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Reflection on the Year: Tech We’ve Lost in 2025

It’s been a long year, and thankfully, it’s almost over. As we stand at the cusp of a new era, it’s time to take a moment and appreciate the technological marvels that once graced our lives but have since faded into the background. Throughout 2025, the tech landscape has undergone significant transformations, marked by both triumphs and failures. This volatile industry is known for its rapid advancements, and, unsurprisingly, many prominent products and services have fallen by the wayside.

In Memoriam: Innovations Lost

Some of the devices and applications on our list of those we’ve lost had notable legacies, resonating through the tech world long after their departure. For instance, Skype had a long and impactful run but has now joined the ranks of the retired. Others, like the Humane AI Pin, were ambitious in theory yet stumbled in practice, faced with early exits from the marketplace. Regardless of their fate, each of these innovations prompts us to remember how they shaped our experiences—even if only as a source of humor. Let us take a closer look at what’s been lost this year.

TiVo Boxes: An End of an Era

Yes, believe it or not, TiVo was still in the game as of 2025. However, it officially ceased production of its iconic DVR boxes this year. This move arrives as a shock to many, given that TiVo had somehow managed to survive into the current year, long after its glory days. The company has quietly removed its DVRs from its website since October, although it isn’t completely vanishing. Instead, TiVo is transforming itself into a software-centric entity primarily catering to European television markets.

A Shift from Passwords: Microsoft

Microsoft adopted a significant shift in its authentication strategy this year, signaling it no longer wanted users to rely on passwords. The tech giant systematically eliminated its password management services in favor of passkeys—an innovative leap toward enhanced security. For those who might not be familiar with passkeys, they essentially combine the traditional password framework with two-factor authentication, streamlining the login process.

Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Werth uses an apt analogy: "It’s the difference between using a codeword to open a door and using a physical key that only you have." This move has proven advantageous; passkeys reside solely on your devices rather than being stored on Microsoft servers, eliminating vulnerabilities associated with weak passwords. Additionally, with a growing trend of attacks targeting password managers, Microsoft is clearly steering users toward more secure alternatives.

The Fall of the Humane AI Pin

Ah, the Humane AI Pin—another flickering flame of innovation extinguished far too soon. In less than a year, this device aimed to replace our smartphones with a sleek, screenless, AI-powered pin that projected information onto surfaces and even our hands. However, in practice, the execution was so flawed that reviewers were quick to criticize its performance. Common complaints included an unreliable projector, inadequate responsiveness to gestures, and persistent overheating.

Despite its downfall, the vision for AI wearables continues as OpenAI looks to redefine the concept with the help of renowned designer Jony Ive. However, any potential releases seem far off, with speculation pushing availability to 2027 at the earliest.

Farewell to Skype

Video calling applications like Zoom and FaceTime might owe their very existence to the pioneering platform, Skype. For twenty-two years, Skype revolutionized communication, turning long-distance calls from costly endeavors into accessible experiences. Initially offering free voice calls over the internet in 2003, Skype further disrupted the traditional telecom sector by introducing video calling in 2006.

After being acquired by Microsoft in 2011, Skype’s relevance began to dwindle as new contenders emerged. By February 2025, Microsoft made the contemplative decision to retire Skype, migrating its users to its burgeoning platform, Teams. While the news might feel bittersweet, we can cherish the legacy it leaves behind.

Pocket: The Bookmarking App Bows Out

This year also saw the departure of Pocket, the original bookmarking service. Owned by Mozilla since 2017, it faced shutdown in July. Launched in 2007 as "Read It Later," the platform garnered around 30 million users, serving as a lifeline for many amid the rise of social news. However, Mozilla’s stated aim to refocus resources in line with evolving web usage patterns led to the app’s retirement.

Change often feels uncomfortable, but just as we bid farewell to Pocket, embracing new alternatives can help retain our bookmarking habits. If you seek solutions, hope is not lost—it merely requires adjustment.

Zelle: The Evolution of Transactions

Zelle, a popular alternative to Venmo, officially shut down its standalone app in April of this year. The decision, initially announced in October 2024, arose from the realization that Zelle accounted for only around two percent of transactions. Instead, the company plans to concentrate its efforts on collaboration with banks, providing integrated money transfer services through banking apps.

Zelle’s representatives expressed confidence in the fresh strategy, asserting, "Today, the vast majority of people using Zelle to send money use it through their financial institution’s mobile app or online banking experience."

The End of Meta’s Fact-Checking Program

In a polarizing move, Meta disbanded its fact-checking program, which had been criticized as being politically biased. Announced by Mark Zuckerberg during Trump’s second term, the initiative faced backlash as it catered to accusations of social media censorship. Instead, Meta has pivoted to a more crowd-sourced community notes approach across their platforms, which began its rollout in March.

TikTok’s Creator Marketplace: A Transformation

The TikTok landscape has seen changes as well, particularly with the folding of its Creator Marketplace into a newly rebranded platform called TikTok One. Designed with advertisers in mind, this enhanced platform incorporates generative AI tools to facilitate collaboration between brands and creators. The long-term effects on creator partnerships are yet to be determined, but the constant evolution signifies adaptability against upcoming challenges.

Mr. Deepfakes: Ending with Relieve

On a significantly positive note, the infamous Mr. Deepfakes site has met its end. This platform, associated with hosting nonconsensual deepfake content, was forced offline earlier this year due to regulatory pressures and advocacy for victims’ rights. The Take It Down Act, which criminalizes posting nonconsensual intimate imagery, gained traction following its passage, revealing a heightened commitment from lawmakers to tackle this pressing issue.

The Future: Google Assistant and Beyond

While we haven’t said goodbye to Google Assistant yet, we learned that it will be phased out by March 2026. This integral shift aligns with Google’s broader goal of integrating AI tools like Gemini into their offerings, signaling a new age of innovation and functionality.

The ChatGPT-powered Teddy Bear: A Cautionary Tale

Finally, the move to incorporate ChatGPT into children’s toys undoubtedly raised eyebrows. The toy manufacturer, FoloToy, pulled its AI-powered teddy bear, Kumma, amid alarming findings from consumer watchdog organizations. The product was ultimately deemed inappropriate, leading to its removal from shelves—reinforcing the importance of safeguarding child-focused technology.

The Twisted Fate of Twitter

While the infamous Twitter has technically been replaced with X, this year marked an official shift as X took down the Twitter domain. This prompted users to direct their activities to the X.com platform, symbolizing a clean break from its roots. Although we’ve mourned Twitter’s loss before, this final gesture signifies the end of an era.

The Sunsetting of Google Dark Web Reports

Finally, Google’s recent decision to discontinue its Dark Web Report service signals yet another example of the tech giant’s tendency to experiment with new solutions that ultimately don’t perform as anticipated. Just introduced in 2024, this resource could have served well in alerting users about personal data leaks on the dark web, demonstrating how quickly innovations can come and go in this sector.

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Whether you’re coping with the implications of a new app shutting down or understanding user agreements related to emerging platforms, the AI legalese decoder enhances user comprehension and empowers informed decision-making. In an age where digital transitions are ubiquitous, ensuring that everyone can grasp their rights and responsibilities is paramount. So while we bid farewell to beloved and notable tech, we can look to AI legalese decoder as a tool that aids in understanding the legal landscape of our digital lives.

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