'You've tarnished Apple's reputation': 11 things Apple got horribly wrong
over the past 50 years

Date:
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Description:
From rock band downloads to unreliable keyboards, here are the biggest Apple misfires in the last fifty years.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
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your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter 50 years of Apple (Image credit: Future) We're celebrating Apple's 50th birthday with a week of content about the tech giant. It covers everything from personal recollections from our writers to the greatest and worst Apple gadgets as voted by you, and you can read it all on our 50 years of Apple page. This week marks Apple s fiftieth anniversary, and the company has been
a core pillar of the tech landscape for much of that time. From the iPhone to the evolution of the Mac, Apple has had a glorious run of wins. But sometimes its reach exceeds its grasp, usually when it turns to form over function, or when it underwhelms by overpromising and underdelivering. We've already rounded up Apple's worst-ever gadgets (and, for balance, its best gadgets of the past half century). But the moments below represent its biggest lapses in judgement across software, services and baffling product decisions. Article continues below You may like 'A complete disaster': The 11 worst Apple
gadgets ever, according to you Ranked: The 15 best Apple gadgets of the past 50 years as voted for by you Ive used Macs in every decade since the 1980s and they still feel magical

We're big fans of Apple when it gets things right which happens more often than not but even the most hardened fan has to admit that the company has dropped some huge, and sometimes hilarious, tech clangers... 1. MobileMe or should that be 'MobileMess'? Before iCloud , there was MobileMe, which itself came from the likes of iTools and .Mac. This paid service acted very
similarly to what we expect from cloud services today, like offering cloud storage that worked across Mail, Contacts, Calendars and more.

Unfortunately, it quickly earned the nickname MobileMess because it was too unreliable to be used by just about anyone. Syncing was unreliable, often dropping out right when you needed access to your most important files, and many users complained about missing emails.

This embarrassing launch infuriated Steve Jobs, who reportedly rounded up the development team and told them: Youve tarnished Apples reputation. You should hate each other for having let each other down. Get daily insight,
inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

After debuting in 2008, it was taken offline in 2012 and paved over with the much more reliable iCloud. If youve ever cursed an iCloud sync issue, count yourself lucky youre not using MobileMe instead. Read more: MobileMe: what went wrong? 2. That 'hockey puck' mouse (Image credit: raneko) Ever seen an iMac G3? They have a great, retro quality today, but back in 1998, they were the future a brightly-colored look at the computing future of tomorrow.

The trouble was that the mouse that came with it, the Apple USB Mouse, was circular. If youve ever used a mouse (and theres a very good chance you, the discerning TechRadar reader, have), youll know that holding onto a circular mouse is hardly conducive to a strong grip or getting much done. What to read next I saw Steve Jobs give his last WWDC presentation here's why it still matters Apples best ever one more thing moments. Have your say: What's the best Apple gadget ever?

Combine that with a short cable, and youve got a rounded recipe for hand cramp. The worst part? Apple persevered with it for two years . Read more: 'A complete disaster': The 11 worst Apple gadgets of the past 50 years,
according to you 3. The great Apple Maps fumble (Image credit: Apple) While Apple Maps has become a very reliable mapping service, its launch was a thing of legend and not for positive reasons.

Apple was keen to remove Google Maps from its devices and began work on its own maps app. It launched in September 2012, and just about everything that could go wrong went wrong. It was an Apple Park-sized fumble.

Incorrect location information, unreliable directions, and Apples inability
to read the room when it comes to geopolitical tensions were all criticized
by users. Incredibly, new CEO Tim Cook actually told users to look at rivals while iOS Maps was being fixed.

"While we're improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing , MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app," he said at the time in an open letter on Apple's website.

While Apple Maps is now a much better product some would argue, even better than Google Maps for some itll always tainted by this launch. Read more: Apple admits Maps failure, suggests users try competitor apps 4. The rise and rapid fall of Ping Whether you were an iTunes die-hard or using another service entirely, theres a good chance the removal of iTunes Ping was something you didnt even realize happened.

Pitched by Steve Jobs as a crossover between the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and iTunes, the idea was to make it easier to share music with your friends and family, see what they were buying, and was accessible across the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Sadly, Ping was short-lived: Apple released it in September 2010, and it was gone just two years later.

Tim Cook, who didn't take over as CEO until after Ping launched, summed up Ping's lackluster reception with characteristic understatement. "We tried
Ping and I think the customer voted and said this isnt something that I want to put a lot of energy into Will we kill it? I dont know. Well look at that," he said.

A month later, Apple did indeed look at that and pulled the plug on poor Ping. Read more: One More Thing: Apple kills Ping 5. The unforgettable U2 blunder Do you like U2? Back in September 2014, it didn't really matter what your answer was to that question because Apple beamed Bono and Cos Songs of Innocence album straight into your iTunes library.

All 500 million iTunes subscribers found the album waiting for them, whether they wanted it or not. For some, it caused storage space issues, and it wasnt particularly easy to remove, either.

