( CNN ) -- The biggest technology story of 2013 is one of the biggest stories of the year , period . It has had serious implications in the United States and around the world , and half a year later its true impact is only beginning to be felt . In June , the Guardian first published leaked documents from National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden . The classified documents contained information about highly confidential government programs that collect massive amounts of data about Americans ' cell phone calls and Internet activities . The scope of the program has led to lawsuits and protests , a public debate about the right to privacy versus the government 's need to secretly collect information for security . Another big story this year was cybersecurity , illustrated by a string of attacks by hackers against news organizations , major tech companies and retailers . The motivations behind the attacks varied : Some , like the recent Target breach , were financially motivated , while others were political statements or acts of espionage . They all highlighted the limits of online security and privacy . It was a year when established tech companies struggled to reinvent themselves . Microsoft continued to push its new Windows 8 operating system and Windows 8 smartphones , even going as far as to buy the No . 1 maker of Windows phones , Nokia 's mobile division . In the end , it was n't enough and the company decided on one more big change : a new CEO . A bright spot for Microsoft could be its new game console , the Xbox One , which is competing against Sony 's new PlayStation 4 . Apple did n't have to switch much up to stay popular . It announced an expected update to its iPhone and iPad lines with the usual fanfare , slimming down and speeding up the devices , throwing in some flashy features like a fingerprint scanner and new colors to keep the masses interested . A more dramatic overhaul was of the iOS 7 mobile operating system , which was flattened , simplified and updated . Twitter went public and released a new social micro-video app called Vine , Snapchat broke out of the naughty-messaging market and made `` ephemeral '' communications a hot feature , and virtual currency Bitcoin skyrocketed in price while people waited to see if it would drop back down to Earth . Some of 2013 's big stories were just previews of what 's to come in 2014 . Wearable technology moved from the hype stage to the prototype stage , but Google Glass and the myriad of not-ready-for-prime-time smartwatches just showed the industry still has a lot more work to do ( on design and social norms ) before these gadgets are hot holiday items . Tune in next year and see whether face-mounted computers become a socially acceptable accessory , 3-D printed guns become something to worry about and original content from sites like Amazon and Netflix can take on TV .
Revelations about the scope of the NSA 's snooping lead to the year 's biggest tech stores . Hacking of major companies and sites for politics , fun and profit a reoccurring story in 2013 . Snapchat , Vine , Bitcoin and iOS 7 all became familiar terms .