Fifty years, countless innovations, and a brand that has changed the world of technology, Apple Inc. has just turned 50 years old. Their legacy is unparalleled by any other company. The history of Apple is deeply linked with milestones like personal computer breakthroughs and the launch of the world’s first smart phone that has entirely transformed the way humans communicate.
It is a story of the company, which is a series of new and revolutionary products that have boldly made their mark in the category time after time.
Apple is known for its big successes, but that’s not the full story. Not every product made a huge impact, and some didn’t even succeed in the market.
Still, these failures played an important role. They helped Apple take risks, try new ideas, and learn from mistakes. As the company marks this milestone, it’s worth looking at the products that didn’t succeed but quietly helped shape Apple into what it is today.
Source: economictimes
How Failed Apple Products Still Left an Impact
At present Apple’s brand is deeply linked to the ideas of precision and almost faultless very high quality product and service delivery. Nevertheless the company through the course of its evolution went through a number of missteps when it rolled out the products driven by the principles that in one way or another would not have been accepted by the customers at that time.
It could be that the technology was not mature enough or other things like price, and ease of use were the main selling points of the product.
However, such failures did not push the company to completely overhaul their strategy. Every single one of these products contributed in some way, be it a concept, a certain design or a user experience insight. It is these lessons that, over time, have become the foundation for Apple’s most successful products.
Which products barely impacted the market and why are they still discussed today? Keep reading!
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1. Apple Newton
Launch Time: Early 1990s
Well before the advent of smartphones, Apple unveiled the Newton, a pocket-sized computer which aimed to make computing accessible anywhere by just carrying the device in one’s hand. It came with a handwriting recognition feature that was, for some, a revelation, though many found it inaccurate and, coupled with other problems, led to their disappointment.
Although a commercial failure, the Newton concept of on-the-go, touch-based interfaces was one that was later improved and realized in the iPhone and iPad.
2. Power Mac G4 Cube
Launch Year: 2000
With its beautiful, compact design, the Power Mac G4 Cube immediately grabbed attention, highlighting Apple’s excellent design and minimalistic approach. Unfortunately, being expensive and offering very few opportunities for upgrades, it failed to capture the interest of the average consumer.
Even though it was a flop in the market, the Cube proved Apple’s commitment to design excellence that would define its worldwide success and product range.
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3. Apple Maps
Launch Year: 2012
Apple’s launch of a mapping service of its own was a daring step, but the first version was full of errors and led to quite a lot of negative reviews. The criticism was so harsh that Apple had to apologize publicly.
On the other hand, the company took the criticism as a challenge and made a big bet on making things better. Nowadays, Apple Maps is a dependable and mainstream platform which shows how missteps at the beginning can result in benefits in the long run.
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4. iPod Hi-Fi
Launch Year: 2006
During the time when iPod was leading the music industry, Apple decided to go for iPod Hi-Fi to enter into home audio. In spite of the fine sound it created, the price was a bit high and the product was rather incompatible, which in the end reduced the sales.
It didn’t make a good commercial return, yet it was Apple’s first venture into the audio ecosystem, a sector that the company would later dominate with very popular products like AirPods and HomePod.
5. Apple Lisa
Launch Year: 1983
Apple Lisa was among the very first machines that featured a graphical user interface, a totally new idea back then.
In fact, the tech behind Lisa became the backbone of Macintosh, which is without a doubt Apple’s significant and successful product line.
Conclusion
As Apple enters its 50th anniversary, its saga is a reminder that a major truth, innovation, is hardly ever a straight path. Though the company is admired for its pioneering achievements, the failures have also been a major factor in its metamorphosis.
Starting from Newton’s first idea to the mistakes done with Apple Maps, every failure helped in a bigger picture.
Finally, Apple’s history is not only about coming up with legendary items but also about understanding what did not work and using those experiences to succeed later on.
