Phase out

The decision to phase out a dying product can be a very difficult one for firms to make. What types of things do you believe a company must consider before making the decision to phase out a product? When a product is phased out, what types of impact do you feel this could have on consumers?

Pick a product phased out in the last 10 years. Why was it phased out and should it have been and how would a company know it was time?

Also consider: B2B sales companies may not phase out a old product but may keep a dead product going for decades (ex: AT&T still sells telegraph service). Why might a company make this decision?