The everyday person is affected by the rapid changes in technology, largely enforced by large tech companies. The technology race has largely raised the prices of the everyday items which we need to go about our day to day such as smartphones and laptops making buying what we need very very expensive. It also means that much of us have to dispose of our ‘old’ and yet still very useable accessories such as headphones, chargers and even whole phones and laptops which still had years in them.

 

This not only makes cost of living more expensive for everyone, but also drives up our environmental impact as a society. This race leaves many required to dispose of good quality electrical goods even if they still wish to use them. And many do not know how to dispose of such items appropriately.

 

Especially after the pandemic has hit the economy of the UK (and other countries) increasing the cost of living for everyone. There is a real need for tech giants to maintain the simple things in their new products such as headphone jacks and DVD/CD drives in their tech as well as provide cheaper and useable options. We as the public should not have to feel cornered to buy a £1000 phone or laptop because our previous one was broken and then have to buy all new accessories to make the item useable to us.

 

If you have such questions as:

 

Why can’t I use my old headphones on my new smartphone? Why must I now by a new adaptor to continue to use my previous charger for my smartphone? Why can’t I buy a cheaper version with reduced features that I don’t need?

 

Or for other technology such as laptops. Why can’t I play my dvds/CDs as I’ve done before on my new laptop without buying a new DVD/CD plug-in? Why can’t I buy a laptop that has adequate usb and other ports?

 

Or you simply don’t agree with the consumerism with which we appear to be forced into by large tech firms.

You wish for them to provide more repair services to make ‘old tech’ last longer.

You wish for them to allow you to continue to use your old and still useable accessories with new items.

You wish for tech giants to make steps in reducing their environmental impact and the indirect environmental impact they place on users who do not have the option of continuing to use older accessories.

 

Please then sign this petition to call upon the likes of Apple, Samsung, Sony and Microsoft to place on the market alternatives to their expensive products to allow users to continue to use their old accessories and to reduce unnecessary disposal of their useable items. To help users save money by supporting and providing repair services to allow users to use items for longer and to improve upon their environmental impact on the planet.

 

Thank you!