A quiet technological funeral is underway: two everyday keystones of the last two decades — Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system and the 3G mobile network in Aotearoa New Zealand — are being retired, and with them go a raft of practical dependencies, safety questions, and a surprising wave of nostalgia for devices we once treated as ordinary.
The practical headlines are short and unambiguous. Microsoft will end mainstream support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025, after which routine security and quality updates stop unless a device is enrolled in an Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. Microsoft’s lifecycle documentation and ESU tables confirm the date and outline a limited ESU window that extends security-only updates beyond the cutoff for customers who qualify.
In New Zealand, the three major mobile operators and industry groups are shutting down their 3G networks from late 2025 into early 2026. The national awareness campaign is emphatic: any device that is 3G‑reliant — including older handsets, some IoT devices, medical alarms and vehicle trackers — will stop working when its carrier retires 3G, and those devices may lose the ability to place emergency 111 calls. National guides and the telco coordination hub make this clear and offer practical device-check services such as a free-text check to 550.
Those two technical retirements are doing something more than removing vendor support: they expose the seams where technology, safety and memory meet. An article that captured the public mood — a set of short eulogies to retro tech — underlines how personal these platform and network transitions feel, from brick Nokias and MiniDiscs to VHS and the indestructible iPhone 6. The human stories attached to those devices are part of the reason many people treat these decommissions as cultural losses as well as technical ones.
Two important technical and policy details shape the real-world impact:
Telcos cite spectrum reallocation, cost to maintain legacy mast electronics, and the vastly superior efficiency and coverage of 4G/5G as the drivers behind the shutdown. Operators also point to tiny remaining traffic fractions on 3G as justification for the move and have rolled out public checking tools (text ‘3G’ to 550 in New Zealand) and targeted outreach to customers likely to be affected.
That cultural dimension matters because it shapes behaviour. People who feel sentimental about a device are less likely to check compatibility, update settings, or accept the need to replace it — even if it’s an essential safety or security issue. Recognising nostalgia as a behavioural factor is crucial for effective public messaging and for any vendor or government program that wants to move people safely through a mass transition.
Conclusion
Two retirements — Windows 10’s lifecycle end and New Zealand’s 3G shutdown — illustrate a recurring tension in modern technology: engineering progress produces better, faster and more secure platforms, but also creates abrupt obsolescence for people and systems that remain dependent on older layers. The practical steps are simple and immediate: check devices, plan migrations, and prioritise safety and sustainability in replacement programs. The sentimental part is simpler still: keep the stories about the Nokia brick, MiniDisc walks and resilient iPhone 6 in circulation. Those stories explain why technical transitions matter beyond patch notes and spectrum reallocation — they are the human context that determines how successfully we move from what was to what will be.
Source: The Spinoff RIP to all the tech we’ve loved and lost
The practical headlines are short and unambiguous. Microsoft will end mainstream support for Windows 10 on 14 October 2025, after which routine security and quality updates stop unless a device is enrolled in an Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. Microsoft’s lifecycle documentation and ESU tables confirm the date and outline a limited ESU window that extends security-only updates beyond the cutoff for customers who qualify. In New Zealand, the three major mobile operators and industry groups are shutting down their 3G networks from late 2025 into early 2026. The national awareness campaign is emphatic: any device that is 3G‑reliant — including older handsets, some IoT devices, medical alarms and vehicle trackers — will stop working when its carrier retires 3G, and those devices may lose the ability to place emergency 111 calls. National guides and the telco coordination hub make this clear and offer practical device-check services such as a free-text check to 550.
Those two technical retirements are doing something more than removing vendor support: they expose the seams where technology, safety and memory meet. An article that captured the public mood — a set of short eulogies to retro tech — underlines how personal these platform and network transitions feel, from brick Nokias and MiniDiscs to VHS and the indestructible iPhone 6. The human stories attached to those devices are part of the reason many people treat these decommissions as cultural losses as well as technical ones.
