In 2024, the tech industry saw many notable products and services discontinued, indicating changes in brand strategies and evolving consumer demands. Major players like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon retired beloved devices and applications.
Here’s a look at five impressive departures from the tech world this year:
Nokia-branded smartphones
The Nokia 3210 was aimed at the youth. (Image source: Nokia)
Once the global leader in mobile phones, Nokia was struggling to keep pace with modern trends before a licensing deal with HMD Global revived its brand. However, 2024 saw HMD Global shift its focus, limiting the Nokia brand to feature phones and launching smartphones under its own name. While some Nokia-branded Android smartphones remain in stores, their days seem numbered as HMD takes center stage.
Google Chromecast
The first generation Chromecast could stream videos 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 assured users that existing devices would remain functional but announced Google TV Streamer as its replacement. The new device offers a more robust streaming experience and works independently, signaling a shift in Google’s approach to big-screen content delivery.
Pin human AI
Human’s married founders, Bethany Bongiorno, left, and Imran Chowdhury at the company’s headquarters in San Francisco on Oct. 27, 2023. Ai Pin was expected to free people from smartphones, but sales have slowed. Now Humane is talking to HP and others about a possible sale. (Kelsey McClellan/The New York Times)
Once hailed as a revolutionary step in personal technology, the Humane AI pin failed to live up to expectations. Designed to project information onto users’ hands and enable interaction through voice and gestures, the product faced technical flaws, high costs, and a lukewarm reception from early adopters. Created by former Apple designers Imran Chaudhary and Bethany Bongiorno, the AI Pin struggled to make an impact in the market, leaving it as a cautionary tale for ambitious wearables.
Microsoft WordPad
Microsoft squeezes WordPad out of Windows 11, keeping Notepad as the rest of the plain text editor. (Photo: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)
Microsoft bid farewell to WordPad, a staple of the Windows OS for more than a decade, removing it from Windows 11 versions. Known for its simple but functional word-processing capabilities, WordPad has been replaced by Microsoft 365’s Word, which requires a subscription. Although Notepad remains available for free, it lacks the versatility of WordPad, leaving users to search for alternatives for light document editing.
Apple lightning port
iPhone 7 with lightning port. (Image: AP)
The iconic Lightning port, once a hallmark of Apple’s innovation, has been retired in favor of USB-C across its entire product lineup. Presented as a great alternative to Micro USB, the Lightning port offers durability and ease of use. However, EU regulations mandating USB-C as a global standard prompted Apple to make the switch, signaling the end of a decade-long era.
Which of these tech products will you miss in 2025?
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