Existing devices have this problem as well because manufacturers may stop distributing the necessary drivers or software application, or not update them to work on new operating system versions, and malware can take over “maintenance” for abandoned devices. Software can also “phone home” and so planned obsolescence is just as much of an issue if you assume malicious intent on the part of the manufacturer.

The key difference is that native software doesn’t (or at least shouldn’t) depend on the network after installation. There are two workarounds for this on the web: 1) Sites should be Progressive Web Apps and cache any data they need to work offline. 2) Services such as the Internet Archive preserve sites after they’ve disappeared from the web. Browsers have the option to allow the user to manually designate additional sites that can connect to the device (with sufficient security warnings).