Background: what’s ending, and why
Windows 10: dates, options and constraints
Microsoft has fixed a hard calendar for Windows 10: end of mainstream support on 14 October 2025. After that point, Windows 10 will continue to run on existing hardware but will no longer receive non‑security feature updates, quality/security patches, or standard technical support unless covered by ESU arrangements. Microsoft’s own lifecycle pages set expectations clearly: users can upgrade to Windows 11 where hardware permits, buy a new Windows 11 device, or enroll in the Consumer ESU for limited, time‑boxed protection.Two important technical and policy details shape the real-world impact:
- Windows 11 enforces hardware requirements (Secure Boot, TPM, and modern CPU features) that mean many older but perfectly functional laptops and desktops cannot upgrade without new hardware.
- Microsoft offers a short ESU window (consumer ESU options are regionally nuanced) intended as a bridge rather than a permanent remedy — it buys time, not an indefinite safety net. The Microsoft Learn ESU tables show the ESU schedule and the one‑year consumer option for many customers.
3G in New Zealand: the timetable and the safety framing
Aotearoa’s telcos (marketed under 2degrees, One NZ and Spark) coordinated public messaging and an industry hub to warn that 3G will be switched off from late 2025 and into early 2026, by operator timetable. The national campaign emphasises a single practical point: if a device truly depends on 3G for voice and signaling, it will not be able to make emergency 111 calls once the serving carrier turns off 3G. The telecommunications forum and consumer advocacy pages provide step-by-step checking services and timelines for each operator.Telcos cite spectrum reallocation, cost to maintain legacy mast electronics, and the vastly superior efficiency and coverage of 4G/5G as the drivers behind the shutdown. Operators also point to tiny remaining traffic fractions on 3G as justification for the move and have rolled out public checking tools (text ‘3G’ to 550 in New Zealand) and targeted outreach to customers likely to be affected.
Why the change matters — practical impacts
For individuals and households
- Security exposure for Windows 10 PCs: Without regular patches, unpatched Windows 10 machines become attractive targets for exploit campaigns and ransomware actors. Antivirus is not a substitute for platform security updates; vulnerability to newly discovered kernel or driver issues remains. Microsoft explicitly warns that the OS will continue to operate but without maintained security patches.
- Emergency and communications risk for 3G‑only devices: Older phones that are 3G‑only (or devices that fall back to 3G for voice) can lose the ability to dial emergency numbers when carriers retire 3G. This includes some low-end handsets, older smartwatches and devices in rural or older vehicle telematics systems. The national guidance puts emergency-call loss among the primary public safety reasons to check device readiness.
- Hidden dependencies: Many households have IoT or health devices that quietly use 3G — medical alarms, personal GPS trackers, older home‑alarm backhaul modules, even some cashless payment terminals. Those devices are often maintained by third parties or forgotten in closets; failures can surface suddenly when 3G goes away. Industry advice is explicit: check every device that connects wirelessly, not only phones.
For businesses and public services
- Operational continuity risks: Small businesses often lease or buy specialized hardware (EFTPOS, security cameras with 3G modems, vehicle trackers) from third-party suppliers. Replacement costs, integration effort and procurement timelines can be non-trivial — and those devices are frequently on long refresh cycles that didn’t contemplate a 3G cutoff. Industry analysis suggests the shutdown will create short-term operational pressure for organisations with many embedded devices.
- Regulatory and procurement consequences: Public safety systems, health services and transport telematics need explicit testing and fallback assurance. Governments and procurement officers are being asked to treat network retirements as safety‑sensitive events and require suppliers to prove compatibility with modern networks.
Environmental and equity implications
- E‑waste pressure: When device families suddenly become obsolete from a network or OS perspective, the obvious result is a wave of replacements. Advocacy groups and consumer coalitions have raised concerns that Microsoft’s hardware gates for Windows 11 and the 3G shutdown may produce avoidable e‑waste unless refurbishment, trade-in and voucher programs are scaled. Critics argue that short ESU windows shift the problem to households and small organisations that will be forced into hardware purchases. Independent reporting and advocacy campaigns have emphasised sustainability and affordability as central concerns.
