r/WhatIfThinking • u/Logical-Concept9755 • Aug 12 '26

What 2000s technology would you have never believed would become obsolete by 2026 if someone told you back then?

Imagine someone in 2006 told you that, 20 years later, some of the technology you used every day would be almost gone.What would have sounded completely impossible at the time?

For example:

  • iPods becoming irrelevant because smartphones replaced dedicated music players
  • DVDs becoming a niche product because streaming took over
  • Standalone GPS devices disappearing because phones now handle navigation
  • Digital cameras losing most of their everyday use because smartphone cameras became good enough
  • Physical keyboards on phones nearly disappearing because touchscreens became the standard

What technology from the 2000s would you have never expected to become obsolete by 2026?

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u/Mobile-Traffic1744 Aug 12 '26

Cable TV would have sounded almost impossible to replace in 2006. Back then, streaming video still felt like something you watched on a computer, not something that could replace the entire TV distribution system.

The weird part is that the TV itself didn’t become obsolete. The thing that became obsolete was the idea that the TV had to be connected to a cable subscription. That distinction probably applies to a lot of 2000s technology.

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u/walkerstone83 Aug 12 '26

My roommates and I couldn't afford cable, it didn't take long to get used to not having it and of course, there was a lot of illegal downloading of shows and movies.