March 2021 • Macworld 21- with a few oddball exceptions that
prove the rule.
EYE OFF THE BALL
Apple invested a huge amount of
effort in renovating the Mac in the
early days of Steve Jobs’s return to
Apple. After introducing the original
G3 iMac, Apple turned over the entire
product line multiple times in just a
few years. (There were also some
failed forays, now largely forgotten,
into areas like server hardware.)
This was the biggest creative
flourishing in the Mac ever. The iMac
added fashion colours, morphed
into a round computer with a
floating display, and then took up
the computer-
within-display
approach that
we still see
today. The
PowerBook
became rubbery
black with a
shiny white
Apple logo, then
transformed
again into a thin
silver metallic
model that’s
not too far off
from today’sMacBook Pros. The iBook was
introduced as a brightly coloured
portable iMac, then moved to a
monochrome plastic enclosure. Power
Macs were introduced with plastic
handles and bright colours – and then
the colours were slowly muted away
until the plastic was replaced with a
perforated aluminium shell.
But by the time of the Intel
transition, the complete revamp of the
Mac was largely complete. The iPod
had become a huge hit and Apple’s
most intense design focus turned to
new products – leading to the arrival
of the iPhone and iPad.
What would have happened if
Apple had kept intently focusing onApple used to regularly offer new designs of its Macs. Then
Apple turned its focus to the iPhone, iPad, and other products.March 2021 • Macworld 21- with a few oddball exceptions that
prove the rule.
EYE OFF THE BALL
Apple invested a huge amount of
effort in renovating the Mac in the
early days of Steve Jobs’s return to
Apple. After introducing the original
G3 iMac, Apple turned over the entire
product line multiple times in just a
few years. (There were also some
failed forays, now largely forgotten,
into areas like server hardware.)
This was the biggest creative
flourishing in the Mac ever. The iMac
added fashion colours, morphed
into a round computer with a
floating display, and then took up
the computer-
within-display
approach that
we still see
today. The
PowerBook
became rubbery
black with a
shiny white
Apple logo, then
transformed
again into a thin
silver metallic
model that’s
not too far off
from today’s
MacBook Pros. The iBook was
introduced as a brightly coloured
portable iMac, then moved to a
monochrome plastic enclosure. Power
Macs were introduced with plastic
handles and bright colours – and then
the colours were slowly muted away
until the plastic was replaced with a
perforated aluminium shell.
But by the time of the Intel
transition, the complete revamp of the
Mac was largely complete. The iPod
had become a huge hit and Apple’s
most intense design focus turned to
new products – leading to the arrival
of the iPhone and iPad.
What would have happened if
Apple had kept intently focusing onApple used to regularly offer new designs of its Macs. Then
Apple turned its focus to the iPhone, iPad, and other products.