In tech culture, the term “vaporware” was first used in reference to which product?

A product was usually used to describe a product, which was declared, but never launched, “vaporware” was allegedly coined by a Microsoft Engineer (either John Ulata or Mark Ursino) when asked about the position of the company’s Xenix operating system. The term was popularized by technology writer Esther Dyson, who portrayed it in the November 1983 issue of his newsletter release 1.0.

The term “vaporware” is a portment of vapor and software, which provokes the image of anything promised something, but never physical – something that disappears in thin air. It is often used to describe products that are declared with great pomp, but either delay or is never released indefinitely.

This concept is also spread to the products already declared from its anticipated release dates, which then disappears in thin air.

The term first obtained traction in terms of Xenix OS, a version of the Unix that was developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Unix was developed by Bell Labs and licensed in various outfits by AT&T, including Microsoft, who later had to choose a unique name for its version called Zenix. Microsoft licensed Xenix to other companies like IBM, Intel, Tandy and SCO, although it was never sold directly to users. Zenix became particularly popular in the corporate world due to the support of multi-user and networking capabilities.

In 1987, Microsoft sold Xenix to SCO, which later ported it to 32-bit 386 CPU. SCO continued to develop and support the operating system for many years. Despite its corporate popularity, Zenix never traced the mainstream. Microsoft allegedly continued using Xenix on the Sun Waxpage and Wax Minicopers until the end of 1992, further highlighted its niche role in the company’s broader software strategy.

In the early 1980s, before the word vaporware was widely known, many high-profile products in the technical industry faced equal fate. For example, IBM’s planned but anytime future system projects and various other ambitious software projects contributed to the understanding of industry’s vaporware. Other notorious vaporware products include:

• Half -Life 2: Episode 3 (2007 – TBA?) – The continuation of the popular Half -Life Series has become one of the most famous pieces of vaporware in gaming history. Despite many signs and fan expectations, it has never been released.
• Apple AirPower (2017 – canceled 2019) – Apple’s wireless charging mats were announced in 2017 with the promise of charging several devices simultaneously. However, it was canceled in 2019 due to technical difficulties.
• Google Glass (2013 – 2015, later revived to enterprise) – Google Glass was highly anticipated as the next major thing in the technique wearing. Despite its early launch, it never obtained a comprehensive consumer to adopt, and the product quietly went away. It later returned as a niche product for enterprise use.
• Duke Nukem Forever (1997 – 2011) – Video game became a symbol of vaporware and maligned for its extraordinary long growth cycle. It was declared in 1997, but after several changes in the delay and direction of the years, it was not released until 2011 – and it barely flopped.
• Phantom Game Console (2002 – Canceled 2006) – A gaming console from Infinium Labs that promised to revolutionize the gaming industry with digital distribution. It never launched, and the company got involved in cases and controversies.
• Microsoft Courier (2008 – Canceled 2010) – This dual screen tablet concept was highly anticipated as a potential competitor of iPad. Microsoft canceled the project in 2010 before it could be released anytime.
• Psion Netbook Pro (2003 – Canceled) – An initial effort on a portable computer aimed at professionals. Announced with great pomp, it was closed immediately after its release.
• Google Wave (2009 – canceled 2010) – Google Wave was hypnotized as a revolutionary communication and cooperation tool. However, it was very complex for many users, and Google closed it within a year of launch.
• Solar Roadways (2014 – TBA?) – This concept promised to replace traditional roads with solar panels that could generate electricity. While prototypes and crowdfonding campaigns have created significant interest, the project has yet to fulfill its promises.