Top 30 Biggest Tech Product FAILS of All Time

The Apple Newton, launched in 1993, was ahead of its time as one of the very first PDAs or personal digital assistants. The device was a trailblazer in its category, being the first to include handwriting recognition. Unfortunately, the feature was buggy, which, combined with Newtons price and hefty size, meant it didnt meet Apple's high standards. Ultimately, the device was discontinued, with CEO Steve Jobs pulling the plug in 1998. Despite the products failure, its still interesting to look back on a device that in many ways was a predecessor to the mobile iDevices of today.

In 1984, IBM sought to expand further into the home computer market with the IBM PCjr. The PC was intended to perform well with video games and compete with the Commodore 64 and Apple II PCs. However, IBM ceased production of the hardware in March 1985, failing due to its expensive price, in addition to lackluster compatibility and performance with software. Not to mention its fiddly chiclet keyboard, which IBM even acknowledged by replacing it with a superior model for free. "The home market didn't expand to the degree IBM and many observers thought it would, explained then-IBM CEO John Akers.

Google Wave, known in later stages as Apache Wave, was a web app platform combining features like email, direct messaging, wikis and social networks. It was criticized for doing too much at once and for good reason. One of its most bizarre features was real-time typing meaning that every keystroke you made was broadcast to others. Better hope you dont make any typos! After its public release in 2010, Google would soon announce that development was being passed to the Apache Software foundation, with previously hosted content being deleted. Under Apache, the platform never achieved a full release before it was discontinued in 2018.

While it was lauded at the time as innovative, featuring an optical drive, DSP, and an object-oriented program environment, the NeXTcube was not a major commercial success. The high-end workstation failed to compete with the sales of its competitors, such as the Apple II. Unfortunately, demand was low outside of higher education, financial institutions, and government agencies. The computers high price tag didnt help matters either! However, it does have quite the legacy what we know as the World Wide Web was first conceived by Tim Berners-Lee on a NeXTcube in 1990.

In 2010, Apple tried to merge the worlds of music and social media. A rare blunder for the incredibly popular tech company, Ping failed to gain traction because of its lack of features and integration. On the platform, users could follow their favorite artists, as well as what their friends were purchasing or reviewing, and what concerts they were going to. Ultimately, the service didnt really serve much purpose if you had literally any other social media platform. So it made sense when Apple replaced it with Twitter and Facebook integration in 2012.

BlackBerry was once a smartphone behemoth and was particularly popular with business professionals. Unfortunately, the phone, defined by an iconic keyboard, could not compete in a world that became too fascinated with touchscreens. Other issues, such as a lack of available apps, also contributed to its decline. They eventually gave in and put the Android operating system on BlackBerry devices, but it was past the point of no return at that point, and the phones have now exited the market.

Microsoft unleashed Bob on the public in 1995, an attempt by the company to create a more user-friendly experience for the Windows operating system. The software had a layout that was criticized for being simple to the point it was condescending! The user interface was displayed in the form of a house with rooms that could be entered, as well as cartoon characters who provided tips, much like Microsoft Words iconic Clippy. After pushing it hard, Microsoft still only managed to sell 58,000 copies of Bob far less than the millions theyd predicted. They gave up and discontinued Bob in 1996. Rest in peace, Bob.

Long before the release of the Nintendo 3DS, the gaming giant initially tried to bring 3D gaming to the public with the Virtual Boy. It was an innovative console that was basically Nintendo experimenting with virtual reality all the way back in 1995! Sadly, it was not comfortable to use, and its variety of games was limited, with only 22 being released in the consoles lifespan. Its monochromatic red display also caused eye strain and headaches. Nintendo eventually had to face (non-virtual) reality and discontinued the Virtual Boy after only a year spent on the market.

