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 stated that “despite consumers’ proclaimed interest in repairability, evidence suggests that they might be content with product lifespans, and not genuinely interested in fixing their devices.” Citing to “the limited market success of … phones that are specifically optimized to allow unlimited repair and upgrades,” the authors state that “it remains unclear whether consumers truly value the ability to repair and upgrade devices.” However, the study’s authors also noted: "[A]lthough repairability scores varied among the different phone models examined… it is possible that consumers were unaware of the fact that some phones are easier to repair than others. Since repairability scores are not commonly advertised, it remains unclear whether given sufficient information regarding product repairability and functional durability in general, economic lifespan of more functionally durable models would increase. Future work should examine the effect of making repairability information more salient to consumers."

A second study, from the 2017 Product Lifetimes and the Environment (“PLATE”) conference found that the appearance of electronic goods was only “moderately” important to consumers, as opposed to longevity and reliability, which were “extremely” important. Another paper out of the 2017 PLATE conference, authored by employees of environmental ministries or attached agencies in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, and Italy, looked at the planned obsolescence of products and concluded that “[m]anufacturers and consumers interact with one another and influence product development and consumption patterns. The lack of information concerning durable and repairable products causes an asymmetry in the market balance and leaves consumers unable to make the best buying decisions regarding to their own needs.”

Apple’s experience with its battery replacement program also suggests that, given a choice between a low-cost repair and buying a new mobile phone, many consumers will opt for