vaporware

noun

va·por·ware ˈvā-pər-ˌwer

: a computer-related product that has been widely advertised but has not and may never become available

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The practice of marketing products before they are available for sale is common to many industries, but especially the computer industry, where technological advancement is rapid and competition cutthroat. Unforeseen glitches occasionally result in the marketing of products that ultimately never see the light of day. Since the 1980s, such phantom computer products have been referred to by the word vaporware, which is modeled after familiar computer terms such as software and hardware. The word plays on the humorous notion of vapors being equated with rumors surrounding the development of a product that appears to be on its way but that never actually materializes.

Examples of vaporware in a Sentence

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Samsung’s implementation is also not pure prototype, or even probable vaporware; the company says that The Wall (that name!) will be purchasable sometime in 2018. —

Brian Barrett, WIRED, 10 Jan. 2018 If Musk fails to deliver or shows off some obvious vaporware, his reputation — and Tesla’s stock price — could take a real hit. —

Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2024 Critics have dismissed the Tesla robotaxi as vaporware, pointing out that Waymo is doing close to 50,000 passenger trips every week while Musk continues to make vague promises about a vehicle that hasn’t been seen and may never really exist. —

Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 23 July 2024 Further Reading The Internet needs to stop getting excited by vaporware EVs Fisker is seeking to sell its assets, worth between $500 million to $1 billion, with liabilities between $100 million–$500 million, according to its filing. —

Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 18 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for vaporware