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It’s easy to rattle off the big successes in technology: Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, and the list goes on. But what about the major tech fails?
Especially if you’re aiming for a career in computer science or any IT-related field, understanding past failures is essential.
From the Titan submarine’s tragic tale to many tech giants’ mess-ups, we’ve made a roundup of the 10 biggest tech fails of all time.
The submarine’s tragic tale tops our worst tech fails list, and it’s no wonder. On June 22, 2023, OceanGate’s Titan imploded en route to the Titanic wreck in the Atlantic. The mission, labeled unsafe, aimed to ferry passengers – a British millionaire, a Pakistani tycoon with his son, and OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, all of whom perished – to the wreck at $250,000 each. Despite claims, the submarine lacked safety certification, unfit for depths reaching 400 bars.
CueCat, launched in 2000, promised revolutionary barcode scanning technology. However, it quickly became one of the worst tech fails. Despite being widely distributed, it failed to gain traction due to security concerns and limited functionality. Users discovered it was sending their data back to its servers, leading to bad press and lawsuits. Moreover, being tethered to computers made it less appealing in a market not yet ready for its concept.
One of the biggest tech fails is the attempt to ramp up lab-grown meat production. While aiming for ethical and ecological benefits, making it economically viable at scale proves daunting. Take Upside Foods, a Berkeley startup, boasting the world’s most advanced synthetic meat facility in 2022. A Wired investigation exposed manual cell cultivation in lab vials, contradicting its high-tech claims, resulting in costly labor and minimal meat yield.
The autonomous driving revolution still feels far off due to various challenges and accidents. Tesla recently recalled over two million vehicles due to autopilot software issues. However, the biggest setback came with Cruise, GM’s division, which became the first to offer driverless taxi rides. After operating for a few months in San Francisco, California’s DMV halted the service, citing public safety concerns following an incident involving a pedestrian. Although Cruise continues its operations in Houston, Austin, and Phoenix, the incident underscores the challenges and financial losses the company has encountered since its inception in 2018.
Launched on May 6, 2010, Microsoft Kin earns its spot as one of the worst tech fails due to misguided marketing and feature shortcomings. Designed for young social media users, Kin’s hardware had charm but lacked speed. The software was missing key features like Maps. Microsoft erred by dictating its target audience, overlooking broader appeal. Despite its potential, its brief 48-day lifespan and $1 billion investment make it a colossal failure.
The LK-99 superconductor is a room-temperature material promising revolutionary applications like powerful quantum computers and nuclear fusion. South Korean researchers claimed success in 2023, showcasing a video of material floating above a magnet. However, attempts worldwide to replicate it failed to achieve the promised superconductivity effects. Impurities in the recipe may have misled the Korean researchers and others, fueled by social media.
The Sirius S50, designed in 1998 for satellite radio fans on the move, disappointed due to its limited storage and inconvenient live listening. Despite offering recording capabilities, its 1 GB storage wasn’t enough. To listen on the go, users had to record content because of RIAA restrictions. While Sirius blamed legal issues, the S50’s flaws remained, cementing its status as one of the worst tech fails.
Solar geoengineering, also known as Solar Radiation Management (SRM), proposes releasing sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere via balloons to dim sunlight and lower temperatures, similar to volcanic eruptions. While it aims to reduce solar radiation by 1-2%, its long-term environmental risks are uncertain and deemed unacceptable by the EU due to unknown consequences.
In 1989, America Online (AOL) started strong with over 30 million subscribers worldwide, largely due to free service discs. AOL Instant Messenger was a hit, but the internet became more accessible with broadband. AOL’s services lost their appeal, leading to a $240 billion decline in 2001. Staff cuts followed, and now AOL focuses on content, a far cry from its heyday. The rise and fall of AOL reflect its failure to keep up with evolving internet trends.
The New York Times calls Ai Pin “Silicon Valley’s Big, Bold Sci-Fi Bet on the Device That Comes After the Smartphone.” Former Apple designers Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, backed by $240 million, announce its launch in March 2024. It’s a wearable pin with AI, aiming to lessen smartphone reliance. Users can message, call, and interact without a screen, using a projection system. However, with a hefty $699 price tag and a mandatory $24 monthly subscription for phone access and data, coupled with usability issues, it may not yet rival smartphones.
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