In 2024, the technology industry witnessed several notable product and service discontinuations, marking a shift in brand strategy and an evolution in consumer demand. Major companies like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have discontinued beloved devices and applications.
Here are five shocking departures from the tech industry this year.
Nokia brand smartphone
Nokia 3210 was targeted at young people. (Image source: Nokia)
Once the world leader in mobile phones, Nokia struggled to keep up with modern trends until it revived the brand through a licensing deal with HMD Global. However, in 2024, HMD Global changed its focus and launched smartphones under its own name while limiting the Nokia brand to feature phones. Some Nokia-branded Android smartphones are still on store shelves, but their lifespan appears to be limited as HMDs take center stage.
Google Chromecast
The first generation Chromecast could stream video in HD and had 2GB of internal storage. (Image source: Google)
The popular Chromecast lineup was officially discontinued in August, joining the infamous “Killed by Google” list. Google reassured users that their existing devices will continue to work, but announced Google TV Streamer as a replacement. The new devices offer a more robust streaming experience and work independently, signaling a change in how Google approaches big-screen content delivery.
humane AI pin
On October 27, 2023, married Humane founders Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhry left at the company’s headquarters in San Francisco. Ai Pin was supposed to free people from smartphones, but sales have been slow. Humane is currently in talks with HP and others about a possible sale. (Kelsey McClellan/New York Times)
Once touted as a revolutionary step in personal technology, the Humane AI Pin failed to live up to expectations. The product, designed to project information into the user’s hands and enable interaction through voice and gestures, faced technical flaws, high costs, and dissatisfaction from early adopters. Created by former Apple designers Imran Chaudhry and Bethany Bongiorno, AI Pins struggled to make an impact in the market, leaving it as a cautionary tale for ambitious wearable products.
Microsoft Wordpad
Microsoft is eliminating WordPad from Windows 11, positioning Notepad as the remaining plain text editor. (Image: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)
Microsoft has said goodbye to WordPad, which has been a staple of the Windows OS for over a decade, by removing it from all editions of Windows 11. WordPad, known for its simple and powerful text processing features, is replacing Word in Microsoft 365, which requires a subscription. Although Notepad remains free, it lacks the versatility of WordPad, and users are looking for lightweight document editing alternatives.
Apple Lightning Port
iPhone 7 with Lightning port. (Image: Associated Press)
The iconic Lightning port, once a hallmark of Apple innovation, is gone in favor of USB-C across the product lineup. Introduced as a great alternative to Micro USB, the Lightning port offered durability and ease of use. But with EU regulations mandating USB-C as a universal standard, Apple made the switch, marking the end of a decade-long era.
Which of the following technology products will you miss in 2025?
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