Vaporware, Vapourware

Making false statements about a product or product feature that a company is developing, but which in reality will never be delivered, or if delivered will be very outside the predicted timeframe. Vaporware has allegedly been used in the software industry by manufacturers seeking to stop customers shifting to a rival’s product, which offers the feature at issue or a less evolved version of the suggested vaporware. The tactic has been the subject of litigation, not only by commercial rivals for unfair competition and false advertising, but also by shareholders describing the vaporware as a “material misstatement” and, where the vaporware was a proposed future upgrade, class actions by disgruntled purchasers.

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