When done right, the advances of modern technology can produce products that are immensely successful, from the iPhone to the Xbox. Any product to be launched requires a great amount of planning, and it is important that it coincide with markets demands as well.
However, even with the most detailed planning, certain products end up being a disappointment in the long run.
So what were the tech products that failed badly in the market? Here are some that started with a bang but lost its momentum along the way.
1. Samsung Galaxy Note 7
The Note 7 was an unfortunate product that took off rapidly but also ended up a major fail just as quickly. Just after its release, there were reports of the phone catching fire.
In September, it was reported that “tens of thousands of Note 7 phones have been exchanged in Singapore’s first major mobile phone recall“. One can only imagine the amount of loss Samsung must have incurred. Replacement phones faced the same issues, and there seemed to be no way to salvage the situation.
On October 10, Samsung issued an official statement stating “because consumers’ safety remains our top priority, Samsung will ask all carrier and retail partners globally to stop sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note 7 while the investigation is taking place”.
The explosive failure of the Note 7 might have died down somewhat but the Samsung brand has no doubt suffered a huge blow. It will take time before it can rise again.
2. GoPro Karma Drone
Do you remember the GoPro Karma? Because GoPro certainly wished that you didn’t.
The GoPro Karma was definitely one of the most hyped up tech products. Unfortunately, it didn’t manage to last for long as consumers ended up abandoning the product.
When GoPro officially introduced its Karma Drone early this year, it looked as good as it was said to be. At that time, camera drones were slowly vanishing from the market but GoPro hoped to reverse the failing trend.
However, not long after the launch, there were complaints coming in about the device losing power mid air. Although there were no reported injuries or fatal incidents, this resulted in consumers turning away from the product as well as company share prices dropping.
In the end, the company had to recall about 2,500 of its drones.
3. Pokemon Go Plus
The Pokémon Go Plus Accessory was one of the most awaited gaming accessories due to the hype stirred up by Pokémon Go. Nintendo had initially planned on releasing the product July 2016 but later pushed the release to September.
According to Tech Times, they delay was so that “Nintendo could focus on the Pokémon GO app update and offer the best experience“. Sure, it might have been a good strategy and success of the game made for a promising start.
Unfortunately, the release turned out to be a tad too late neither did it come with any significant features.
As mentioned by Kotaku, “Pokémon GO Plus is unable to provide an alert for any Pokémon attracted by the in-game item Incense and it doesn’t track distance walked when running in the background”.
The Plus accessory not only incurred losses but produced unhappy players as it became more of a hassle than a convenience.
4. BlackBerry Priv
With its BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) function, the BlackBerry was the hip thing back then. You were seen as the ‘cool kid’ if you used BlackBerry in the past. But when Apple and Samsung started introducing their smartphones, BlackBerry started to lose its customers.
Unlike the Note 7 and Karma drone, the BlackBerry Priv was not a safety hazard. Rather, it had a tough time competing with the dominant competitors in the market.
The first BlackBerry to incorporate the Android OS, it was hoped that the move “would turn the tide and stop the manufacturer’s dwindling sales“. However that strategy did not work out and a high-level AT&T executive noted that “the BlackBerry Priv [was] really struggling“.
5. Hoverboards
2015 was the year of hoverboards when they became an overnight sensation. However, there were certain drawbacks to them as well. One of it being that it wasn’t actually easy to balance yourself on it. I tried, and I failed.
However, the main problem with the hoverboard was its potential to catch fire. There were numerous reported incidents with fatal injuries as it kept catching fire, either during use or while it was being charged.
International Business Times revealed that e-commerce sites Overstock and Amazon were quick to pull the hoverboards from stores and airlines issued bans from bringing hoverboards on board.
One would have thought that these incidents would have resulted in hoverboards being removed from sale entirely but they weren’t, though consumers are now advised to take precaution when buying one.
Not All Hype Is Good Hype
Tech products can drive up the hype and excitement with good marketing, and tech fanatics are bound to start sharing about the latest devices even before they hit the shelves.
But not all hype is good hype, and just because the product is highly publicised does not mean that it will be a good one. It not only has to meet market demands but consumers ought to feel like it has brought about a significant change in their lives.
And with the stiff competition faced nowadays in the the tech industry, the product must ultimately be able to gain acknowledgement, popularity and be able to stay strong throughout.
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