Major Tech Controversies of 2016: Samsung Galaxy Note 7, Reliance Jio, Freedom 251 and More

Here are the most controversial incidents in tech this year.

| Updated: Thursday, December 22, 2016, 10:37 [IST]

As the year 2016 is coming to an end in just a few more days, we at GizBot are taking you through the major things in technology that have happened throughout the 365-day duration.

Major Tech Controversies of 2016: Galaxy Note 7, Reliance Jio & More

Following the tech trends of 2016, today, we have come up with another story. This time, we are not aren't up with the glorious moments that happened this year. Yes, we are here to shed light on the biggest controversies that have happened in the field of technology this year.

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It goes without saying that not everything is hunky dory all the time in any industry. Likewise, even in this field, there have been some controversies or disputes. Having said that, we have listed some incidents that have fired up public opinion, created chaos in the tech industry, etc. Take a look at the companies that have earned the wrath from below.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Fiasco

Samsung Galaxy Note 7, the flagship phablet announced by the South Korean tech giant in August this year, will definitely top the list when it comes to controversies. With the numerous battery explosion incidents of the Galaxy Note 7 across the world, the company had to recall the device and finally end the production of the same keeping the consumers' safety in mind.

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Apple and FBI Clash

Apple locked horns with FBI regarding security and privacy of the iOS devices. This issue began when FBI asked Apple to offer a peek into an iPhone that was used by a terrorist, who is involved in the San Bernardino case. Eventually, the FBI hacked the controversial iPhone 5c without Apple's assistance proving that there is a hole in the privacy in the iPhones.

BlackBerry phones came to end

BlackBerry that has its hopes pinned on the BlackBerry Priv announced to discontinue making smartphones due to the underwhelming reception of the phone. The controversy is that the company announced that it will not make smartphones anymore, but third-party manufacturers will make phones with the BlackBerry branding and the company will focus on the software side. As announced, the newly launched BlackBerry DTEK50 and DTEK60 were made by TCL.

Missing headphone jack on iPhone 7

Apple thought that ditching the headphone jack to resolve the space crunch was justifiable, but the Apple fans disagreed on the same. Though the new iPhones are pretty sleek, the missing headphone jack on these phones still remains a trouble.

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Pebble shut its business

We saw the downfall of Pebble this year. Early this month, the company announced that they will stop making watches and offering support for the existing Pebble owners. Pebble's intellectual property was acquired by Fitbit, so we can expect familiar features in the upcoming Fitbit products.

Google EU case

Google is in a long drawn battle with EU (European Union) and its antitrust charges. EU accused Google of promoting its shopping services unfairly and blocking the rival online search ad services intentionally. It has been six years since Google was accused, and finally Google responded by denying the allegations. We wait to see what happens in 2017.

The Rs. 251 phone blunder

Who can forget the Freedom 251, the Rs. 251 priced smartphone? When Ringing Bells announced the phone, people rushed in to book it. Though the price of the phone was too good, it resulted in an investigation from the Indian Department of Electronics & Information Technology. Now, the company is claimed to have shut its business, though it has rubbished off such plans.

Reliance Jio craze

It won't be an exaggeration to say that Reliance Jio has created a tornado in the Indian telecom space. With the free and unlimited voice calls, 4G data, and more, the company made people lineup before its stores. It also forced the other telecom operators to follow it to retain their users. The company was criticized for its call drop issues despite offering free services.

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