10 Obsolete Products/Companies

  • 1490

    Quill Pens

    Quill Pens
    Quill pens were invented in the 6th century. Quill pens are used to write with, and was made from the feather of a large bird. These pens were most popular during the 15th century. They started getting popular when writing was getting admired in the world. Quill pens started to go obsolete in the middle of the 19th century, when metal pens were invented.
  • Sears

    Sears
    Sears was the largest retailer in the USA around the 1980s. Sears was first founded around 1887-1893 by Richard W. Sears. Sears sold many different things such as household products, clothing, furniture, appliances and hardware. Sears was most popular at the end of WW2 to the 1970s. Sears became obsolete on January 14, 2018. It became obsolete because they went bankrupt. That was because other large department stores ran them out of business.
  • Fax Machines

    Fax Machines
    A fax machine was first invented in 1843 by Alexander Blaine. The more advanced fax machines were used to send texts or images from a scanner to a printer, which would then print out the image or text. Fax machines were the most popular in the 1960-1980s. They had just invented the first all in one fax machines and many offices used them. Fax machines went obsolete in 1996 due to the fact that we now have more up to date electronics.
  • Pagers

    Pagers
    Pagers were created in 1921 by Al Gross. Pagers are a communication device that is wireless. Doctors, police and other job like hotels used to use pagers. Pagers are not completely obsolete but very few still use them. Pagers were most popular in the early 1990s is when they were combined with BlackBerry. In the late 1990s to the early 2000s is when pagers became obsolete. They became obsolete due to mobile phones.
  • Flip Phones

    Flip Phones
    Flip phones were first invented in 1996 by Motorola. Flip phones are mobile phones without internet access and they have less functions compared to a flip phone. Flip phones were most popular in the late 1990s right after they were put out into the world. Flip phones went obsolete in the late 2000s and early 2010s, due to the fact that Apples iPhones became very popular and were more modern.
  • Radio Shack

    Radio Shack
    Radio Shack was invented in 1921 in Boston. Radio Shack was a store that sold electronics and radio equipment. Radio Shack was the most popular in 1999. It was at its peak due to the fact that they shifted their focus from radio equipment to things like electronics and comics. Radio Shack went out of business in 2015. It went obsolete because they went bankrupt. They went bankrupt for multiple reasons but the main one was that they could not compete with the online competition.
  • Maps

    Maps
    Maps were first created in 16,500 BC by Anaximander. The maps were used to show the exact locations of things, to make thing easier to locate without getting lost. Prior to the 20th century maps were the most popular. Maps are still used but they have started to become obsolete. They are becoming obsolete because of GPS systems and the maps we have on our iPhones.
  • Hershey Bites

    Hershey Bites
    Hershey bites were first invented in 1997. They were essentially a donut bite with hershey chocolate filling in the middle. Hershey bites were the most popular in the 2000s. They became obsolete in 2007 due to the fact that they were discontinues because they were a choking hazard.
  • Nokias

    Nokias
    Nokia's were the first mobile phone invented in 1987. Nokia's were able to text but only SMS and call. Nokias were the most popular in 2002-2005 when everyone had this or a Motorola Flip Phone. Nokia's went obsolete in 2013 due to the fact that they were unable to adapt to the modern world changes.
  • iPod shuffle

    iPod shuffle
    IPod shuffles were first created in 2005 by Apple. The iPod shuffles were digital audio players that were most often used when working out. The iPod shuffles were at its peak in 2005, so when it just came out. IPod shuffles became obsolete in 2017 along with the iPod nano. The iPod shuffle was discontinued because they only created 1% of Apple's revenue and Apple was creating much better devices compared to the iPod.