The history of the past 30 years has been that all productivity gains from people working harder, etc. have gone to the corporate owners, not to employees. It's not in their interest to work harder or longer because they won't get paid any more. Slackers unite!
Wasn't getting a larger piece of the gains the point of unions/collective bargaining?
There is, it's why you have to pay a $150 service charge to replace the battery. The planned obsolescence is the lifespan of the battery. Which should be around 2 - 3 years.
There is a market for that service and it usually costs less than Apple charges. Considering that the product is out of warranty by the time the battery goes flat, having it serviced by a 3rd party or DIYing it usually isn't a problem.
Living on Earth may be expensive, but it includes an annual free trip around the Sun.