A visual history of the iMac (part 2)
This is the second part of a two part article.
In 1998 the original iMac made it’s debut to a wide range of criticism both for and against the computers radical design. Over four years the basic design of the iMac remained the same with each refinement keeping it unique.
The year 2002 saw the the iMac introduce a never thought of form factor featuring an LCD that appeared to float above a half ball enclosure that housed the computer. Unfortunately the inclusion of an LCD with the new iMac meant Apple had to price the computer higher than the previous models. Because of the higher price, an iMac based on the previous model continued to be sold for some time, and a new all in one computer called the eMac filled in the low cost segment. During the remainder of two years the iMac G4 was available the computer saw speed bumps and larger displays but the design stayed intact.
Apple pushed the iMac further on release of a model based around the G5 processor. The computer was located behind the display in a single unit. The iMac G5 was fashioned similarly to Apple’s stand alone displays with a thickness of 2 inches to enable the computer to fit behind the display. In 2005 the same design was streamlined and included a built-in camera and upgraded specifications. Strangely only a few months of availability Apple released a new iMac that started the transition to Intel processors and used the same design - the same that is sold today.
Over the nine years that the iMac has been the cornerstone of Apple’s consumer range, the iMac has evolved not only technologically but has seen a natural progression of form suited for the technologies it has incorporated. There is no doubt that the iMac will be the computer that continually pushes the boundaries of what a computer is.
Processor speeds: 700MHz, 800Mhz, 1GHz, 1.25GHz (iMac G4). 1.6GHz, 1.8GHz, 1.9GHz, 2GHz, 2.1GHz (iMac G5). 1.83GHz, 2GHz, 2.16GHz (iMac)
Display sizes: 15″, 17″, 20″ (iMac G4). 17″, 20″, 24″ (iMac G5 and iMac)
Update (8 Aug 07): Apple made updates to the iMac a day after this article. The new iMac features a revamped design and the 17″ model has been dropped from the line up.