Looking back on the laughs: A history of tech’s April Fool’s hoaxes and hijinks
April Fool’s Day is not just a time for harmless pranks among friends... it’s also an opportunity for tech giants to flex their creative muscles and unleash their inner jesters.

Over the years, companies like Google and Amazon have delighted and puzzled many with their outlandish and imaginative April Fool’s Day pranks.

Let’s take a look at some memorable and entertaining hoaxes from yesteryear that have left a lasting mark, while we remain on the lookout for more pranks today!

Email in motion (2011)

In 2011, tech giant Google captured the imagination of users worldwide with its announcement of Gmail Motion, a revolutionary feature allowing users to control their email using gestures detected by their webcam.

It announced that by using your computer’s camera and a facial tracking algorithm, Gmail would interpret physical movement and turn it into actionable commands.

For example, to reply to an email, you could simply point backward with your thumb, and to reply to all, you would need to use both hands.

This innovative yet absurd concept had users waving their arms around to compose emails or arching their backs to send messages.

Although clearly a prank, it showcased the company’s playful side and its ability to turn mundane tasks into comedic opportunities.

Nasal nonsense (2013)

Photoauditory, olfactory, and sensory convergence were no longer going to be the stuff of science fiction.

Who wouldn’t want to search the Internet for smells? That’s precisely the question Google posed in 2013 with the introduction of Nose, a fictional feature claiming to allow users to search for and share smells from around the world.

While the concept was whimsical, it highlighted the company’s need to push the envelope, even if it meant delving into the realm of the absurd... providing lots of laughs along the way.

Labelled the new “scentsation” in search, Nose was set to go beyond type, talk and touch for a new notation of sensation.

It was to be your Internet sommelier, expertly pairing images, descriptions and aromas, boasting an aromabase of over 15 million scentibytes! It was time to stop and smell the roses, indeed.

Pet-tacular prank (2017)

Pets communicating with Alexa-enabled devices may seem like a far-fetched idea, but Amazon embraced the absurdity with its prank in 2017 when it introduced Petlexa, a new feature that allowed dogs, cats and other animals to communicate with Alexa just like you do!

The fictional feature purportedly allowed pets to interact with Alexa, from ordering treats to listening to their favourite music.

Petlexa showcased a different side to Amazon – its innovative wit and charm – and certainly struck a chord with pet lovers everywhere.

If you haven’t seen it already, do watch the YouTube video introducing Petlexa – it will have you in stitches!

Sizzling stunt (2012)

In 2012, the Virgin Group announced plans to offer trips to the centre of the Earth via a high-speed drill, claiming to take adventurous travellers to the Earth’s core.

In a move that left the world both astonished and amused, audacious British tycoon Sir Richard Branson unleashed his most daring escapade: the Virgin Volcanic.

With flamboyance rivalling his space endeavours, Branson promised intrepid explorers a journey to the Earth’s fiery core through active volcanoes.

The announcement, complete with a slick website and sleek magma-resistant vehicle designs, captured global attention.

Hollywood stars like Seth Green, Tom Hanks and Will.i.am eagerly signed up to be “volcanauts” and Adrian Grenier even offered to bring marshmallows for the trip!

Branson dubbed the proposed embarkation and debarkation sites as “Earthports”, conveniently located near active volcanoes. And while the concept seemed hotter than lava itself, April 1 eventually revealed the punchline: Virgin Volcanic was nothing more than Branson’s brilliant April Fools’ prank!

Rickroll (2008)

In 2008, YouTube pulled off one of the most epic pranks in Internet history by redirecting every featured video link on its homepage to Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up.

This phenomenon, known as “Rickrolling”, not only entertained millions but also demonstrated YouTube’s ability to surprise and delight its users on a massive scale.

According to dictionary.com, the term “rickrolling” came about in 2007, when Internet mischief-makers birthed the phenomenon on the English-language imageboard website 4chan.

It all began with a promise of a Grand Theft Auto IV trailer, only to lead gamers straight to Rick Astley’s infamous music video.

Fast forward to 2024, and rickrolling has reached epic proportions, with even the White House using it to lighten up their X (formerly Twitter) feed. Who knew a simple bait-and-switch could roll so far?

Appliance appreciation (2017)

In 2017, Netflix premiered Netflix Live on March 31, featuring 48 minutes of Will Arnett (of Bojack Horseman and Arrested Development fame) commentating on mind-numbingly mundane scenes like a photocopier, a microwave and even grass.

Arnett’s hilarious quips ranged from teasing German organisational skills to poking fun at Jared Leto’s music. But alas, on April 1, the show was unceremoniously cancelled, with Netflix admitting it overestimated the allure of binge-watching microwaves and jokingly blaming poor “Dave from analytics”.

So long, office appliances; you were too riveting for this world. This prank showcased Netflix’s willingness to poke fun at itself while providing a refreshing break from its usual offerings.

It has done a bunch of other pranks over the years too, including one year adding overly detailed genres to its service, all having something to do with John Stamos of Full House! You can still have a laugh by googling these or finding videos on YouTube.

