the better camera or a more fashionable design the most. I know quite a few people with >3 year old smartphones, but mostly with custom roms, since stock firmware isn't usable anymore.

odiroot 5y ago

> 2) Reduce number of models on offer. I see this as a big plus. Not a fan of Apple but they did get this one right (at least in the past).

Hackbraten 5y ago

4) Use components for which open-source drivers are available. Phone vendors would then be able to build the drivers from source, possibly reducing the cost of shipping updates.

ksec 5y ago

In the modern day Smartphone market you are practically dealing with three groups. Apple, Samsung and Chinese Brands. These three represent over 80% of market and closing it to 90%. 1) Withdraw from EU market - I guess most people dont realise EU as a market itself is 2nd just behind US. 2) Reduce number of models on offer - Parts aren't that different across models. 3) Most likely answer - Although it doesn't cost that much at all. You can still get a 7 years old iPhone 6 repaired, it is just costly, as it did 7 years ago. The incentive pushes you to buy a new Phone.

krageon 5y ago

> withdraw Come on. Every time the EU tries to implement a consumer protection a whole contingent of people comes here to say that this will cause companies to leave the EU. China is so much worse in terms of constrictive laws and regulations and you can plainly see that companies don't care. They adapt and sell, that's how they work.