At the risk of sounding philosophical, 2022 was a year characterised by absence and chaos. In particular, the absence of confidence, as anxious consumers collectively tightened their own belts. Even the biggest tech companies were forced to trim ambitions (and spending) by increasingly skittish investors.
There was also a distinct lack of imaginative ideas, with precious few launches to excite gadget fans. Indeed, many of the standout stories of the year were all about the end of something (farewells to Google Stadia and Apple’s iPod) rather than the creation of shiny new toys or clever services.
