Tech Demos by Meta Witnessed More Embarrassing Moments Than the Ray-Ban Display Fiasco.
Tech Demo Fails: A Look Back at Iconic Blunders
In the world of technology, where innovation and perfection often reign supreme, it's not uncommon for even the most anticipated product demonstrations to fall short. Over the years, we've witnessed a series of memorable tech demo fails that have left audiences in stitches and industry leaders in a bit of a pickle.
Let's take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of these iconic blunders.
The 2007 iPhone Unveiling: A Moment to Remember
Steve Jobs, the late Apple co-founder, demanded the audience to close their laptops and shut down their hotspots during a keynote to improve the demo. This request, while seemingly harmless, added a touch of humour to an otherwise serious event.
The Jobs Keynote Echoes in the Meta Ray-Ban Display Demo
Fast forward to 2022, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, experienced a similar issue during the demo of the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses. The WiFi was cited as a potential issue, reminiscent of Jobs' keynote. Zuckerberg also failed to pick up a WhatsApp call, adding to the list of tech demo fails.
The Meta Ray-Ban Display: A Mixed Bag
Despite these mishaps, early testers of the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses claim it to be the real deal. The failure during the demo was a public embarrassment for Zuckerberg, making him appear as a regular person struggling with technology.
Elon Musk's Cybertruck: A Stainless Steel Bucket of Fail?
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, had his fair share of tech demo fails with the Cybertruck. The vehicle, unveiled in 2019, was criticized as a "stainless steel bucket of fail" following a series of blunders, including Musk smashing a Cybertruck window during a demo to demonstrate the toughness of the vehicle's windows.
Bill Gates: Laughing Off a Demo Fail
In a more light-hearted moment, Bill Gates, standing next to a Windows 98 machine, experienced a crash during a demo. However, Gates joked about it, making it less of a classic demo fail.
Google's Gemini: A Spinning Wheel Moment
Google's AI, Gemini, also had its moment in the spotlight during a live demo at a "Made by Google" event. The product failed twice on a simple task, causing a spinning wheel moment and software hang. The person who presented Gemini was not explicitly named, but the incident produced one of the year's most infamous smart glasses fails.
The Microsoft Surface Tablet: A Public Embarrassment
Steven Sinofsky, then senior vice president at Microsoft, unveiled the Microsoft Surface tablet in 2012. However, the tablet froze during a live demo, causing a public embarrassment.
Steve Jobs: Not Immune to Tech Demo Fails
Even Steve Jobs, a renowned tech presenter, had his own tech demo fails. During a keynote, he begged for more WiFi and even threw a camera at a stagehand.
The Google Live Translation Demo: A Risky Venture
Google's live translation demo at Google I/O 2025 produced the year's most infamous smart glasses fail, but was shut down quickly due to its risky nature.
These tech demo fails serve as a reminder that even the most influential figures in the tech industry are human and prone to errors. They also highlight the importance of thorough testing and preparation before a public demonstration. Despite the mishaps, these moments have become a part of tech history, providing us with a dose of humour and a chance to connect with the people behind the technology.