When you envision the future, driverless vehicles are certainly a staple image of a high-tech society. While progress on this technology has made significant strides, there have also been some major missteps. The rideshare app and transportation company Uber began experimenting with self-driving cars in 2015, but their trials came to a halt when one of their test vehicles was involved in a fatal crash. The accident, which occurred in 2018, was a result of negligence on the part of the safety driver, who had been looking at their phone as opposed to monitoring the road. Notably, this was the first ever incident of this kind involving a self-driving car. Uber has since sold their arsenal of autonomous tech to Aurora, ceasing their efforts.

The HP TouchPad entered the tablet arena in 2011 to face off against Apples iPad. But with its lack of apps and lackluster performance, it was a totally unfair matchup. In fact, the bout was a shockingly short one, with HP pulling the device from shelves after just 49 days, making for one of the fastest product deaths the tech world has ever seen. To be fair, not even Google has been able to compete with Apple in the tablet space, so HP never stood a chance. Maybe one day a genuine challenger to the iPad will rise, but we wouldnt count on it anytime soon.

When it launched back in 2016, the Juicero Press promised to deliver the best juice ever! At least, for anyone who could afford the $699 price tag. Yeah, you heard that right. 700 bucks for a juicer! Then again, it WAS Wi-Fi connected - yaaaaay [unconvincing] Investors, including Alphabet Inc., sank $120 million into the company. But slow sales led Juicero to reduce prices to $399 which is actually still really expensive. Then, in April 2017, a Bloomberg story revealed a surprising discovery. You could just SQUEEZE the juice packs into a glass. Without paying $400 to have a machine do it. Humans are lazy, but not THAT lazy, and Juicero shut down later the same year.

In 2019, foldable phones were supposed to revolutionize mobile devices. And maybe they still will. But the initial launch of the Samsung Galaxy Fold did NOT help argue the case! After the phone was unveiled in February 2019, people couldnt wait to get their hands on it. The first reviews were decidedly mixed, however. While praising the performance, reviewers criticized the devices overall fragility, in particular the plastic coated screen and gaps that let in dust and water. CNET went so far as describing the inside as toy-like. Not really what you want from a $1,980 phone. Pre-orders were cancelled and refunded, and Samsung has since made improvements; but dont expect the Galaxy Fold to reshape the future.

Even before this tablets launch in 2010, developer Fusion Garage was under a cloud of negative press. The device was originally the brainchild of TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington, who called it the CrunchPad. But Fusion Garage decided to just cut him out of the deal, leading to a massive lawsuit. When Fusion Garage released the tablet anyway, the JooJoo was universally panned for its criminal lag, five-hour battery life, and un-creative interface. Further criticized was its failure in portability, thanks to unwieldy dimension specs. As a result of poor sales, and litigation, the JooJoo ultimately gave Fusion Garage their own short battery life when the company filed for bankruptcy a few years later.

Marketed as a one-person electrically assisted pedal cycle, this now-retro looking tricycle takes the shape of a pod straight out of an 80s films vision for the future. Designed with portability and space-friendliness in mind, the Sinclair C5 was advertised as an alternative to cars and bikes. However, in the end, the C5 was impractical for consumers due to its low speed range, shoddy weather endurance, and awkward control scheme. This led to poor reviews and even poorer sales, and finally a cease in production less than seven months after its launch. It then notoriously became known as one of the great marketing bombs of postwar British industry. Ouch.

Designed to be what wouldve been the markets first netbook device, Palms simple, slick, and ultra-convenient laptop was a complete failure at launch. Announced in 2007, this Linux-based subnotebook was built to serve as a companion for Palm Treo users, featuring the same e-mail, organizer, and web-browsing software the phones were noted for. A little over three months after its announcement, the Foleo ceased further development following a multitude of negative reviews from critics and a drastic decline in the companys revenue in the face of the smartphone wars. Meanwhile, in 2009, the Treo was replaced by the Palm Pre, which, despite initial promising sales, eventually led to Palms acquisition by HP.

