It used to be easy to own things. You simply went to the shop. You bought something from the store, including a TV, clothes or books. After you paid off the item, you took it home. It was yours. It was yours to do with as you pleased. This is not the case today. By 2030 technology may have made it obsolete to even own objects.AdvertisementMany think pieces have been written about how Millennials don't want to own as much as their predecessors. After years of Boomers following the Joneses, Millennials are supposedly more interested in the experience than the physical goods. While there is some truth to that statement, the shift towards services was already telegraphed long ago.In 2016, the World Economic Forum published a Facebook video that included eight predictions for 2030. You won't own anything. It says that you will be happy. You can rent anything you like. It will be delivered by drone.Forbes published another WEF essay that said everything you once considered a product has become a service. Access to transport, accommodation, food and other necessities is available. All these things were free and it became less practical to have much.AdvertisementAlthough the WEFs framing may seem optimistic, this is what we are rapidly moving towards. My apartment and all its appliances are rented to me. All my clothes and furniture could be rented if I so desired. Although I do have my own phone and computer, there are many people who use company-issued devices. If I did not want to use company-issued gadgets, I could always rent them. I enjoy cooking and grocery shopping. I could sign up for a meal service and call it quits. I don't need any appliances, such as rice cookers, blenders or air fryers. There are three options: Zipcar, Uber, Citi Bikes and Citi Bikes.Perhaps you are wondering what the problem is. Consumption is exhausting and ownership isn't as ideal as it seems. It is sometimes easier to not own things. There are fewer obligations, less responsibility and more freedom to bail out whenever you wish. There are many benefits to owning less. However, there is a problem.Your software is not yoursYou are trading your autonomy for convenience when you don't own anything. The Internet of Things is the best place to start to unravel the story.Peloton's Tread+ treadmill was recalled after several children, pets, as well as adults, were hurt by the machine. Tread Lock, a software update that required a 4-digit passcode to protect the machine from unauthorized use, was part of the solution. This factor played into at least some of these injuries. Users had to read the fine print online after the Just Run feature of Tread+ was made unavailable to them. This allowed Peloton owners to run their own classes without having to pay for a subscription.AdvertisementPeloton was able to give all Tread+ owners three months of membership for free while it worked to make it possible to activate Tread Lock and Just Run simultaneously, without the need to subscribe. It is possible to argue that most Peloton Tread+ owners were not angry about the offer. However, those who were angry cited the principles of the matter. They had spent over $4,000 on a treadmill, which should have given them the freedom to use the Tread+ as they pleased. Peloton was who?You don't own a device that requires proprietary software. You pay an entry fee and nothing else for the money you give.These Terms and Conditions of UseYou agree to live a life that is defined by another person's terms when everything is on a lease.Sonos announced the retirement of its legacy speakers in 2020. Many of them were still functional. This caused outrage. Users had purchased hardware expecting that their one-time transaction would mean they owned the devices. They didn't. Sonos effectively leased the hardware to consumers who purchased those devices. Sonos has the final say on when a device's life ends.AdvertisementWhoop is another company that offers this service. It's a fitness tracker that focuses primarily on recovery. The tracker is free. It will be sent to you by Whoop because it knows that the tracker is not the product. Access to the app is the product. To access it, you will need to pay $30 per month.Servers are required for connected devices. Servers are expensive. A one-time fee that you, as the consumer, pay to a server company doesn't help them keep the lights on. This is why planned obsolescence exists. This is why Apple, a company known for its hardware has started to pivot to services in 2019. Fitbit launched a premium subscription tier and Netflix is looking to crack down on password sharing. Every other entertainment company is creating their own streaming service, instead of licensing content to Hulu.Servers are required for connected devices. Servers are expensive. A one-time fee is charged to the consumer. This doesn't help the company pay its bills.Hardware is just a container for software, and doesn't have any real value. An organization will decide when to stop providing updates. It may also decide what to do with the product when it is no longer needed.AdvertisementSonos offered an option for customers to recycle old gadgets and receive a discount on newer products before it retired legacy products. You could sell it, donate it, toss it out or keep it in your basement if you didn't want it. You had to