The Biggest Tech Failures in History!

We at Innovexa thought we would set aside our usual content promoting digitization and present to you some of the biggest tech failures in history!

We at Innovexa Solutions are strong proponents of the monumental benefits embracing the latest and greatest technological advancements can have on any organization. However, that isn’t to say that, on occasion, those advancements can’t have their downsides or fall flat upon release. Well, with that in mind, here are several instances of ostensible technological advancements going spectacularly wrong.

Gene-Edited Babies

This is a recent one, that reads a lot more like dystopian science fiction than something that actually happened. Last year a Chinese scientist by the name of He Jiankui decided to act, seemingly unilaterally and without the consent of his subjects, to use CRISPR (a molecular tool) to edit the genetic makeup of the embryos of twin girls. He asserted that this editing — getting rid of a single gene—would lead to the girls being born immune to HIV.

This was a catastrophic failure not because of the success or failure of Jiankui’s gene-editing attempt (the results of which remain unclear) but rather it was a moral failure. It was the fact that he made the attempt without the knowledge of his university, the consent of his subjects, or the scientific community at large. This was simply a case of scientific overreach, and Jiankui has paid the price for it, losing his place at his university and having been investigated by the Chinese government.

Google Glass

Here’s another recent tech failure, this time involving a tech giant: Google. Back in 2013, Google Glass was meant to be the next smart device—glasses that were practically a hands-free smartphone. They could display information on its lenses, respond to voice commands, and take pictures and videos, they really seemed like glasses from the future. Perhaps they just came too soon.

A variety of concerns particularly around privacy and safety but also their exorbitant pricing hit them hard. By the start of 2015, less than a year after they became available to the public, Google announced that it would stop producing the product.

Apple Pippin (PiPP!N)

Another entry that proves that even the big boys in tech stumble from time to time is the gaming console, the Apple Pippin (or PiPP!N, as it was advertised). In 1996, before Apple became what it is today and the iPhone was at best a dream, Apple decided to try its hand in the world of gaming.

Despite there being no obvious shortcomings with the quality of the Pippin itself, it was done for just a year on. With minimal marketing, few games, and the subsequent release of the Playstation, the Pippin didn’t stand a chance. That said, maybe placing the Pippin here is a little harsh, as the Pippin can be considered a marketing failure as much as a tech failure.

Nintendo Virtual Boy

The final entry in this list of failures, remaining in the field of gaming, is the Nintendo Virtual Boy. As can be guessed by its name, this was an early attempt (in 1995) at a virtual reality gaming platform, something that over 20 years on has still yet to be fully realized.

Unsurprisingly, with the state of VR technology back then, the Virtual Boy was a disaster for Nintendo. Its graphics and display were unimpressive, it was incredibly expensive, and its gameplay led to many players’ heads and eyes hurting, leading it to become one of Nintendo’s lowest-selling platforms ever.

While clearly certain technological advancements can be misguided, such as the Google Glass, or immoral, like the gene-editing of babies, they, equally, can be an incredible force for the better.

With that said, there’s something liberating about knowing that even tech giants like Nintendo, Google, and Apple can misjudge the applicability or appeal or their next product, even if more often than not they get it right. Check back in with us next week when we get back to our usual informational content.

To participate in the digital readiness survey we’re currently conducting, click the following link: http://bit.ly/insurvey-07