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These days, most smartphones share common traits like touchscreens and standard features such as voice assistants and GPS. However, the history of phones also includes some notable failures. These are the worst smartphones that completely missed the mark. Here are our picks for the 10 most memorable smartphone flops of all time.
Also known as the ‘Facebook phone’, the HTC First was the first and thankfully the only smartphone that offered access exclusively to the popular social network. The launcher it featured is still downloadable from the Play Store, albeit with one of the lowest ratings. Its failure was quite predictable, despite the large number of users active at the time.
Originally scheduled for release in January 2011, the Motorola Droid Bionic didn’t hit the shelves until eight months later. Despite the delays meant for improvements, the hump-backed Droid Bionic failed to meet expectations. While it was the first dual-core 4G LTE phone, it disappointed users with its dull PenTile LCD screen, slow camera, and poor battery life. Plus, MotoBlur, one of the worst Android skins ever, along with frequent crashes and lag, made it an unpopular device.
In recent years, Microsoft hasn’t been immune to failure. Acquisitions like Nokia’s mobile division turned out to be disastrous for the company. But the past reveals other notable blunders such as Microsoft Kin. Sporting a physical keyboard, it ended up being a costly failure, setting the company back a whopping $240 million.
Meizu Zero was a clear flop despite winning the prestigious iF Gold Award. It attempted to follow the path of highly technological smartphones like the Vivo APEX series, with no buttons or ports. However, the crowdfunding campaign failed, indicating a lack of interest. The CEO later admitted it was a marketing maneuver, not a genuine attempt to sell. This incident didn’t reflect well on the company’s image.
Despite Apple’s iPhone entering the scene, Nokia persisted in releasing new smartphones. It sold millions of devices, and the Nokia N97 was expected to be the “iPhone Killer” thanks to its exceptional design, an impressive 32 GB memory, and a QWERTY keyboard. However, with slow software unable to keep up with the emerging iOS and Android, the phone ended up being forgotten.
Few people know that Apple attempted to launch a phone even before 2007. The Motorola Rokr E1 was a collaboration between the two companies. The idea was to provide users with quick access to iTunes. However, due to its limited memory and lack of features, it was soon forgotten.
After finding success with tablets, Amazon tried its hand at smartphones. However, its Fire Phone, lacking support for key apps and offering ordinary specs at a high price, soon became one of the worst smartphones. Despite gimmicky features like a 3D effect and Firefly mode, it was discontinued after just three months, resulting in a $170 million loss.
The disappointment with the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro lies more with Google than Lenovo. It was the world’s first smartphone with Project Tango, a technology for 3D mapping of the environment. However, despite its potential, it was practically the only phone with this feature, as Google abandoned the project the following year.
The HTC ThunderBolt was Verizon’s first real 4G smartphone with LTE support. However, the excitement quickly turned into frustration for customers. Delayed launch, poor battery life, random restarts, and slow software updates made it one of the worst smartphones ever.
LG attempted to innovate with the LG Optimus Vu, one of the first curved smartphones. However, in 2012, its decision to create a smartphone with a 4:3 screen ratio was disastrous. The device was uncomfortable to use with one hand and didn’t fit in many pockets, resulting in a poorly received product.
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