This past weekend brought an unexpected development in the tech world, as reported by The Verge: Snapchat’s Pixy drone is being recalled. The Pixy, a small, yellow drone weighing around 100 grams, is notably user-friendly and doesn’t require a license to operate. Its primary features are basic automated interactions, such as hand-based takeoff and landing, augmented by a small radar device on the bottom. As one of the first self-contained drones offering easy operation and decent quality, the Pixy stood out in the market and was one of my favorite drones to use.
Regrettably, all 71,000 units are subject to recall. I have personal experience with the Pixy, having owned two of them. The first, purchased at launch, was unfortunately lost in a lake, leading me to buy a replacement on Amazon after it was discontinued. The drone’s design, featuring plastic construction with a metal-like dial reminiscent of vintage camera controls, is both functional and nostalgic while being fairly durable. It boasts features like ascending and rotating shots, and limited user-following capabilities – common in other drones like DJI models, but those typically require a phone or more complex tools for operation.
My experience extends to the DJI Spark drone as well, another discontinued model with basic autonomous features, operable without a phone through hand gestures. However, unlike the enclosed blades of the Pixy, the Spark’s exposed blades posed a higher risk of injury. Because of that risk, I rarely used those features and instead used the remote and app to control it.
The discontinuation of the Pixy drone is particularly disheartening to me. It exemplifies a growing trend in the tech industry: consumers invest in expensive hardware, only to have support withdrawn within a few years. In this case, Snapchat is commendably issuing refunds to all purchasers, a move not always mirrored in the industry. A case in point is Spotify’s Car Thing, which I also acquired soon after launch. Designed for older vehicles lacking Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, it’s a specialized device for managing Spotify playlists, featuring rubber covered metal dial, a touchscreen, and buttons for intuitive use. Despite its discontinuation only a year after release, it fortunately still receives app support, unlike the Pixy, whose functionality will be completely phased out from the Snapchat app this month. However, Spotify didn’t provide refunds which basically penalizes early adopters.
This trend raises concerns about the sustainability and longevity of tech products. Companies invest significant resources in developing impressive hardware, yet often fall short in software support, leading to premature obsolescence. This pattern not only undermines consumer trust but also questions the long-term viability of innovative tech products.
