In 1989, Apple buried about 2,700 Lisa computers in a landfill; here's why
In 1989, Apple disposed of approximately 2,700 unsold Lisa computers in a Utah landfill after the product failed to gain market traction. Despite being technologically advanced for its time, the Lisa was hampered by a high price point and competition from the Macintosh.
Why it matters
It serves as a historical case study on the risks of early product innovation and the challenges of managing inventory for failed consumer electronics.
Before the Macintosh became one of Apple's defining products, the company had another computer that failed in the market. In September 1989, Apple took an unusual step with thousands of unsold Lisa computers. About 2,700 machines were buried at a landfill in Logan, Utah, bringing an end to the story of one of the company's most ambitious but unsuccessful computers.The Lisa had been launched in 1983 as Apple's first attempt at a modern computer built around a graphical interface. According to The Verge, it had a mouse, windows, icons and menus, features that later became standard on desktop computers. The Lisa had them a year before the Macintosh was released.But the computer struggled in the market. It carried a price tag of about $10,000 and had hardware problems. It was also overshadowed by the cheaper Macintosh that Apple was preparing to introduce.
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