Planned Obsolescence in Smart TVs Due to Lack of Storage
Between 2015 and 2020, leading brands such as Samsung, LG, and Sony marketed televisions with a ridiculously low storage capacity ranging from 4 to 8 GB. This limitation became evident immediately, as the operating system consumed a large part of the available space, leaving minimal room for essential applications. 📺
The Problem Worsens Over Time
Mass streaming platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video progressively increased their storage requirements, completely overwhelming the internal memory of these devices. Owners faced technical impossibilities to install new applications, perform security updates, or simply maintain the basic system performance.
Technical limitations implemented by manufacturers:- Locked system partitions that prevent space freeing
- Absence of expansion options via USB ports or SD slots
- Automatic updates that consume resources without user authorization
Manufacturers seem to incentivize us to change TVs as frequently as we renew our wardrobe, all under the pretext of technological advancement.
Partial Solutions in Contemporary Models
The latest versions have incorporated expanded storage (16-32 GB) and optimized systems like Google TV or renewed Tizen. These improvements provide a smoother experience and delay memory saturation, but do not resolve the situation for the millions of units sold during the critical period.
Features of the affected models:- Fully functional main hardware (high-quality screens)
- Inaccessible software due to storage limitations
- Impossibility of updating critical components
Environmental and Economic Impact
This situation creates a significant ecological dilemma, where electronic devices with years of remaining useful life are discarded prematurely. The forced functional obsolescence turns these TVs into direct contributors to the global electronic waste problem, while consumers face complex economic decisions without real technical justification. 🌍