Life cycle
How long do you need your computer to last? Depending on how much you spend initially you might have different perceptions on this. There are many factors to consider including software and operating system support, and hardware manufacturer support for a particular model if you are looking to standardise on one particular model that everyone can use in your business. If you are working outside or in a hostile industrial environment where you can potentially damage a computer, it might be reassuring to know that you can get the computer repaired or replaced with the same model rather than find out it has been discontinued and no longer available to order. Some businesses run the same software for year after year to complete their job, so always upgrading to the latest computer every year is not an important consideration. Some businesses don’t want the form factor/dimensions of the computer to change if they are rolling out large quantities of a computer over an extended period of time.
Mainstream computer manufacturers don’t want your computer to last forever so they build them with sealed batteries, so once the battery is fully depleted you need to replace it (unless you have it permanently connected to a power source) and will typically release a brand new model every 12-18 months, sometimes with a completely new design and different set of accessories.
Rugged tablet manufacturers have a different approach, whereby the lifecycle of the computer model will last for several generations in the same form factor. The internal components will periodically updated with newer technology as it becomes available but the design will stay the same which maintains backward compatibility with any accessories like office docking stations or vehicle docks, as well as using the same power supplies. The batteries are also different with hot-swappable designs (which means you can remove the battery whilst the computer is on and replace with another battery without interrupting your workflow) allowing extended usage not only during the day but also when the battery life has been depleted. You can simply order a new battery and get more years usage out of the machine instead of having to replace the entire device.
We have heard of some manufacturers simply placing one large order on the factory with no plans to ever do another order once all the computers have been sold out, and have seen a government department purchase thousands of computers only for them to be discontinued 2 months later. Conversely, the longest commercially available rugged tablet model was available to purchase in the same form factor, across multiple generations, for over 9 years.