Tech that Died in 2024

Summary

2024 saw the demise of several high-profile tech products. Fossil smartwatches were discontinued, Apple ended its blood oxygen feature and Pay Later service, while also phasing out iTunes and the USB SuperDrive. Redbox shut down thousands of kiosks, and even Google trimmed its lineup, shutting down various services like Google Pay and Podcasts. Meanwhile, Meta's celebrity lookalike chatbots and Snapchat's Pixie drone met untimely ends. Boston Dynamics retired its Atlas robot, and the Moxy robot for kids was abandoned due to lack of funding. 2024 marked a year of tech transitions, where many beloved products became part of tech history.

Takeaways

• 😀 Fossil has ceased making smartwatches, marking the end of its Gen 6 series as the company moves away from the smartwatch market.
• 😀 Apple discontinued the blood oxygen sensor feature in its watches after losing a patent dispute, causing its removal from devices like the Apple Watch.
• 😀 Apple also ended its 'Buy Now, Pay Later' service, which was shut down less than a year after launching.
• 😀 iTunes has been officially phased out on Apple devices, with the company pushing users to transition to alternative apps like Apple Music and TV.
• 😀 The USB SuperDrive, a device for reading CDs and DVDs, was discontinued by Apple, signaling a further shift away from physical media.
• 😀 Best Buy stopped selling physical movie discs in 2024, and Redbox shut down 24,000 of its kiosks as the company filed for bankruptcy.
• 😀 The 90s instant messaging service ICQ was officially shut down after 27 years, marking the end of an era in online communication.
• 😀 Google has shut down several services, including Google Pay in the US, Google Podcasts, and Google Jamboard, consolidating features into other platforms.
• 😀 Meta ended its celebrity lookalike AI chatbots, and Snapchat's Pixie drone was recalled due to battery issues, marking failures in hardware innovation.
• 😀 Boston Dynamics retired its hydraulic Atlas humanoid robot after 11 years of development, while also teasing a more advanced, electric humanoid robot.

Q & A

Why did Fossil stop making smartwatches in 2024?

Fossil decided to stop producing smartwatches, with the Gen 6 being the last model. The market for smartwatches became highly competitive, especially with Apple dominating the space, and Fossil could not maintain its position in the market.

What happened to the blood oxygen sensor in the Apple Watch?

Apple had to discontinue selling models with the blood oxygen sensor after losing a patent dispute. This led to the removal of the feature from newer Apple Watch models, marking a significant shift in the company’s product offerings.

Why did Apple shut down its Apple Pay Later service?

Apple Pay Later was discontinued less than a year after its launch due to low adoption and possibly operational challenges. The service aimed to compete in the Buy Now, Pay Later market but failed to gain traction.

How did Apple phase out iTunes in 2024?

Apple discontinued iTunes for macOS in favor of its newer apps like Apple Music, TV, and the Devices app. While iTunes still exists for Windows, the move was part of Apple's effort to modernize and streamline its services for a more integrated experience.

What happened to physical media sales at Best Buy in 2024?

Best Buy stopped selling physical movie discs in 2024, signaling the end of an era for physical media. This follows a broader trend in the industry of moving towards digital streaming and away from physical formats like DVDs and Blu-rays.

What led to the shutdown of Redbox's kiosks?

Redbox filed for bankruptcy and shut down 24,000 of its kiosks in 2024. This is part of the ongoing decline of physical rental services, as streaming platforms have become the dominant way to access movies and TV shows.

Why did ICQ shut down after 27 years?

ICQ, once a leading instant messaging platform, shut down due to the decline in the use of traditional instant messaging services. Newer platforms and social media apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and others replaced ICQ’s functionality.

What is the significance of Google discontinuing several of its apps in 2024?

In 2024, Google discontinued several services, including Google Pay in the US, Google Podcasts, and Google Jamboard. This is part of Google's ongoing strategy of consolidating its products, focusing on more successful platforms like Google Wallet, YouTube Music, and Google Drive.

Why was the Google Jamboard a failure?

Google Jamboard was a high-priced digital whiteboard ($5,000+), marketed for business use, but it failed to gain traction due to its high cost and lack of widespread adoption. Google eventually shut it down after years of underperformance.

Why did Boston Dynamics retire its Atlas humanoid robot?

Boston Dynamics retired its hydraulic Atlas humanoid robot after 11 years of development. The robot's impressive feats, like backflips and lifting, caused discomfort among many viewers, and the company now focuses on developing more practical and advanced humanoid robots.

What led to the shutdown of Moxy the robot?

Moxy, an AI chatbot robot designed as a friend for kids, was discontinued in 2024 due to a lack of funding. The product relied on cloud servers to function, and when the servers were no longer supported, Moxy could not operate, disappointing many children who had formed attachments to it.