agree to brick your device and send it back or drop it off at an electronic waste recycler to get the discount. This decision was later reversed by Sonos, but only after significant backlash.Sonos legacy devices were actually four options that users had. However, the company stacked the deck to guide consumers in a certain direction. All legacy devices could be thrown out. Participation in the upgrade program is possible. With the understanding that Sonos will likely cease providing security updates as the time passes, you could still use the devices. You could divide speakers that were both old and new into two groups if you have a mixture of them. Because Sonos' new app doesn't support older speakers, consumers can no longer group legacy and new devices. If you wish to continue using Sonos services, the second option is the best. You have the option to upgrade now or later or just leave.This is the reality in a service-first society. Companies now have the power, while consumers are forced to choose the least expensive option. Users don't have much choice. The internet is considered a utility now, and it's not like we can place connected devices back in Pandoras box. While you might be able opt out right now, it will become increasingly difficult to do so. You only have the illusion that you have a choice. This is not a new phenomenon. This isn't a new trend. Technology advances have made it harder to choose, even though companies say they have more options.The root of the problem: DMCAThis can be traced back to Section 1201 (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) which makes it illegal for digital locks to protect a company's proprietary software. Big Tech can void your warranty by jailbreaking certain devices, or forcing you to pay more to have a device repaired by an authorized shop. Over the years, activists have been granted exemptions from the DMCA. However, there is always a lag. The Copyright Office reviews new exemptions only every three years. Three years in tech is a long time.AdvertisementAs long as everyone can legally own ideas, the utopian future that the WEF has proposed won't be realized. For decades, companies have maintained that software ownership does not mean you can only license hardware. What happens if the company that controls your smart home of tomorrow gives you an outdated update? What happens if they remove a feature that you depend on and love? It is difficult enough to switch from iPhone to Android, Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa to macOS, and vice versa. Imagine doing this for your entire house and all the devices that are connected to it. Your thermostat, refrigerator, light bulbs, picture frames, TVs, beds and any other connected gadgets you don't know yet. Some people might have the strength to do it. But most of us will not. You'll probably settle for the easiest option.This is an example: Recently, I moved into a new apartment. It is in a beautiful building with many amenities thanks to covid-19 pricing. I receive emails when packages arrive. When someone picks up the packages, I get a fob which grants me access to different parts of the building. I can access seven apps that allow me to control doors, access the pool, pay rent and request maintenance. I also have access to a mini social network for all those who live in this building. It's very convenient, until it isn't.The fob that allows you to enter and leave the garage was lost one day. My husband and me were effectively trapped. We had two options: wait for someone to find our family or get help from staff. He sought my help, while I waited. The fobs didn't work again and he was forced to stay in an elevator. We were separated and trapped for a good 30 minutes. It was then that we had to wait for building staff to find us. It was a stark reminder of the fact that, for as much rent we pay, we only have temporary access to this building. We don't know if our key fobs will allow us to access the gym, pool and service elevator. We don't know if the management company will alter or discontinue access to the apps that allow renters to pay rent, make maintenance requests, grant access to friends and family, or reserve common areas.That's the problem with renting. This is nonsense, surely? To a certain extent. In the future, if a house is purchased, the software it runs will be rented. You will not be able to control the software updates or features that are removed. Even if you wish to keep the house as it is, you will have less control over how you renovate or update your home. You may not be allowed to make DIY repairs. You might not be allowed to fix your smart washer yourself, but you can choose which shop will do it. John Deere and Apple are just a few of the many companies that you can look at. These companies all argued that customers who purchased their products were not allowed to repair them, unless the shop was pre-approved.AdvertisementIt is true that this sounds horrible if you are able to think about principles. It is hard to make decisions every day. And it is easier when you have fewer options. If your life is simplified for the most part it's easy to ignore a problem. Is that not what every tech company claims it is trying to do? Making your life easier. Living in a home that is self-sustaining and manageable is enough.
