This was a fascinating read on why some technologies linger and hence have a much longer tail than the market often predicts.
The reason – “cultural forces create market demand even if supply is available more efficiently (even infinitely) elsewhere“. In some cases (not obviously just related to age) the perceived value actually increases.
Think about movie theaters surviving despite the rise of home cinema. Why? The social value of gathering at the movies.
Or enjoying the slow deliberate read of a newspaper.
Or the demand, sometimes sinister, for the near 5 million payphone calls made each year in the UK.
Decline is inevitable but not in all cases (booming vinyl sales for example).
