Apple is one of the most globally respected technology companies, having built its reputation on creating reliable, high-end products with innovative features. The Cupertino tech giant has such an impressive track record that its next project—whether that be an AR headset or something else entirely —is already assumed to be a success.
Nowadays, everything Apple touches seems to turn to gold, from its ubiquitous iPhones to the new Macs with custom M-series silicon and even a subscription streaming service that went from “the one with the soccer show” to an award winner with a respectable catalog of original content.
With all the praise Apple receives, it can be easy to forget about the company’s many failures, some of which never made it to market. Apple is now the richest tech company in the world, but its ascendance wasn’t without its setbacks, some of which put the company on the brink of bankruptcy. Some of these ill-fated devices were either poorly realized or overly ambitious—but nearly all of them influenced the devices Apple users enjoy today. And you might be surprised to learn about, or perhaps remember, some of the more recent failures.
With that said, let’s flip open the lids of our PowerBook 100s and take a look back at some of Apple’s worst products. Oh, and if you like learning about consumer tech history, read our articles on the worst failures from Microsoft and Google.
