What are "most other devices"? I can't think of any electronics I own that are still usable after 10-15 years besides Apple hardware.

Your average PC build will be completely outdated after ~5 years, suffer some type of hardware failure, or have nearly all of it's software (BIOS, OS, drivers) dead and unsupported by then. It is then only usable by enthusiasts / developers, and ends up in a landfill otherwise.

> Your average PC build will be completely outdated after ~5 years, suffer some type of hardware failure, or have nearly all of it's software (BIOS, OS, drivers) dead and unsupported by then. It is then only usable by enthusiasts / developers, and ends up in a landfill otherwise.

This might have been true 20 years ago, it really no longer is. My main personal computer has a CPU that was released in 2014. I got it for free from a company that was getting rid of it, I guess they could justify getting better machines. I replaced the HDD with an SSD, but that's it. I don't know when the computer itself booted the first time since I'm not the first owner, but chances are that it's about 10 years old at this point.

I mostly use Debian, but Windows supports this computer just fine as well.

The main reason electronics become unusable these days is software bloat (e.g. going from Windows 10 to Windows 11), not the hardware, and a Windows PC still feels like it can last way longer than an iPad can.

Not that I disagree about hardware lifetime (also have an old machine running strong on Debian) but just FYI Windows 10 ends this year and Windows 11 doesn't support CPUs older than 2017.

Game consoles. People still game on the Playstation 4, which first came out in 2013.

Cars still work after 15 years and have plenty of electronics in them.

Phillips HUE bulbs from 2012 are still going.

All the apps that were released when the ipad was supported still work. Same with consoles.

But you can’t download them anymore. And if you need a new app, you also can’t download an older version that would work on your device.

Not to mention apps (usually banking apps) that plainly refuse to work if you aren’t running the last version.

What you're describing is a choice by the developer of the application. There are several applications I use where users are directed to download a new app instead of forcing a breaking update.

My relatives are still using a more than 15-year-old laptop with Debian just fine. My phone (Librem 5) will be receiving updates for its lifetime.

> What are "most other devices"? I can't think of any electronics I own that are still usable after 10-15 years besides Apple hardware.

Literally everything else, that is not Apple hardware.

A couple Android phones, cameras, audio interfaces, controllers, chromecast, NAS, multiple arduino-style developer boards. All devices I’ve owned where either the hardware died or software became unsupported during the past decade. The only survivors are a PS4 and the Apple ones.