Vendors Can Brick Digital Ownership

When platform owners cut store access for old hardware, users keep files but lose the ability to buy or restore content — and devices that are reset may be permanently excluded. That dynamic shows digital purchases are dependent on ongoing vendor support and account‑registration rules, not just one‑time transactions. — This frames planned obsolescence and registration rules as a consumer‑rights and archival policy issue with implications for regulation, preservation, and market power.