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Electronic component obsolescence and EOL: 2025 data and what to do about it
Electronic component obsolescence is the discontinuation of parts a product still depends on. In 2025, 621,909 components reached end-of-life (EOL) and 52% did so with no manufacturer product change notification (PCN), per Z2Data, making obsolescence a default condition of electronics sourcing, not an edge case.
Last updated 2026-07-18
Source: Z2Data, 2025
What obsolescence and EOL mean
A component reaches end-of-life (EOL) when its manufacturer stops producing it. Obsolescence is the broader condition of a part no longer being available through normal channels. Once a part is EOL, a buyer has three options: find an approved alternate or cross-reference, place a last-time buy (LTB) sized to cover remaining demand, or redesign the board.
Why it’s accelerating
EOL volume is both high and volatile: about 530,000 parts in 2021, over 750,000 in 2022, roughly 470,000 in 2023, and back up to 621,909 in 2025 (Z2Data). Shorter product cycles, fab capacity shifts, and consolidation mean any given BOM is increasingly likely to carry at least one at-risk line.
The notification gap
The traditional early-warning system is the PCN. But in 2025, 52% of EOL events had no PCN at all, and roughly 73% of the PCNs that were issued fell out of JEDEC compliance (Z2Data). In practice, that means you cannot wait for a notice. Obsolescence risk has to be inferred from lifecycle status, sourcing patterns, and supply signals on every line.
What to do about it
Move the judgment upstream to the moment you quote: flag lifecycle and EOL risk on every BOM line, surface approved alternates and cross-references, size a last-time buy where a redesign isn’t viable, and price the risk into the quote. This is what a BOM decision layer automates: catching obsolescence before it reaches a customer quote or a production line, rather than after an order fails.
How obsolescence reaches a quote
An EOL part rarely announces itself. It arrives as an ordinary line on a customer BOM, priced and quoted like any other, until a distributor comes back with no stock, a long lead time, or a broker price several times the expected cost. By then the quote is already out, or the order is already won at a margin that no longer exists. The damage is not the discontinuation itself; it is discovering it after you have committed.
Reactive alerts versus decision-time risk
Most obsolescence tooling is built to alert: subscribe to lifecycle feeds and PCNs, and get a notice when a part changes. That helps, but the 2025 data shows the limit. With 52% of EOL events issuing no PCN, an alert-only approach misses more than half of them. The alternative is to treat lifecycle as a factor in every sourcing decision, scored on each line at the moment you quote, so a risky part is flagged, alternated, or priced before it ever reaches a customer.
Questions, answered.
How many electronic components went end-of-life in 2025?
621,909 electronic parts were discontinued in 2025, according to Z2Data, up roughly a third from about 470,000 in 2023. Annual EOL counts are volatile: about 530,000 parts in 2021 and over 750,000 in 2022.
What is a PCN, and why does the notification gap matter?
A product change notification (PCN) is a manufacturer's formal warning that a part is changing or being discontinued. In 2025, 52% of EOL events had no PCN at all (Z2Data), and about 73% of the PCNs that were issued were out of JEDEC compliance, so obsolescence risk has to be inferred from lifecycle signals, not just read from notifications.
How do you manage EOL and obsolescence risk at quote time?
Flag lifecycle and EOL risk on every BOM line, propose approved alternates and cross-references, size a last-time buy where a redesign isn't viable, and price the risk before the quote goes out. The goal is to catch obsolescence before it reaches a customer quote or a production line, not after an order fails.
What is a last-time buy (LTB), and when does it make sense?
A last-time buy is a final purchase of a component before production ends, sized to cover remaining demand over the product's life. It makes sense when no drop-in alternate exists and a redesign is slower or costlier than holding inventory. The trade-offs are forecasting demand accurately and carrying the cost and shelf-life risk of the parts you buy.
Can obsolescence risk be caught without a PCN?
Yes, and in 2025 it usually has to be: 52% of EOL events came with no PCN (Z2Data). Risk is inferred from lifecycle status, shrinking sourcing options, rising lead times and prices, and single-source exposure, evaluated per BOM line rather than waiting for a formal notice.
Source: Z2Data, “Components Are Going EOL Without Product Change Notifications at Alarming Rates” (2025).