21 Major Innovative Technologies from Microsoft and Apple

Throughout history, the most successful products are not necessarily the most innovative ones, and the most innovative products do not always succeed. Below are 21 great innovations from Microsoft and Apple, but unfortunately, they all failed.

When it comes to failed technologies, people immediately think of products like Microsoft Bob and IBM PCjr. In fact, these products don’t really qualify as great products; the idea behind Bob was flawed from the start. Successful products, on the other hand, aren't always good ideas or innovations—they just happen to be in the right place at the right time.

The following 21 technologies have indeed failed, but not because they lacked merit—they were simply ahead of their time. They are:

**Microsoft's 10 Technologies Ahead of Their Time:**

1. **WebTV (1997)** — Browsing the internet using a TV instead of a monitor.

2. **Tablet PC (2002)** — Tablet computers.

3. **WinFS (1990s)** — A revolutionary file system.

4. **Sidewalk.com (1997)** — Local network services offering ticketing and reservations for entertainment and dining industries.

5. **OS/2 (1987)** — An operating system co-developed with IBM.

6. **Passport (2000)** — A web authentication service.

7. **Windows Live Spaces (2004)** — Personal web spaces.

8. **.NET (2002)** — Aimed to provide a new development platform for internet and distributed applications.

9. **WinG (1993)** — Allowed games and other applications direct hardware access within Windows.

10. **Sidewinder Freestyle Pro (1998)** — A gaming controller.

**Apple's 11 Technologies Ahead of Their Time:**

1. **OpenDoc (1992)** — Document editing framework.

2. **Cyberdog (1996)** — A web browser.

3. **HyperCard (1987)** — A document management tool.

4. **Newton (1993)** — A personal digital assistant (PDA).

5. **PowerBook Duo 230 (1992)** — A portable computer.

6. **Mac G4 Cube (1999)** — A compact desktop computer.

7. **eWorld (1994)** — Email, news, and community services.

8. **Macintosh TV (1993)** — A combination of a computer and a TV.

9. **Mac Quadra 610 DOS Compatible (1994)** — A computer compatible with DOS.

10. **Bandai Pippin (1996)** — A gaming console.

11. **QuickTake 100 (1994)** — A digital camera.

These technologies may have failed commercially, but they paved the way for future innovations that eventually succeeded.