Remember those days when we used to gather around a radio set to listen to our favorite shows? When roll-based cameras and telephones were the only way to get the best clicks and connect with our loved ones. Back then, this was the pinnacle of entertainment and family fun time.
Ron Lach/Pexels | Every time a new product comes into the market, an older one ceases to exist
Eventually, with the advent and advancement of modern technology, we evolved and moved towards better options. We replaced radios with TVs, instant cameras with digital ones, and telephones with smartphones. But have you ever wondered what happened to those companies that once made these now-obsolete products? Well, most of them shut down.
Every time a new product comes along, an older one ceases to exist. And today, we’re going to talk about some similar products that killed their competition while taking over the market themselves.
#1 – Dell
By now, we are all familiar with Dell as a leading computer giant, but did you know it killed Gateway to take over that spot? Yep, you read it right! When it set foot in the market in the 1990s, Dell wasn’t a renowned company. When it finally started getting some attention, Dell had a fierce fight on its hands with Gateway to earn its place in the hardware industry. Then came the dot-com bust, which hit Gateway hard, forcing it to shut down all its operations.
Sam Hodgson/Bloomberg | In the 1990s, Dell had a fierce fight with Gateway to make a place for itself in the hardware industry
#2 – Gmail
One of the most used platforms of all time, Gmail had to beat Hotmail to take over the electronic mail industry. Established in 1996, Hotmail was one of the first webmail providers. Since it was acquired by Microsoft and offered a free-to-use policy, the service really stood out from the crowd. But that didn’t last for long–when Google launched Gmail in 2004, all of Hotmail’s customers promptly flocked to the new service, forcing Hotmail to wrap up its business and operations once and for all.
#3 – Transformers
Who doesn’t love those transforming cars that change into fantastical robots before fighting the bad guys to ultimately save the human race! We all do, right? But before Transformers conquered the film and action-figure market, it was GoBots that put a smile on our faces. Introduced in 1983, GoBots offered a wide range of transforming cars at an affordable price. But once Transformers came along, people quickly forgot about GoBots, and wanted was to get their hands on their favorite Transformers model as soon as they could.
Kelvin Servigon/Flickr | Introduced in 1983, GoBots offered a wide range of transforming cars at an affordable price. But when Transformers came into the market, people forgot GoBots
