What Technology Used To Look Like When It Lasted More Than 5 Years

The way our products and appliances used to work was that you would spend a big chunk of money upfront, but it would last you for a very long time. It seems like lately, there is a new business model.

The attention spans that we all seem to have for products are nothing like they used to be. Our grandparents generations all had the same fridges, couches, and televisions for decades, where as we find ours all break after 5 years. Is it us doing something wrong, or are the companies doing it on purpose? Turns out it might just be a bit of both!

Products life cycles seem to have changed drastically now that everything has a screen and a series of electronics. For example, when cellphones first came out they were essentially indestructible. Look at that old Nokia phone! It was essentially a weapon.

Phones now are basically out of date the second you have them in your hand and have left the store. There is a new model released every few months and if you want to keep up you've got to spend more money. Does that mean that everything is cheaper? It kind of depends what it is!

There is a strategy businesses use called "Planned Obsolescence" that explains the careful balance companies have to navigate. They can't replace things too often, otherwise their customers will just get annoyed. They have to make sure that each new version is worth the change.

That's why you always see these new devices that have flashy new specs like bigger screens, fast processors, or completely unique designs.

But sometimes it's just much more fun to remember a simpler time of buying one item that would last you several decades before peacefully wearing out. How many of these old products and appliances look familiar to you?

Click to the next page to see what everything looked like before everything had to be so technologically advanced.

Things used to be a lot simpler, how many of these items do you remember?

Gold-tinted appliances were all the rage

Seriously, why were all appliances yellow?

Oh, my mistake they could also be a nice shade of puke green

Old blenders used to work not that great, but we didn't buy a new one every year

Refrigerators used to last FOREVER. They didn't have screens in them, they didn't do anything other than keep your food cold, but they lasted for decades.

This brick of a phone was essentially a weapon. Nothing could break it.

Computers used to be SO expensive, and they also didn't do as much as they used to

Even gaming systems used to be much more of a special event

Now we all just have "Smart" everything. Our TVs are "Smart", our phones are "Smart", even our fridges are "Smart"!

Do you ever miss the way it used to be? Share your favorite retro tech in the comments!