Nostalgia and social context: why people mourn tech
Not all technological retirement is purely technical. Platforms and networks are woven into lives. The public remembrance of devices — the sturdy Nokia “brick”, the iPhone 6 that survived everything, MiniDisc players and VHS tapes — is a record of lived experience as much as a list of obsolete form factors. The Spinoff’s collection of mini-eulogies captures that emotional texture: the tactile click of a MiniDisc cover, the private rituals of pagers and early text-code slang, and the evocative comfort of a screensaver that felt like a small, shared world. These anecdotes help explain why technical transitions feel like loss, not just upgrade friction.That cultural dimension matters because it shapes behaviour. People who feel sentimental about a device are less likely to check compatibility, update settings, or accept the need to replace it — even if it’s an essential safety or security issue. Recognising nostalgia as a behavioural factor is crucial for effective public messaging and for any vendor or government program that wants to move people safely through a mass transition.
Critical technical analysis: strengths, risks and the vendor case
Strengths of the retirements
- Security architecture modernization: For Windows, Microsoft’s push toward Windows 11 aligns with improved platform security approaches (hardware root-of-trust, virtualization-based protections) that simplify long-term maintenance and reduce attack surface for some classes of vulnerability. From an engineering viewpoint, platform homogenisation can raise the baseline security for the majority of users who can upgrade.
- Spectrum efficiency and performance gains: Reclaiming 3G spectrum permits carriers to expand 4G and 5G capacity, deliver lower latency and improve throughput for modern devices. Operators use compelling metrics — tiny remaining traffic shares for 3G — to justify the operational costs of maintaining legacy mast equipment. When handled well, the shift enables better overall service.
Significant risks and trade-offs
- Scope of dependency and surprise failures: The real-world dependency map for legacy networks and OSes is wide and frequently undocumented. A seemingly innocuous device like a personal GPS watch or an alarm system can become a lifeline; if it silently fails after a network retirement, safety and legal exposure follow.
- Equity and environmental justice: The technical case for modernization can be sound while the social consequences are harsh. Households that cannot afford replacement devices — or businesses that lack procurement budgets — face disproportionate disruption. Without strong trade-in/refurb programs and subsidies for vulnerable users, the result is forced consumption and more e‑waste.
- Vendor signalling and consent: Microsoft’s posture — requiring modern hardware for Windows 11 and offering a short ESU window — is technically rational but politically sensitive. Critics argue that limited ESU and hardware gates are tantamount to forcing hardware refreshes; defenders argue the engineering cost of long‑tail compatibility is real. Both claims can be true in different dimensions and must be weighed transparently.
Where messaging has worked — and where it hasn’t
The telco coordinators in New Zealand built a simple, actionable public tool (text 3G to 550) and a central information hub. Those are effective tactics: they turn a complex technical change into a single concrete user action and reduce uncertainty. By contrast, high-level vendor messaging about Windows lifecycle and ESU sometimes leaves consumers asking precise questions — “Am I covered?” “How do I enroll?” — that require direct, local, step-by-step guidance. The mix of national coordination for 3G and vendor-led lifecycle tools for Windows 10 illustrates best practice: make the first step trivial and provide clear onward paths.Practical migration and mitigation guidance
Below are concise action lists tailored to typical readers: consumers, small businesses and IT managers.Consumers (personal PCs and phones)
- Check if your Windows 10 PC is eligible for a free Windows 11 upgrade: go to Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates. If your device is eligible, schedule the upgrade, back up important data, and ensure drivers are available.
- If your device cannot upgrade, evaluate the Consumer ESU or plan a replacement strategy. ESU is a bridge, not an indefinite fix.
- In New Zealand, text 3G to 550 to check whether your mobile device is at risk. If it’s affected, follow your carrier’s instructions — that may be a settings change or a low-cost device swap.
- Audit home devices: medical alarms, vehicle trackers, GPS watches, home security systems. Create a list and contact device suppliers for 4G/5G replacement options if needed.
Small businesses and charities
- Inventory every networked device, including vendor-supplied peripherals and third‑party installations (EFTPOS terminals, telematics, alarm backhauls). Many businesses will discover dependencies in unexpected places; audit tooling and procurement must be updated accordingly.
