Better yet, it would be great if my earbuds were somehow still chargeable and able to pair without the proprietary case. That might result in bulkier earbuds and/or extra components, but it would allow me to use my otherwise functioning earbuds.
There’s value in a gadget being able to “work even when it fails,” which is one of the principles that the Calm Tech Institute applies to its certifications and teachings around human-centric gadget design.
Amber Case, founder of the Calm Tech Institute, suggested universal earbud charging cases as a potential solution to problems like mine. She compared proprietary cases to having to go to a special gas station to find a compatible pump for your car. She said:
… many companies have made a few business missteps and found it impossible to satisfy both quarterly growth and customer loyalty. Your perfectly functional earbuds becoming e-waste over one missing component show how a lot of companies have to keep up, can’t look long term, and have trouble maintaining manufacturing after specific dates.
Case pointed to companies like Bosch that, contrastingly, have used lifetime customer support as a competitive advantage and a way to better profits by driving higher prices, customer retention, and word-of-mouth marketing. She added:
There are other family-run companies that can offer product support for years, but they’re very stable, multigenerational, and they don’t go public or try to work with quarterly reports. They might not make headlines either, but they’ll be around when these flash in the pan types turn to the dust they came from.
Back to the drawer
I asked EPOS about the environmental implications of shuttering its gaming business after three years. The company representative said:
As part of the transition away from our gaming business, we’ve worked to ensure a responsible wind-down and to maintain support for existing customers. We always aim to minimize waste and maximize usability where possible within the scope of technical and logistical feasibility.
That’s little comfort for the earbuds that will likely return to their lonely drawer while I consider my limited options. Since a company can’t support a decent product for a sufficient amount of time, I’m stuck relying on a jiggling cable for music while jogging for a little while.