OK, the Macintosh Phone isn’t a real thing, but the rest of these are…
Apple has had some seriously major hits over the years: the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad. However, no company is perfect, and you can’t get things right on the mark 100% of the time.
So, let’s take a journey through time and technology. Here are some of the lesser-known Apple products that you probably won’t even remember.
1) Apple ProFile (1981)
Back in 1981, Apple was leading the way with its first ever hard disk drive. The ProFile had a storage capacity of 5MB and could be used alongside the Apple III computer. Of course, in the 80s, tech like this didn’t come cheap. It would have cost around £2,700. Ouch.
2) Apple LCD Flat Panel Display (1984)
Long before the likes of the MacBook, there was the Apple IIc – a compact computer that you could take anywhere. There was just one problem: It didn’t have a screen. Apple released the LCD Flat Panel Display to attach to the gadget. Neat.
3) Apple Macintosh Portrait Display (1989)
Can you imagine a computer screen in portrait rather than landscape? Apple could. In 1989, the company released the Apple Macintosh Portrait Display. The 15-inch vertical screen might look weird now but the geniuses must have thought it’d take off (it did, eventually, as an iPhone and iPad).
4) Apple OneScanner (1991)
Far from the most exciting Apple product in the world, the OneScanner was just what it said on the tin. A scanner. It used an SCSI interface which meant that it could transfer data from device to device. Yawn…
5) Apple MessagePad (1993)
Making notes on the go should have been easy with the Apple MessagePad. The personal digital assistant (PDA) was supposed to allow users to make handwritten notes with ease. However, the gadget wasn’t so great at actually recognising handwriting so got discontinued just five years later.
6) Apple PowerCD (1993)
We all know that Apple started out making computers, but the brand’s first musical number was released in the 90s. The PowerCD was a Philips CDF-100 with the Apple logo stuck on the front of it. While it wasn’t a major move, it certainly showed where the company was heading.
7) Apple Macintosh TV (1993)
The company might be moving into the realms of TV now but it’s by no means the first time this has happened. The handy gadget had a 14-inch Sony Trinitron CRT display and could be used as either a computer or a television. Nice.
8) Apple Interactive Television Box (1994)
While many of us are still getting used to the magic of rewinding and fast-forwarding TV, Apple had this idea way back in the early 90s. The Apple Interactive Television Box could do just that… and more. The gadget never went on the market but it did appear in hotel rooms over in Disneyland California.
9) Apple QuickTake (1994)
Remember when people bought digital cameras? No, me neither. But, apparently, back in the 90s they did and Apple wanted to get involved in the action. The QuickTake series of cameras came in three generations – two of which were made by Kodak and the last one made by Fujifilm. Ah, memories.
10) Apple Pippin (1995)
Apple had a games console… What? It’s true. In 1995, they teamed up with Japanese company Bandai and the Pippin was born. Sadly, the console didn’t manage to wow the masses. It was a major flop and was discontinued the next year.
11) Apple eMate 300 (1997)
Here’s another Apple PDA that you’ve probably never heard of. The eMate 300 was ideal for classrooms, had a durable outer case, and a long-lasting battery life. Despite all the above, it didn’t quite hit the mark and lasted just a year.
12) Apple iMac G4 (2002)
The slimline floating display of the modern day iMac can be traced way back to the dark ages, AKA 2002. The iMac G4 was the first Apple product to feature the mounted screen, which – let’s face it – looked pretty darn cool.
13) Apple eMac (2002)
First marketed to the education sector, the eMac was a beautiful personal computer. The gadget became popular when it was made available to the public and offered an affordable alternative to the likes of the iMac G4. Unfortunately, the last eMac was released in 2006. (You can still nab one of these computers on eBay for around £30-£50. Bargain.)
14) iSight (2003)
If this name doesn’t make you chuckle, you must be missing a sense of humour. The iSight was an external webcam that you could attach to your computer. Unlike other webcams of the time, it looked high-tech and slick. (Plus, it had a lol-worthy name!)
15) Apple iPod Hi-Fi (2007)
Back when the bulky 6th Gen iPod was just about everywhere, Apple decided to release a sound system too. The iPod Hi-Fi was essentially a docking station for your iPod which played your tunes in stereo. The product had two major failings – it didn’t have a radio and it was expensive. Whoops.
