Tech Farewells of 2025

Description: A look back at the apps, services, and gadgets that shut down in 2025, and why they disappeared.

A bunch of once-important tech products finally called it quits in 2025, from old-school dial‑up internet to modern AI gadgets. Many of these shutdowns came as companies shifted focus to newer services, cut costs, or followed changing user habits.

Early 2025 farewells

The year started with several digital services quietly disappearing as usage dropped or costs rose. Amazon ended its Prime “Try Before You Buy” clothing program, Facebook limited how long Live videos are saved, and car‑sharing service Getaround shut down its US operations while continuing in Europe.

Amazon also removed the option to download Kindle ebooks to a computer, and its business video‑conferencing tool Amazon Chime was discontinued after losing ground to rivals like Zoom. The standalone Zelle app went away too, with users pushed to use Zelle only inside their banking apps.

Platforms, apps, and online tools

Several long‑running platforms and utilities were retired as companies consolidated overlapping products. EA finally killed the Origin brand on PC, Pocket’s read‑it‑later service and the FakeSpot review checker were shut down, and Dropbox exited the password manager market to focus on its core storage and collaboration tools.

Other closures included the Xbox Movies & TV store, email service OnMail, and Intel’s Unison phone‑to‑PC control app on most devices. Amazon’s Appstore for Android also closed, and Microsoft ended its education‑focused Windows 11 SE edition aimed at low‑cost laptops.

Big names that stepped aside

Some of the most notable losses were products that once defined entire categories. Skype, once the go‑to name in video calling, handled its final calls in May as Microsoft nudged users toward Teams instead. AOL’s dial‑up internet service and related software, including its dialer and AOL Shield browser, were finally discontinued on September 30, ending a major piece of early internet history.

Windows 10 support officially ended in October, pushing remaining users to upgrade to newer versions of Windows. Microsoft also retired older tools like Microsoft Editor, Microsoft Lens, and Microsoft Publisher as similar features moved into other Microsoft 365 apps.

Gadgets, services, and oddities

2025 also saw some unique hardware and niche services dropped as demand faded. Dyson ended its Zone air‑purifying headphones with visor, an unusual mix of headset and wearable air filter that never quite caught on. Older Nest Learning Thermostats lost official Google support, TiVo stopped selling DVR boxes, and Bose set an end date for cloud support on its SoundTouch speakers, which will still work offline.

Neato robot vacuums lost cloud features and reverted to manual use, and Nissan paused production of its Ariya EV in the US to refocus on the next‑generation Leaf. The federal 7,500‑dollar EV tax credit was also eliminated at the end of September, reshaping the economics of buying an electric car.

Perks, loyalty, and streaming changes

Several membership and loyalty perks also disappeared as companies reworked their strategies. Amazon shut down its Prime Invitee sharing program in favor of Family Sharing, Sony ended its PlayStation Stars loyalty program, and the IRS dropped its Direct File pilot after deciding it was not the best free‑filing option.

On the media side, Plex started charging for remote server access instead of offering it for free, and Netflix removed casting support from newer Chromecasts, forcing some users back to older models for casting. Microsoft also shut down its Mesh metaverse‑style avatars for Teams as it moved toward different immersive event tools.