Named after its developer, this social networking site was founded on the same premise as every other one in existence: to stay in touch with family and friends. At one point one of the most visited websites in America, Orkut appeared to be well on its way to replacing MySpace, which in the mid-2000s was a very big statement. However, as controversy began to stir around the site for its concerns with privacy, fake profiles, and hate group pages, the site dwindled in popularity, seeing a massive drop in active U.S. users. This would lead the site to lose the battle with, well, every other social media platform, and eventually Orkut was totally shut down in 2014.

When you think of classic '90s gaming, Apple doesn't exactly spring to mind. The Pippin technology platform was licensed to Bandai Company Ltd, which advertised its Bandai Pippin model as a gaming console. However, they sold less than 50,000 units so it isn't that surprising. Depending on your point of view, the system was either an overpriced console or a cheap computer. Stateside, the system offered just 18 titles, but it did offer players the opportunity to connect to the internet, or as it was known at the time, the 'net. Unfortunately, very few people had an internet connection up to the demands of online gaming, making the Pippin a pretty useless purchase and underwhelming experience.

Long before the DVD slayed LaserDisc and Blu-Ray crushed HD-DVD, there was the first home video format war: Betamax vs. VHS. Introduced in the U.S. six months after its release in Japan, Betamax involved a six-inch-wide videocassette that was much smaller and lighter than its VHS counterpart. Initially, it drew attention with the consoles home recording capabilities. Still, despite Betamaxs superior image quality and smoother console engineering, it was ultimately VHS that was crowned as the victor by consumers, mainly for its superior playing speeds and longer running times.

As the companys fourth attempt into social networking, Google+ was founded with a slightly different take on keeping in touch by allowing users to group friends, photos, and communities into circles. That said, it was basically Google Wave with a new name, new interface, and removed features in place of less-than-innovative new ones. In 2018, a massive security breach exposed private data from over 500,000 accounts on their website, leading Google to begin a multiphase shutdown process. All applications connected to Google Plus were replaced by a new Google product called Currents, which, in turn, were later replaced by Spaces.

Complete failures are quite rare, but Apple found a way to do the improbable. Replacing the Apple II, the Apple III was meant to push the company into the business sector; instead, this faulty device led to near financial ruin. Partially due to Steve Jobs' inflexible demands and instructions to not include a cooling fan, the device suffered from overheating and would break down after a couple hours of use. This was particularly problematic since it was targeted towards businesses rather than hobbyists and enthusiasts. Software for the Apple III was also scarce, and the computer got dismissal reviews right out of the gate.

Following the astonishing success of their Kindle Fire e-book readers and Fire tablets, Amazon looked to further expand their Android-based Fire OS family by setting its eyes on the cell phone market. Announced as an AT&T-exclusive in mid-2014, Amazons take on the smartphone came with several neat innovations, including the "Dynamic Perspective" feature for apps and games and "Firefly" - a text, sound, image, and object recognition tool. Nevertheless, the Fire Phone was met with underwhelming reception and sales. Thus, it was quickly dropped by retailers and even pulled off of Amazons own store the following year. Not so hot for a device with fire in its name.

Never even heard of this company? You're not alone. Anticipated by Google to grow from its $102M purchase price, dMarc was supposed to be the brand that would finally get Googles stagnating radio advertising initiative to spread like wildfire. However, wary of Google's dominance in online advertising, marketers and radio companies were reluctant to work with the company, so the unit floundered. Despite being one of the more promising startups, Google's woeful integration made dMarc fizzle, even though remnants of it were eventually integrated with Googles AdSense program.

With Microsoft dominating the PC market by licensing out their Operating System, Apple tried to close the gap by doing the same thing with their Macintosh. The idea was to provide a cheaper means for consumers to get used to Apple's system, but the clones were often more advanced than the Macintosh computers. Unlike Microsoft - who were mainly into software - Apple's decision just resulted in an oversaturated market that threatened to leave them in the dust. With Motorola preparing to launch their Mac-based G3 powered StarMax 6000, Apple opted to stop the licensing program to save themselves.

