A transient electronic device (100A; 100B; 200A; 200B) comprising: a substrate (105; 215A; 215B); one or more active or passive electronic device components (110; 210) supported by said substrate (105; 215A; 215B); wherein said active or passive electronic device components (110; 210) independently comprise a selectively transformable material capable of dissolution in a solvent; and an encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) at least partially encapsulating said one or more active or passive electronic device components (110; 210); wherein said substrate (105; 215A; 215B) and said encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) independently comprise a selectively removable inorganic material capable of dissolution in a solvent and responsive to an external or internal stimulus, wherein the stimulus is an exposure to the solvent, wherein the exposure to the solvent initiates at least partial removal of said substrate (105; 215A; 215B), said encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) or both; wherein the exposure to the solvent initiates at least partial transformation of said one or more active or passive electronic device components (110; 210) providing a programmable transformation of the transient electronic device (100A; 100B; 200A; 200B) at a pre-selected time or at a pre-selected rate; wherein said programmable transformation provides a change in function of the transient electronic device (100A; 100B; 200A; 200B) from a first condition to a second condition, wherein said at least partial removal of said substrate (105; 215A; 215B), said encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) or both exposes said one or more active or passive electronic device components (110; 210) to said external or internal stimulus, thereby initiating said at least partial transformation of said one or more active or passive electronic device components (110; 210), and wherein said encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) and substrate (105; 215A; 215B) have a pre-selected transience profile, wherein said selectively removable inorganic material of said substrate (105; 215A; 215B) and said encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) independently comprise a thin film, a coating, a foil or any combination of these having a thickness from 1 nm to 100 nm or from 1 μm to 100 μm; and wherein said selectively removable inorganic material of said substrate (105; 215A; 215B) and said encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) independently comprise a metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, W, Mo, Fe, Zn, or an alloy thereof. a substrate (105; 215A; 215B); one or more active or passive electronic device components (110; 210) supported by said substrate (105; 215A; 215B); wherein said active or passive electronic device components (110; 210) independently comprise a selectively transformable material capable of dissolution in a solvent; and an encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) at least partially encapsulating said one or more active or passive electronic device components (110; 210); wherein said substrate (105; 215A; 215B) and said encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) independently comprise a selectively removable inorganic material capable of dissolution in a solvent and responsive to an external or internal stimulus, wherein the stimulus is an exposure to the solvent, wherein the exposure to the solvent initiates at least partial removal of said substrate (105; 215A; 215B), said encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) or both; wherein the exposure to the solvent initiates at least partial transformation of said one or more active or passive electronic device components (110; 210) providing a programmable transformation of the transient electronic device (100A; 100B; 200A; 200B) at a pre-selected time or at a pre-selected rate; wherein said programmable transformation provides a change in function of the transient electronic device (100A; 100B; 200A; 200B) from a first condition to a second condition, wherein said at least partial removal of said substrate (105; 215A; 215B), said encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) or both exposes said one or more active or passive electronic device components (110; 210) to said external or internal stimulus, thereby initiating said at least partial transformation of said one or more active or passive electronic device components (110; 210), and wherein said encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) and substrate (105; 215A; 215B) have a pre-selected transience profile, wherein said selectively removable inorganic material of said substrate (105; 215A; 215B) and said encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) independently comprise a thin film, a coating, a foil or any combination of these having a thickness from 1 nm to 100 nm or from 1 μm to 100 μm; and wherein said selectively removable inorganic material of said substrate (105; 215A; 215B) and said encapsulant layer (115A; 115B; 220) independently comprise a metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, W, Mo, Fe, Zn, or an alloy thereof.