Apple has had a long list of successful devices and another of failures, but also of products that did not even reach the market and were never launched for different reasons.
These devices and concepts, some revolutionary and others simply eccentric, are part of the history of this company, marked by innovation. Ideas such as an electric car, a multiple charger and a video game console are part of this history of cancellations.
One of Apple’s most ambitious and mysterious projects has been the Apple Car, an autonomous and electric vehicle that promised to revolutionize the automotive industry. For years, rumors and leaks have circulated about Project Titan, codename for the Apple Car. However, in 2024 its cancellation was announced and we will never see it.
Although there were already clues that the project was in doubt, the news was unexpected. The lack of an official launch and numerous technical and regulatory obstacles have led the company to make this decision.
At a time when the trend was to make mobile phones smaller and smaller, Apple flirted with the idea of the iPhone Nano. This device, a more compact and cheaper version of the iPhone, was intended to be accessible to a wider audience.
It was rumored that the design would include a smaller screen and fewer functionalities, but maintaining the spirit and quality of the brand. However, over time, demand shifted toward phones with larger, more powerful screens, leaving the iPhone Nano a project that never took off.
Before the iPad, Apple envisioned the Newton VideoPad, a concept that envisioned a tablet with video and communication capabilities. In the 90s, this idea was truly futuristic. Equipped with a touch screen, The VideoPad was intended to be a portable communication tool, a precursor to FaceTime and other video calling services.
However, the technological limitations of the time and the lack of a ready market for such a device They made the VideoPad remain in Apple’s archives, never reaching production.
The idea of a touchscreen MacBook has been a persistent rumor for years. Apple experimented with prototypes that combined the power of a MacBook with the interactivity of an iPad.
This computer would have allowed users to draw, write, and manipulate applications with their fingers directly on the screen. Although this idea never made it to market, the essence of this experimentation can be seen in the evolution of devices like the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil.
In the 1990s, Apple ventured to conquer the world of video games with the Apple Pippin. Designed to be a multimedia gaming console, the Pippin promised to be a versatile and advanced platform.
However, its high price and fierce competition from Sega, Sony and Nintendo sealed its fate. Today, the Pippin is a collector’s item and a historical curiosity, reminding us of a path not taken by Apple in the realm of digital entertainment. Although this product did reach the market, it did not have a large number of sales, which is why it is considered a dead Apple project.
To talk about a canceled Apple product is to talk about the AirPower, the protagonist in recent years of numerous memes on social networks and forums dedicated to enthusiasts of the brand. The AirPower not only existed, but was introduced in September 2017 alongside the iPhone X, the first iPhone with wireless charging capability.
The idea was that the AirPower could be used to charge up to three devices at the same time, including an iPhone, an Apple Watch and AirPods, with animations in iOS when connected to the AirPower.
However, the AirPower had not met the expected quality standards. Although Apple planned to launch it at the end of 2017, and then in 2018, the wait was lengthening. The complex internal coil mechanism reached undesirable temperatures, putting the charger, connected devices, and the user at risk.
Finally, in March 2019, Apple officially canceled AirPower, confirming that they had failed to meet quality standards.