Giving tech a hand (2014)

Samsung, a global leader in consumer electronics, joined the April Fool’s Day festivities in 2014 with the announcement of Fingers.

The fictional first all-over-hand wearable device featuring a flexible Super Emo-LED for the technology-sensitive consumer purportedly allowed users to control their smart devices using finger gestures, including a S-Drive feature for virtual driving and S-Charge, an intuitive and innovative way to charge this wearable glove device – by elegantly raising your hand towards the sun!

Samsung’s elaborate prank demonstrated its willingness and desire to engage with its users in a lighthearted manner, a sure-fire way to create connection.

Discocover Weekly (2019)

Spotify decided to spice things up for April Fool’s Day by giving its users a groovy surprise. Instead of the usual Discover Weekly playlists, it rolled out “Discocover Weekly” playlists, filled to the brim with funky disco covers.

Think Taylor Swift’s September, Lizzo bringing her sass to Stayin’ Alive, and Babes in Toyland grooving to We Are Family.

The best part? Each playlist was still personalised to your unique tastes, so you got to boogie to covers from your favourite artists. Who said April Fool’s pranks couldn’t be funky-fresh too?

High-flying hoax (2019)

Remember when GrabFood tried to prank us by saying it would deliver orders via helicopter?

A few days before April 1, 2019, GrabFood released a teaser video about satisfying food cravings, near or far, and was looking for interested parties to sign up as beta testers of the new service, which boasted that all your favourites could be delivered to your doorstep from literally anywhere via helicopter... even Singapore!

ALSO READ: Grab Malaysia to introduce helicopter food delivery service GrabFoodCopter... on April 1

The company also changed its cover photo online, featuring a man standing in front of a green helicopter.

Some users on social media immediately pointed out this was probably an April Fool’s joke, but GrabFood kept a “straight face” and continued urging people to sign up as beta testers. If you did sign up, it quickly let you in on the secret and even threw in a free delivery promo code “NOJOKE” for good measure. Terms and conditions applied, of course.

ALSO READ: Grab confirms GrabFoodCopter is April Fool’s prank

The rest of Malaysia found out on April Fool’s Day, when most media ran stories to let everyone know it had all been a prank, after all.

Owl be seeing you (2019)

In a move that blurred the lines between virtual and reality, Duolingo flipped the script on April Fool’s Day 2019 with the Duolingo Push.

Gone were the days of passive notifications on your phone screen – now, Duo the Owl himself would materialise to remind you to practise your language skills.

Yes, you heard that right. Duo would show up in the real world, ensuring you never missed a lesson. But wait, there’s more!

For a small fee, you could choose your preferred Duo demeanour: encouraging, disappointed or even passive-aggressive.

So, whether you wanted a pep talk or a guilt trip, Duolingo had you covered. Just remember: ignore at your own risk. After all, you wouldn’t want to disappoint a giant, judgemental owl, would you?

Digital dough (2018)

Tumblr shook up the cryptocurrency world on April Fool’s Day by introducing its own digital currency, Tumblcoin.

Claiming to be backed by a blend of top-tier memes and bottom-of-the-barrel worthless posts, Tumblr promised an endless stream of coins fuelled by user engagement. You can still read about it at bit.ly/tumblcoin.

The platform’s “chief coin officer” assured users that Tumblcoins would flow freely, thanks to the constant creation and interaction with posts.

And if you were wondering what to do with your newfound wealth, fear not – Tumblr’s store was ready to accept Tumblcoins for the weirdest and wackiest items imaginable, including the elusive missing “E”. Who needs stability when you’ve got memes and mayhem?

Galactic gag (2008)

In a bold announcement, Google and the Virgin Group joined forces to launch Project Virgle, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at establishing a permanent human settlement on Mars.

The project, dubbed Virgle (bit.ly/Virgle) was introduced through captivating videos featuring Branson and Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin on YouTube, outlining the ambitious vision. Part of the process included filling out a hilarious application form at bit.ly/tech_virgle.

Upon submission, applicants received notifications, either indicating their unsuitability for space or encouraging them to submit a video response on YouTube. While the initial excitement spurred the formation of OpenVirgle, an open-source community dedicated to the project, the truth behind Virgle was eventually revealed. A FAQ page addressed skeptics, redirecting them to a page confirming the April Fool’s joke.

As hopes were dashed, participants were playfully reminded that they had momentarily indulged in a delightful fantasy.

The big catch (2014)

Before morphing into the global phenomenon that consumed thousands of our leisure hours, Pokemon Go began as a crazy April Fool’s prank by Google in 2014. The tech giant invited users to catch Pokemon using Google Maps, sparking amusement and intrigue. Niantic Labs, then a part of Google, seized the opportunity, infusing the joke with potential.

Following its separation from Google in 2015, Niantic pursued its vision independently, expanding the concept into a full-fledged mobile game.

Retaining the essence of the original gag, Pokemon Go retained the thrill of exploration, allowing players to track down virtual creatures in real-world locations.

The playful inception blossomed into a cultural sensation, seamlessly blending technology, fun and adventure.
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Explore a roundup of some of the tech industry's most outrageous April Fool's pranks that left users both baffled and entertained.