There wasn’t just one technology people dismissed before it became widely used. A 2026 SlashGear overview points to five different examples: the touch-first iPhone, USB-C, personal computers, large-screen smartphones and the internet. Each faced a different kind of skepticism—and each became more useful as designs, devices and supporting systems changed.
Why these five technologies drew skepticism
These examples span very different things: a phone, a connector, a category of computers, a screen-size trend and a global network. The objections also varied. Some centered on price or awkward early products; others reflected unfamiliarity or genuine concerns about how a technology might affect people. The examples below are selected historical cases, not evidence that everyone opposed them or that every concern proved wrong.
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Which technologies went from being mocked to widely used?
The iPhone made a touch-first phone look like a risky bet
When Apple introduced the first iPhone in 2007, its touchscreen interface and lack of a physical keyboard set it apart from phones built around buttons and keyboards. SlashGear’s overview describes skepticism about its price and usefulness to business users, including remarks by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer questioning its value as an email device without a keyboard.
The eventual appeal of touch-first phones depended on more than removing keys. A large touchscreen could adapt to different tasks through software, while mobile apps and services made phones useful for more than calls and email. The early criticism is a reminder that a new interface can seem limiting when judged against the habits and tasks people already know.
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USB-C replaced a small plug with a bigger compatibility question
USB-C’s reversible, compact connector became useful across devices, but early adoption could be inconvenient. SlashGear points to the 2015 12-inch MacBook, which had a single USB-C port, as an example: people could need adapters or dongles to connect equipment that used other ports.
Over time, support for USB Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alt Mode broadened what compatible USB-C connections could do, including charging and display output. USB-C is a connector shape, however—not a guarantee that every cable or port supports the same power, data-transfer or display features. Check the specifications of both devices and the cable for the particular task.
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Personal computers moved from an unfamiliar idea toward consumer products
Computers were once expensive, specialized machines rather than ordinary household devices. SlashGear identifies the MITS Altair 8800, released in 1974, as a widely regarded early commercially successful personal computer, and the Macintosh, launched in 1984 for $2,500, as a milestone in popularizing graphical interfaces and mouse controls.
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The broader shift was from machines that demanded specialist knowledge toward products designed for individual use. Smaller and more accessible computers made the idea of owning one easier to imagine, while graphical interfaces offered a different way to interact with them. That transition did not happen all at once, and the high price cited for the Macintosh shows that “personal” did not immediately mean affordable for everyone.
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Large-screen smartphones turned an unusual size into a familiar one
In 2011, Samsung released the Galaxy Note with a 5.3-inch display. SlashGear’s overview says its size drew criticism; in 2013, the Galaxy Mega pushed the example further with a 6.3-inch screen. Phones that once seemed awkwardly large became less exceptional as screen sizes grew and bezels shrank.
A bigger display can make reading, video and on-screen controls easier to see, but it can also make one-handed use and carrying the phone less convenient. The shift was not simply a case of critics being wrong: it reflected changing preferences and designs, with trade-offs that still depend on the user.
The internet’s usefulness did not erase concerns about it
ARPANET in the late 1960s helped lay foundations for later networking; the World Wide Web arrived in the early 1990s. The web is one part of the broader internet, not another name for the entire network. In 1995, astronomer and author Clifford Stoll expressed doubts about whether online databases, digital media and computer networks would replace established institutions and practices. SlashGear also cites his concern about the internet as a vast body of unedited information.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteEveryday uses such as news, online classes and government services show how deeply networked access became part of daily life. But the earlier concerns about information quality and effects on human interaction were not answered simply by wider adoption. The internet can make information and services easier to reach while leaving readers responsible for judging reliability and people navigating the effects of being connected.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What these examples have in common—and what they don’t
Across the five cases, adoption followed practical changes: touchscreens supported adaptable interfaces; USB-C gained broader capabilities and device support; computers became more accessible; phone designs accommodated larger displays; and networked services became part of everyday activities. Those changes help explain why the technologies spread, but they do not prove that every early criticism was foolish.
Nor does “almost everyone uses it” describe every example equally. The phrase is a broad headline generalization, not a measured adoption rate. The historical overview offers selected examples and does not establish a precise current prevalence figure for each one.
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