From AirPower to abandoned tablets, Apple's path to success is littered with failure
Apple has canceled it It plans to enter the auto industry with its mysterious autonomous electric car, and is instead shifting focus to the wildly popular world of generative artificial intelligence. The project has seen the company hire prominent executives from places like Tesla and Ford. Its end led to the loss of jobs for some employees, while others changed departments within the company.
The so-called Project Titan has reportedly been in the works since 2014. It could have proven intense competition with Tesla and others, given Apple's history of disrupting various markets. The company has done this with the iPod, iPhone, Apple Watch, and most recently with the AirPods (the jury is still out on the Vision Pro).
But not every project has been a huge success for the company. Before Project Titan, there were several efforts by Apple that failed to see the light of day. Here are some of the most notable examples of Apple projects that never made it to market.
air Force
Image credits: Apple
Not every example is from the distant past. The wireless charging base, which Apple first announced in 2017, was expected to use the Qi standard to charge up to three devices simultaneously. But the company canceled the project in 2019, citing failure to meet its “high standards.” Apple replaced AirPower with the MagSafe Duo foldable travel charger in 2020. But unlike the AirPower mat, the MagSafe Duo only supports simultaneous charging of up to two devices: iPhone and Apple Watch or iPod.
the television
Apple TV (not to be confused with Apple TV) is another example of a long-rumored project that never materialized. Analysts and investors expected a full-fledged UHD TV from the company in 2011. Like Project Titan, Apple never publicly revealed its existence before it was canceled years ago.
Vadecom
Apple designed an early tablet prototype more than a decade and a half before the first iPad was released. In 1994, some early images of the project appeared online, suggesting that he was exploring adding a pen and a built-in camera. However, as former Apple executive Dan Russell discussed in a 2018 blog post, the company shelved the project because “there was no market for a tablet” at the time.
Slate message
Vademecum wasn't Apple's only failed attempt at a schedule. Around the same time, the company was also working on a Newton OS-based project called MessageSlate (codenamed Senior). A trademarked application for the device appeared in 1993. However, Apple canceled it and delivered the MessengerPad, a smaller version of the MessageSlate prototype, later in the year.
Walt
Long before the iPhone was released, Apple tested a “Mac phone” device codenamed WALT. It appears to have a touchpad with pen support and includes features like fax and caller ID. Some early units of WALT have even appeared on eBay for auction. However, Apple has never discussed the device publicly.
penlite
In 1992, Apple was developing another tablet. PenLite appears to be based on System 7.1 – the first version of Apple's Macintosh operating system designed for PowerPC-based computers. Reports indicated that it will feature a stylus and a 25MHz Motorola processor. Unlike the Vademecum, the PenLite was reportedly in development without a camera. Apple eventually canceled that project as well. As with the newer device, the company decided that the market simply wasn't ready.