As mentioned earlier on this list, the Apple Pippin and Nintendos Virtual Boy were both dreadful attempts at a new console. However, the biggest out-of-character product-fail is none other than Phillips with their Compact Disc Interactive. Has anyone even heard of this? Panned for its graphics, game titles, and controls at the time, it has been consistently ranked as one of the worst gaming systems ever to be put on the market. Intended to, ahem, compete with fourth gen giants like Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo, the CD-i was ultimately a commercial failure that caused Phillips to lose over a billion US dollars.

Created in response to the then-rising media empire that is Netflix, Blockbuster Total Access was built with convenience in mind. Carbon-copying Netflixs DVD-by-mail strategy, Total Access also permitted subscribers to return their rentals to a brick-and-mortar location in exchange for new titles in or out of their queue. However, despite surpassing its subscriber quota, the program quickly failed because most independently owned Blockbuster franchises declined to honor the service. One major franchisee even took the company to court, alleging that Total Access breached contract terms. Throw in a patent infringement lawsuit from Netflix and youve got quite the product-fail drama worthy of a film adaptation.

To compete with Google Maps, Apple released their own version in 2012. While things eventually improved, Apple Maps got off to such a rocky start that the company's CEO publicly apologized. The application's biggest issues included misspelled place names, an inability to differentiate from cities that shared names, out of date information about stores and places of interest, and completely wrong locations and directions pretty damning problems for a map app. Famously, the app left several users stranded in a hot Australian park 40 miles from their intended destination; while Irelands Ministry of Defense had to warn consumers that a non-existent airport was showing up near Dublin. Apple would eventually fix over two million errors in the app. So yeah, huge FAIL.

Even the worlds largest computer company isnt safe from the occasional ouchie, what with its track record of flops that includes the Spot Watch and the Kin. But who can forget the Zune? Despite impressive reviews from critics and users, Zunes entrance into commerce came at a time when its primary competitor, guess which one, had already established a borderline-monopolized foothold in the market. This, coupled with inferior marketing strategies, mediocre software support, and a lack of innovation, sent the Zune straight to flopsville, with the devices pulled from production in 2012 and the remaining services retired in 2015.

So far, weve covered tablets, laptops and gaming consoles, but who wouldve ever thought that eyewear would find its way onto this list, and from Google no less? Though certainly an innovative and dandy device, the Google Glass prototype was ultimately a failure for its not-so wallet-friendly price tag, lack of special features, and the legislative actions it sparked due to privacy and safety concerns. Moreover, the product failed to impress most users, with many calling the device more of an intricate eyesore than a convenience. Google announced theyd cease production of the prototype in early 2015 and though the company plans on continuing to develop it Google Glass is one of the fastest product flops ever to be released, tech or otherwise.

Soon after its much-hyped release in August 2016, this phone was ON FIRE. But not in a good way. Before launch, there was huge buzz around the Galaxy Note 7, with glowing reviews and record-setting pre-orders. Then the phones started exploding. A manufacturing defect caused the batteries to overheat and burst into flames. As reports spread, Samsung was forced to order a recall in September. Talk about bad PR. But wait, it gets worse. Samsung REPLACED the phones, only for the replacements to ALSO CATCH FIRE! In October, they ceased all production of the Galaxy Note 7. The whole fiasco cost them billions of dollars, and left their reputation in crispy tatters.

How do you fool investors out of $700 million? Apparently, just talk in a really deep voice and promise them a miracle. Elizabeth Holmes was 19 when she founded Theranos in 2003; she told investors that her Edison machines could perform blood-tests quickly and cheaply, with only microscopic amounts of blood. You know the saying Good, fast, cheap. Choose two? Holmes claimed that her Edison devices did all three. There was NO peer-reviewed evidence that they worked; yet she became a media darling and Theranos was valued at $10 billion! Weeell, guess what? The emperor wasnt wearing any clothes. The Edison machines didnt work, Theranos was making up their profits, and in 2015 a whistleblower brought the whole thing crashing down.