In the Technology industry, things move very fast, and success often comes hand in hand with failure. For every technology product that completely changes the way we live, there are dozens of others that fail to hit the market - sometimes even spectacularly. But here’s the ironic part: not only do many of these failures provide educational experiences, but some of the best tech failures have had a significant impact on an industry or new innovations. Let’s examine some of the more interesting blunders that provided lessons, and even fostered innovation.
1. Google Glass – Ahead of Its Time
When Google Glass released in 2013, it had a space age proposal for a lifestyle that would have information you need right before your eyes. With Google Glass, you could surf the web, snap pictures, and provide navigation, all while being hands free in a sophisticated pair of glasses.
So why did it fail? Privacy issues, functionality, and steep prices did not make the product desirable in the regular user market. However, Google Glass did make an impact. It showed the market that augmented reality (AR) was not only possible but we would see applications come to life. Actually, a lot of what we see today in AR within healthcare, logistics as well as gaming give some credit to Google Glass and the courage to attempt this early technology.
Take away: sometimes the world is not ready for high levels of innovation, but creative ideas can still form the basis of something for the future.
2. Apple Newton – The PDA That Sparked Smartphones
Released in 1993, the Apple Newton was among the first personal digital assistants (PDAs). It could take notes, manage contacts, and had handwriting recognition. Sounds revolutionary, no? Unfortunately, the technology was not polished, and the device became less of a productivity tool than a punchline.
However, Newton set the stage for the iPhone and iPad. The idea of having a portable digital assistant morphed into smartphones. Without Newton, Apple may not have refined its vision of mobile computing.
Take away: Failure can be the prototype of success tomorrow.
3. Segway – Reinventing Urban Mobility?
When the Segway was introduced to the world, it was viewed as a future for personal transportation in 2001. The self-balancing design was revolutionary, but it never took off in the real world. At nearly $5,000, it was expensive, it did not fit well into the city infrastructure, and it was a little awkward to ride, to be honest.
But Segway's technology hasn't disappeared or gone unnoticed. The balance and motion-sensing technology inspired the wave of hoverboards, e-scooters, and other micromobility solutions we now see in cities around the world.
Take away: even if the product dies, the technology can live on in new products that are more accessible.
4. Microsoft Zune – A Music Player Without Rhythm
Launched in 2006, Microsoft's Zune was a direct response to Apple’s iPod, offering an extremely well-designed product that even supported wireless sharing—something that was quite mind-blowing at the time. Ultimately, it disappeared due to poor marketing, lack of content, and Apple's overwhelming dominance of the market.
Zune was not a complete waste, however. The company learned many valuable lessons about design, interface, and ecosystem that it would eventually leverage and build upon to build the Xbox and many other products.
Take away: Competition shows companies to help them refine their edge and develop better innovation.
5. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 – The Fiery Reminder
The Galaxy Note 7 failed due to battery issues—so much so, airlines banned it from flights altogether in 2016. While a public relations disaster, that failure helped to implement much stricter regulations on the lithium-ion battery market and the entire smartphone industry.
Ironically, the failures helped reinforce the resiliency of Samsung. They rebuilt the loss of trust from consumers, by providing better-designed products with new and innovative ideas, while keeping its industry leadership position and vision in the smartphone market.
Take away: Even failures can help form a new standard, and strengthen brand resilience.
Embracing Failure as a Stepping Stone
What these fumbles in tech have in common is that none of them faded away completely. All of these products helped change entire industries, inspired new ideas, or forced companies to reinvent themselves. In tech, failure isn’t the opposite of success; failure fuels success.
So, the next time a product launch misses the mark, or a gadget doesn’t live up to the hype, remember: tomorrow’s innovation may be built on today’s failure.