- Prioritise critical systems by safety and regulatory risk. For life‑safety or mission‑critical systems, treat ESU or immediate device upgrades as non‑negotiable. Document any interim mitigations for audit trails.
- Seek supplier assistance and bulk trade‑in or refurbishment programs. Pooling procurement across local agencies or community groups can reduce per-unit replacement costs.
IT managers and MSPs
- Start a “Windows 10 end‑of‑support sprint” to discover, prioritise and remediate endpoints. Use readiness tooling (DEX-like telemetry, inventory systems) and stage rollouts with rollback plans. Vendor telemetry can inform risk but must be reconciled with your own CMDB.
- Treat ESU as a time‑boxed tactical control for the most constrained endpoints; avoid using ESU across the entire estate as a permanent policy.
- For fielded IoT, insist on proof-of-concept testing for replacement modules and avoid “one-off” patchwork that increases long‑term maintenance debt.
Policy and market recommendations
- Governments and regulators should encourage or mandate transparent consumer support programs: clear ESU enrollment paths, subsidised replacements for vulnerable households, and requirements for suppliers to prove network compatibility for safety‑critical devices.
- Large vendors should publish machine‑readable compatibility lists (IMSI/IMEI‑based or model-based) and provide low-friction enrollment for security extensions where possible.
- Industry needs more robust circular-economy approaches: incentivise refurbishment and trade-ins, create vouchers for low-income households, and require disposal/collection services when replacement occurs.
Cultural note: the tech people miss
Technical transitions are also cultural transitions. The Spinoff’s short eulogies — a 2004 Nokia brick, MiniDiscs that made long walks tolerable, pagers and VHS clamshells — show how small affordances of older tech become identity markers. Those objects were durable, repairable, and, in many cases, deeply personal. The nostalgia explains part of the resistance to change and why public information campaigns need to couple technical clarity with empathetic outreach.Where claims are certain — and where they need caution
- Certain: Windows 10 mainstream support ends 14 October 2025 and Microsoft documents its ESU options and timeline. This is a firm vendor lifecycle commitment.
- Certain: New Zealand operators are retiring 3G from late 2025 into early 2026, and publicly available industry guidance warns that 3G‑reliant devices will lose voice and emergency-call capability. The coordinated national campaign and consumer check tools are live.
- Cautionary: Company- or vendor‑supplied percentages about installed bases (for example: “two in five devices still run Windows 10”) must be interpreted carefully. Different telemetry sources (pageviews, management-agent views, market-share panel data) measure different things. If a vendor statistic will be used to set budgets or public policy, ask for the underlying methodology and cross‑check with independent trackers.
- Unverifiable without local context: precise counts of at‑risk 3G devices in any individual community or business. Operators publish aggregated connection figures but local distributions vary; the only reliable path is an inventory or device-check routine.
Final thoughts: how to honour the past while managing risk
Retiring platforms and networks is an engineering inevitability, yet the way it’s managed defines its social legacy. The strongest transitions share three features:- Clarity of first action: simple, single-step checks (text to 550 for 3G; run Windows Update or eligibility checker for Windows 11) reduce paralysis and make outreach effective.
- Time-boxed safety nets: ESU is a responsible, short-term bridge when used sparingly and transparently; it should not be positioned as a permanent balm.
- Equity in execution: trade-ins, subsidised replacements, community refurbishment drives and targeted outreach to vulnerable or rural populations reduce the worst social and environmental harms.
Conclusion
Two retirements — Windows 10’s lifecycle end and New Zealand’s 3G shutdown — illustrate a recurring tension in modern technology: engineering progress produces better, faster and more secure platforms, but also creates abrupt obsolescence for people and systems that remain dependent on older layers. The practical steps are simple and immediate: check devices, plan migrations, and prioritise safety and sustainability in replacement programs. The sentimental part is simpler still: keep the stories about the Nokia brick, MiniDisc walks and resilient iPhone 6 in circulation. Those stories explain why technical transitions matter beyond patch notes and spectrum reallocation — they are the human context that determines how successfully we move from what was to what will be.
Source: The Spinoff RIP to all the tech we’ve loved and lost