It also led to deeper conversations about the value of music and raised suggestions that U2 had devalued the art form. Just wait until you get to streaming services, guys Read more: Achtung freebie: U2 album gives the internet another reason to hate iTunes 6. The butterfly keyboard fiasco
(Image credit: iFixit) Nothing sums up Apples focus on form over function
and the occasional lapses that can create better than the Butterfly keyboard fiasco of 2015.

The MacBook 12-inch was already grabbing the wrong kind of headlines for switching out USB for USB-C (which at the time was still an emerging technology), but the keyboards butterfly hinge system was a huge issue for Apple especially since it came to MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models, too.

From repeating keys to keys simply detaching themselves while in use, the whole thing cost Apple millions to fix. The free repair program expired in 2024, so if your keyboard fails now, youre out of luck. Read more: Apple is finally writing checks for its butterfly keyboard fiasco - so if you made a claim its time to cash in 7. The iTunes Phone that made iPods looks amazing Steve Jobs introduces Motorolo Rokr (iTunes Phone) - Apple Special Event 2005 - YouTube Watch On If you were looking for a way to take your iTunes library on the go back in 2005, your only option outside of Apples own iPod was the Motorola ROKR E1.

Not heard of it? We dont blame you. Billed as the phone that let you take
your iTunes library anywhere, there were two major downsides.

For one, its USB 1.1 speeds meant moving files to and from the device was glacially slow. The other issue was that it would only allow users to
download 100 songs to it in order to protect iPod sales.

Thats not exactly a great sales pitch and it's incredible to think that just 15 months after the video above, Apple would introduce the iPhone and immediately make all 'music phones' look like ancient history. Read more: Our Motorola ROKR E1 review from back in the day 8. The charging port is where? (Image credit: Shutterstock / Crystal Eye Media) Every now and then, Apple makes a decision that feels like it could have been avoided by asking just
one person outside of the design room what they thought.

One of those was burying the Mac Mini power button under the otherwise
amazing mini PC. But the most famous example is the Magic Mouse (Second Generation). On the top half, its everything Apple does so well its a great mouse, comfortable in the hand and stylish, while supporting slick gestures. On the bottom? The charging port.

That means that, if you want to use the computer while charging the mouse (hardly an unreasonable use case), you need to plug it in and use an alternative mouse while it powers up.

Apple then stunned the computing world by doubling-down on this decision with a redesigned Magic Mouse in 2024 , which is a rare example of a consumer product also being an immaculate piece of rage-bait. Read more: Good news! Apple finally redesigns the Magic Mouse with USB-C! Bad news! The charging port is still on the bottom 9. RIP AirPower, gone too soon (Image credit: Apple) Apples 'Let's meet at our place' September 2017 event would be remembered for many things, including the iPhone X which is a good thing, given that one of the announced products never actually shipped.

The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were overshadowed by the reveal of the iPhone X, the first iPhone to remove the home button and go for an all-screen display. Its $999 price tag got a lot of attention, but so too did AirPower.

A charging mat intended to charge your phone, AirPods, and Apple Watch all at once, regardless of where you lay them, was almost a no-brainer for a company releasing all three in the same year.

Sadly, manufacturing issues with the prototype meant AirPower never made it
to market, with some reports suggesting that Apples early units struggled to dissipate heat and also melted the plastic oof. Read more: AirPower
prototype shows why Apple was right to abandon its wireless charger 10. Antennagate, or how to dig yourself a bigger hole (Image credit: Sean Locke Photography / Shutterstock) The iPhone 4 debuted in 2010 with a new design that made your iPhone 3GS look hokey by comparison, but the new metal frame that doubled as the antenna was holding a secret or, more specifically,
those holding it would find that its signal would drop out.

Apple initially claimed users were, in a way, 'holding it wrong'. Well, Apple didn't exactly say that, but it did say in a misguided statement: "Gripping any mobile phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases."

It soon became a widespread enough issue to prompt Apple to eventually issue
a formal apology and offer free bumper cases to affected users.

Thankfully, the iPhone 4S, which launched the next year, shared the same visual design but fixed the antenna issue. Read more: Need more iPhone 4 signal? There's no app for that 11. Apple Intelligence, Or lack thereof
(Image credit: Apple) With the rest of the tech world foaming at the mouth
for AI products and services, Apple was seemingly caught in a standing start and struggling to make up ground.

Siri was behind the curve (to put it politely) when pitted against other assistants, and while Apple had partnered with ChatGPT to solve some issues, it was clear it needed a quantum leap to catch up.

Thankfully, thats what was promised at WWDC 2024 , showcasing how Siri could read your emails to extract context and much more. The trouble? Many of the features didnt ship, and many still havent, almost two years later.

The company faced lawsuits based on false advertising for the promised features, and is now seemingly partnering with Google Gemini to supercharge Siri to get even close to what was promised. Read more: Apple sets WWDC for June 8 and this may be its last best chance to fix Siri and deliver the AI
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/tech/youve-tarnished-apples-reputation-11-things-app le-got-horribly-wrong-over-the-past-50-years


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