Apple abandons its automotive: Listed below are different tasks the corporate has killed

From AirPower to deserted tablets, Apple’s street to success is plagued by failures

Apple has scrapped plans to enter the automotive business with its mysterious autonomous electric car, as an alternative shifting focus to the wildly popular world of generative AI. The mission noticed the corporate hiring outstanding executives from locations like Tesla and Ford. Its finish has led to job losses for some workers, whereas others have modified divisions inside the corporate.

The so-called Mission Titan had reportedly been in the works since 2014. It might have confirmed stiff competitors for Tesla and others, given Apple’s historical past of disrupting varied markets. The corporate did it with the iPod, iPhone, Apple Watch and, most not too long ago, with its AirPods (the jury remains to be out on Vision Pro).

However not each mission has been a rousing success for the corporate. Previous to Mission Titan, there have been a number of Apple efforts that didn’t see the sunshine of day. Listed below are a few of the extra notable examples of Apple tasks that didn’t hit the market.

AirPower

Picture Credit: Apple

Not each instance is from the distant previous. The wi-fi charging mat, which Apple first announced in 2017, was anticipated to make use of the Qi normal to cost as much as three units at a time. Nonetheless, the corporate canceled the project in 2019, citing failure to realize its “high standards.” Apple changed the AirPower with its folding journey charger MagSafe Duo in 2020. However not like the AirPower mat, MagSafe Duo solely helps simultaneous charging of as much as two units: the iPhone and the Apple Watch or iPod.

Tv

Apple’s tv (to not be confused with Apple TV) is one other instance of a long-rumored mission that didn’t materialize. Analysts and investors anticipated the arrival of a full-fledged ultra-high-definition TV set from the corporate again in 2011. Like Mission Titan, Apple by no means publicly disclosed its existence earlier than it was reportedly scrapped years again.

Vademecum

Apple prototyped an early pill greater than a decade and a half previous to launching the primary iPad. In 1994, some early photographs of the mission surfaced on-line, suggesting it was exploring the addition of a stylus and built-in digital camera. Nonetheless, as former Apple govt Dan Russell discussed in a 2018 weblog put up, the corporate killed the mission as there was “no market for a tablet computer” on the time.

MessageSlate

The Vademecum wasn’t Apple’s solely failed try to design a desk. At roughly the identical time, the corporate was additionally engaged on a Newton OS-based mission known as MessageSlate (codenamed Senior). A trademark software for the system appeared in 1993. Nonetheless, Apple scrapped it and delivered MessagePad, a smaller model of the MessageSlate prototype, later within the yr.

W.A.L.T.

Properly earlier than the iPhone, Apple tested a “telephone Mac” codenamed W.A.L.T. It appeared to have a touchscreen panel with stylus assist and included options similar to fax and caller ID. Some early items of W.A.L.T. even surfaced on eBay for public sale. Nonetheless, Apple by no means mentioned the system publicly.

PenLite

In 1992, Apple was growing one other tablet. PenLite gave the impression to be primarily based on System 7.1 — the primary model of Apple’s Macintosh working system designed for PowerPC-based computer systems. Experiences instructed that it could have a stylus and a 25MHz Motorola processor. Not like the Vademecum, the PenLite was reportedly in improvement with no digital camera. Apple finally scrapped that mission, too. Very similar to the later system, the corporate decided that the market merely wasn’t prepared.