When exposed to high temperatures, lithium-ion batteries in smartphones are easily damaged and can fail faster than expected, in addition to letting the device run out of battery too often. Debris and other contaminants that enter through small cracks in the phone can also affect the life expectancy of the smartphone. One of the most common factors that cause smartphones and other electronic devices to die quickly is physical impact and breakage, which can severely damage internal parts.[4]​.

For maintainable items, wear items are determined by logistical analysis and provision of spare parts and replacement will ensure a longer useful life than items manufactured without such planning. A simple example is car tires: if this wear is not planned for, it would limit the life of the car" to the reach of a single set of tires.

The life of an individual tire follows the bathtub curve to boot. After installation, there is no small chance of failure which may be related to material or workmanship, or even the process of mounting the tire, which may result in a little damage. After the initial period, the tire will perform, given that there is no defect-introducing event, such as encountering a road hazard (a nail or a pothole), for an extended period relative to its intended life, which is a function of several variables (design, material, process). After a period, the probability of failure will increase; For some tires, this will occur after the tread has worn down. A secondary tire market then puts a "retread" on the tire, thus extending the life. It is not uncommon for an 80,000 mile tire to have performance that exceeds that limit.[5]​.

Reliable data on the longevity of many consumer products can be difficult to obtain, as actuarial analysis efforts are generally not taken to the same extent as those needed to support insurance decisions. However, some attempts have been made to provide this type of information. An example is the compilation of estimates for home components provided by Old House Web[6]​ which compiles data from Appliance Statistical Review and various institutes related to the home construction trade.

Some engine manufacturers, such as Navistar and Volvo, use the so-called B life rating,[7]​ based on the engine manufacturer's durability data,[8]​ B10 and B50 index to measure the life expectancy of an engine.[9]​.

For certain products, such as those that cannot be serviced during their operational life for technical reasons, a manufacturer may calculate the expected performance of a product both at the beginning of operational life (BOL) and at the end of operational life (EOL). Batteries and other components that degrade over time can affect the performance of a product. Therefore, the performance of mission-critical components") is calculated for EOL, and the components exceed their specification at BOL. For example, with spaceflight hardware, which must survive in the harsh environment of space, the ability to generate electricity from solar panels or radioisotope thermoelectric generators is likely to be reduced over the course of a mission, but must still meet a specific requirement at EOL to complete the mission. A spacecraft can also have a BOL mass that is greater than its EOL mass as the propellant is depleted over its useful life.

When exposed to high temperatures, lithium-ion batteries in smartphones are easily damaged and can fail faster than expected, in addition to letting the device run out of battery too often. Debris and other contaminants that enter through small cracks in the phone can also affect the life expectancy of the smartphone. One of the most common factors that cause smartphones and other electronic devices to die quickly is physical impact and breakage, which can severely damage internal parts.[4]​.

For maintainable items, wear items are determined by logistical analysis and provision of spare parts and replacement will ensure a longer useful life than items manufactured without such planning. A simple example is car tires: if this wear is not planned for, it would limit the life of the car" to the reach of a single set of tires.

The life of an individual tire follows the bathtub curve to boot. After installation, there is no small chance of failure which may be related to material or workmanship, or even the process of mounting the tire, which may result in a little damage. After the initial period, the tire will perform, given that there is no defect-introducing event, such as encountering a road hazard (a nail or a pothole), for an extended period relative to its intended life, which is a function of several variables (design, material, process). After a period, the probability of failure will increase; For some tires, this will occur after the tread has worn down. A secondary tire market then puts a "retread" on the tire, thus extending the life. It is not uncommon for an 80,000 mile tire to have performance that exceeds that limit.[5]​.

Reliable data on the longevity of many consumer products can be difficult to obtain, as actuarial analysis efforts are generally not taken to the same extent as those needed to support insurance decisions. However, some attempts have been made to provide this type of information. An example is the compilation of estimates for home components provided by Old House Web[6]​ which compiles data from Appliance Statistical Review and various institutes related to the home construction trade.

Some engine manufacturers, such as Navistar and Volvo, use the so-called B life rating,[7]​ based on the engine manufacturer's durability data,[8]​ B10 and B50 index to measure the life expectancy of an engine.[9]​.

For certain products, such as those that cannot be serviced during their operational life for technical reasons, a manufacturer may calculate the expected performance of a product both at the beginning of operational life (BOL) and at the end of operational life (EOL). Batteries and other components that degrade over time can affect the performance of a product. Therefore, the performance of mission-critical components") is calculated for EOL, and the components exceed their specification at BOL. For example, with spaceflight hardware, which must survive in the harsh environment of space, the ability to generate electricity from solar panels or radioisotope thermoelectric generators is likely to be reduced over the course of a mission, but must still meet a specific requirement at EOL to complete the mission. A spacecraft can also have a BOL mass that is greater than its EOL mass as the propellant is depleted over its useful life.