Every day, we spend a fair amount of time looking to the future. And we all have one question: what's going to be the "next big thing?"
But for every innovation that strikes it big, there are a dozen failures. If you're ready for a trip down memory lane, here are the biggest flops that we once thought would be the next big thing!
1
Johnny Manziel Reddit quote, u/MrSinister248
2
McDonald's pizza. Reddit quote, u/BuckNutley
3
HD DVD Still remember half the movies being blue and the others red. Reddit quote, deleted user
4
Not entirely relevant, but I liked the trend where everybody wanted the smallest cell phone possible. For 20 years cell phones got smaller and smaller. Often being the main selling point of the phone. Then all of sudden you could watch videos on your phone, and almost overnight the trend reversed to “larger is better”. Reddit quote, u/Buttsquish
5
MoviePass Reddit quote, u/booksoverppl
6
The Panama Papers Reddit quote, u/dont_dox_me-bro
7
Minidisc Reddit quote, u/Bluedogan
8
Amazon’s shopping buttons. They pushed really hard for those and I never saw the point. Reddit quote, u/GarrettSLB
9
Google+ was supposed to be the answer to Facebook Reddit quote, u/Puzzleheaded-Art-469
10
3D TV Reddit quote, u/colin_staples
11
Ouya and microconsoles in general Reddit quote, u/Hipponoi
12
The "Dark Universe" cinematic universe, starting with 2017's THE MUMMY. Reddit quote, u/JSanzi
13
Quadraphonic entertainment systems in the early 1970s, were supposed to replace stereophonic systems. Now they are chiefly remembered for inspiring the name of The Who's second rock opera. Reddit quote, u/TheSanityInspector
14
Second Life In the beginning, companies even bought real estate in there to allow people to visit them. Reddit quote, u/mclaeys
15
Asbestos Technically it was a hit! Right until it flopped when people figured out the whole 'inhaling rock fibers is not healthy' thing... Reddit quote, u/Th3Cooperative
16
Google Wave. It was supposed to replace email with a more collaborative approach. Essentially it was like a dynamically-created discussion board you'd share with select people and you could have a more readable discussion than one with a bunch of forwards and CCs and the like. I thought it was a good idea, but it flopped big time and Google got rid of it after a few years. Reddit quote, deleted user
17
KONY 2012 Reddit quote, u/careshel
18
P.T. demo Reddit quote, u/shiro_cat
19
Not sure if this one has totally flopped yet, but I noticed while in Costco the other day that there are no longer any curved TVs. If Costco is no longer carrying them then I think we can assume they're going the way of the dodo. Reddit quote, u/MrEngin33r
20
Google Glass Reddit quote, u/novato1995
21
Hoverboards? I remember in a span of 3 months everyone had them and showed them off and then they just disappeared. Reddit quote, u/tashasei
22
Segways were supposed to revolutionize travel and replace the automobile. Now they're just used for guided tours for dorks in tourist traps. Reddit quote, deleted user
