2019: A Retrospective of Technological Farewells
As 2019 drew to a close, it marked the end of a decade that witnessed technological advancements that transformed our lives. However, the year also bid farewell to several iconic services and devices that had become integral to our digital landscape.
Windows 10 Mobile: The Final Curtain Call
Microsoft’s long-struggling mobile platform, Windows 10 Mobile, reached its final chapter in December 2019. The company ceased providing security patches to the operating system, leaving users vulnerable to potential security threats. While a corporate lifeline remains for a limited time, the fate of Windows phones has been sealed by a lack of carrier support, developer interest, and consumer enthusiasm.
Microsoft Store Books: A Literary Sunset
The digital age’s promise of perpetual availability was shattered when Microsoft Store Books closed its doors in July 2019. Customers who had purchased ebooks from the platform found themselves unable to access their digital libraries. Microsoft, however, took responsibility and offered refunds to its loyal bookworms.
Windows 10’s My People: A Feature That Never Quite Took Hold
Microsoft’s attempt to seamlessly integrate communication from multiple contacts into a convenient taskbar feature, My People, was set to be discontinued in 2020. Despite its intriguing concept, the feature failed to gain traction due to its reliance on Microsoft’s People app and its inability to connect to popular third-party services.
Microsoft’s Online Games: The End of an Era
In a bittersweet moment, Microsoft bid farewell to a piece of its gaming history in July 2019. The company shut down its servers for classic online games such as Internet Backgammon, Checkers, and Hearts, signaling the end of an era for those who had enjoyed these digital pastimes.
Virtual Reality’s Step Back: Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream View
The virtual reality craze experienced a setback in 2019 with the demise of two major platforms. Samsung announced that it would discontinue support for its Gear VR headset, and Google followed suit by halting the sale of its Daydream View headset and withdrawing support for Pixel 4 smartphones. The mobile VR market, once brimming with promise, had reached a sobering crossroads.
Google Glass Explorer Edition: An End to a Pioneering Experiment
Google’s ambitious wearable device, Google Glass, had always been a polarizing concept. In December 2019, the company announced that it would offer a final update for the Glass Explorer Edition, effectively severing the device’s connection to Google’s back-end services. While the camera functions would remain intact, the once-lauded headset’s full potential remained unrealized.
Valve’s Steam Controller: An Innovative Idea Shuttered
Valve’s foray into hardware had met with mixed results, and 2019 marked the end of the company’s Steam Controller. The innovative device, featuring customizable touchpads, was sold off at a discounted price before being discontinued. While its design and concept were intriguing, the Steam Controller failed to gain widespread adoption.
PlayStation Vue: Streaming Competition Takes Its Toll
The premium live TV streaming industry witnessed a major casualty in October 2019 as Sony announced the impending closure of PlayStation Vue. Reports indicated that the service’s subscriber base had failed to reach the desired levels, leaving it unable to compete with established rivals.
Google Cloud Print: A Convenient Service Retires
Google Cloud Print, a popular feature that allowed users to print remotely from any device to their home printers, was slated to be discontinued in January 2020. While Chrome OS devices received a native printing experience, users seeking to print from remote locations to their home printers would need to explore alternative solutions.
YouTube Gaming App: Twitch Dominance Prevails
Despite YouTube’s efforts to establish a foothold in the live-streaming gaming space, its YouTube Gaming app was unable to match the popularity of Twitch. In May 2019, YouTube decided to sunset its standalone gaming video apps, leaving Twitch as the undisputed king of live-streaming gaming content.
Chromecast Audio: A Streaming Device Finds Its End
Google’s Chromecast platform revolutionized video streaming, but its audio-only counterpart, Chromecast Audio, found its demise in 2019. Google discontinued the device, leaving users with limited options for wirelessly streaming audio to their speakers.
Google+: A Social Network’s Demise
Google’s attempt to challenge social media giants with Google+ proved unsuccessful, and the platform was officially shuttered in April 2019. Despite initial enthusiasm, Google+ struggled to gain significant adoption and fell victim to several security breaches.
Inbox by Gmail: An Email Organization Experiment Concludes
Gmail’s Inbox, introduced in 2014, offered a unique approach to email organization by categorizing messages into specialized folders. However, the service failed to gain widespread popularity, and Google ultimately folded its features into Gmail before discontinuing Inbox in April 2019.
UltraViolet: A Digital Rights Locker Closes Its Doors
UltraViolet, the entertainment industry’s attempt to combat piracy by providing digital copies of purchased physical media, shut down in 2019. The service, which allowed users to store their digital rights in a central locker, fell out of favor as studios abandoned the platform.
In Memoriam: A Farewell to 2019’s Technological Losses
As we bid farewell to 2019, we recognize the passing of these technological innovations. Their successes and failures serve as reminders of the ever-evolving landscape of technology, where new advancements emerge while others fade into history.
