From Hype to Silence: Things That Were The ‘Next Big Thing’ But Just Vanished

Many times, the "next big thing" comes about just to vanish out of nowhere. I’m talking about the items that were hyped up and given a lot of media coverage but just didn’t hit the mark. Remember Google Glass?  The "smart glasses" that people were talking about ten years ago as the "next big thing,” but then they fizzled out and were eventually discontinued. Don’t get me wrong, some of these "next big things" actually became big, or led to big things.

Someone took to Reddit to ask, “What was advertised as the next big thing but then just vanished?” It’s safe to say that the responses didn’t disappoint.

I had a major "Oh yeah, that did exist" moment when it came to one of the first responses. Someone brought up 3D televisions. Unsure who wanted to experience the 3D element at home, but some people were into it. 3D televisions came about during the popularity of 3D movie releases. It didn't last too long.

Wired reported that the hype around the "three-dimensional media feature" lasted around four years. "By 2015, 3D TVs were a fading fad, and by 2017, the last few holdouts manufacturing them, LG and Sony, weren’t making them at all anymore," they said.

Microsoft Zune made it into the thread. I’ll go ahead and admit it. I owned one and I loved it until the bitter end. Microsoft’s Zune was a portable media player that was first launched in November 2006. Zune HD was launched in 2009. However, by 2011, Zune players were discontinued, Medium reported. Maybe the Zune was not as good as the iPod during that time. But once smartphones hit the scene, they were both destined for a bitter end anyway.

Did you ever hop on the Quibi train? The short-form video streaming service was designed for people to enjoy on their phones and launched in 2020. All wasn't bad with the streaming platform. About 1.7 million consumers downloaded the app in the first week, according to Forbes.

Several big names in entertainment had content on the platform too. This includes Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, LeBron James, Lena Waithe, and Will Smith, and directors Steven Spielberg, Guillermo del Toro, Antoine Fuqua, Sam Raimi, and Catherine Hardwicke.

After being around for a year, it just disappeared. Someone on the thread said that the platform was just "extremely unlucky." They continued, "In 2019, it decided it would launch in April 2020 and was marketed as something to watch during your work commute. Guess what was going on in the world in April 2020?"

Many others on the thread mentioned DVD and Blu-Ray, the Metaverse, segways, NFTs, and darker "next big things" like the Titanic. Take a look at the full Reddit thread here.

Best Buy has announced that starting in 2024, following this holiday season, they will discontinue the sale of DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K Ultra HD discs, both in their physical stores and online. They have said the reason for this decision is due to the increasing popularity of streaming services.  This move aligns with the prevailing trend, as more people turn to streaming for their entertainment needs.

Physical media does come with certain inconveniences, such as taking up space and limited mobile accessibility. But there are still people who appreciate the more traditional way of enjoying movies and music. There are some advantages of owning Blu-rays and DVDs. These include owning what you buy and having bonus content you can't get anywhere else.

In the '90s, owning a pager was considered a status symbol and a fashion statement. Today, it's even possible to purchase a fully functional vintage Motorola pager from online marketplaces like eBay.

With the widespread use of mobile phones and free calling applications that offer unlimited calls via Wi-Fi, traditional landlines may eventually become obsolete. However, the complete phasing out of this technology may take some time. This is because certain regions or countries still contend with unreliable internet or cellular coverage. As of August 2023, Community Phone reports that approximately 40.35 million households in the United States still maintain landline phones, and 38.1 million households have both a landline and a cell phone.

For some people, "new" technology doesn’t always mean "better." On Reddit, a user started a discussion thread asking, “What outdated or obsolete tech are you still using and are perfectly happy with?” The thread received more than 16,000 responses from people who shared the outdated everyday items they still happily use. Check some of them out below.

You probably haven't seen a calculator in ages, but a Reddit user chimed in to say that, for them, the old-school scientific calculator beats the one on your phone or any app. They simply put it like this, "Honestly, a standard scientific calculator is just easier to use than your phone's built-in scientific calculator." It could be the fun button-tapping sound or the nostalgic thrill of typing in cheeky words with numbers that makes this person prefer calculators.

Smartwatches may pack in loads of features, but there's a catch - they need regular charging and maintenance, and their battery life is shorter. On the flip side, traditional watches are a low-maintenance choice with longer battery life. In fact, a Redditor mentioned they still rock a "a lovely, inexpensive, bombproof, analog, big face Casio." They also pointed out that smartwatches aren't allowed at their job, so their trusty Casio gets the job done.

If you've put a ton of effort into collecting CDs and vinyl records, and creating some killer playlists, why ditch them, right? One person told their story about growing up in the '90s, building a massive CD collection, and stashing them all in one of those Case Logic CD binders. They fondly shared, "I still keep it with me in my car and it’s a wonderful trip down memory lane every time I open it. I laughed and cried a little when my kids friend asked me what it was and I said, 'CDs' and they followed up with, 'What’s that?'" But also: not everything is available on streaming services.  That obscure soundtrack or tribute album from the '80s? Licensing issues may have prevented it from hitting the streamers.  Love Joni Mitchell? Well, Spotify doesn't have her catalog. Sure, you can subscribe to another service, but if you kept your old vinyl and have a turntable, you can listen to it the old school way.

You have people who can't stand a tangle of wires in their tech setup, and then there's that Reddit user who's all about the wired life. They firmly believe that wired networking is "not obsolete or outdated." According to them, it's superior in every aspect, except for the mobility it lacks compared to wireless. They put it simply, "Wired is the ideal, you only go wireless if running cable is unfeasible for the situation.

A regular doorbell does its job well. It lets you know someone's at the door. On the other hand, a video doorbell does the same but with the perk of letting you see and hear the person at your door, even if you're not home. Someone mentioned they'd be up for a smart doorbell if it kept the data local. They said, "I don't want anything being sent online, so I might need to set up my own system... I'll just stick with the traditional kind."

A Redditor shared their affection for good old physical buttons, arguing that not everything needs to go the touchscreen route. They stressed the importance of having car radios equipped with buttons rather than screens, believing it's a safer choice. They explained, "It’s easier for me to push a button to change the music while keeping my eyes on the road/ I can’t do that if my car has a screen. It increases distracted driving incidents."