Epsom inkjet printers have the same inbuilt obsolescence.

The have an ink drop counter which measure how much ink you use. After a
certain amount of ink has been used you get the message "tough, you need
to buy a new printer" (Actually it says that the printer needs servicing,
but it's much the same thing because the cost of getting it sorted would
cost more than a new printer would).

Epson's excuse is that the waste ink pad needs replacing. You have no
option to override it. You used to be able to reset the counter using the
SSC software, but Epsom have changed the way it's done so that the
software can no longer reset the counter in newer models.

Roger

*From:* "Brian Gaff"
*Date:* Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:11:07 +0100

Actually, the indenting of filaments was supposed to be so that
when it does fail it fails safely, and does not melt internally and
put a high load on the circuit. However I guess it really depends
on your viewpoint.
I seem to recall the early VCRs had an internal hours counter so
that things like heads could be replaced not just cos it was time
exactly but due to people thrashing them and then claiming new
bits under the warranty.
Heads used to be exempt from insurance etc.

I tend to feel that there are certain capacitors in items now
that tend to dry out in a very short time compared with the past.
Brian