When Apple Products Had Their Own Personality
Apple has discontinued plenty of products over the years, and some disappeared so quietly that you might forget they ever existed. Others developed loyal followings because they offered features, designs, or experiences that haven't really been replaced. Whether you owned one yourself or simply remember seeing them everywhere, these products have earned a nostalgic place in Apple's history, and some were ahead of their time, while others were just fun to use.
1. iPod Classic
There's probably no better example than the iPod Classic when listing old Apple products. The click wheel allowed for easy navigation of your library of music, and later models contained a large amount of storage space as well. No longer did you have to be tethered to the internet to listen to your favorite songs.
2. iPod Shuffle
You knew this one was coming. It was so small you could hook it onto your clothes, and there was little you could do with it. The later models became minuscule, and you could skip your favorite songs easily with buttons on the side, so you simply picked a playlist, pressed play, and went about your day.
Original photo by Daniel Morris, extracted by Vcvfou698069 on Wikimedia
3. iPod Nano
The Nano had many styles throughout its lifespan. However, one common attribute was how small they were. Some allowed you to watch videos on the device, and some came back to a small square shape with a touchscreen. Many people still remember it as one of Apple's most convenient music players.
4. iPod Hi-Fi
This speaker was able to hold your iPod on top of it. You could buy one back in 2006 and play your music on a much bigger scale than normal speakers. It was expensive compared with many ordinary speakers, but its design fit neatly into Apple's ecosystem.
Teófilo Ruiz Suárez on Wikimedia
5. iPhone SE (Original)
When Apple released the iPhone SE, they added the newer phone's chipset into a smaller phone. It appealed to people who wanted a capable smartphone without moving to a much larger screen. Its compact body was particularly appealing to users who found modern phones increasingly difficult to handle one-handed, and Apple eventually moved away from that small-screen design.
Pixelatedfacealex on Wikimedia
6. iPhone 5c
The 5c was known for its bright-colored casing. With it being made of plastic, it allowed Apple to give their phones a colorful look. It gave Apple customers more options for what they wanted their phone to look like, and you could immediately tell a 5c apart from the more traditional aluminum models.
7. 12-Inch MacBook
When Apple came out with the 12-inch MacBook in 2015, it was considered very thin for the time. It had a Retina display, and they wanted it to be light enough to carry around anywhere. It had only one port on the Mac, which was USB-C, and Apple discontinued the model in 2019 as the MacBook lineup evolved.
Paul Hudson from United Kingdom on Wikimedia
8. iMac G4
The iMac G4 was one of Apple's best computers. With the large circle on the bottom of the computer and the screen hanging off the top, you could do almost anything with this PC. It gave you so many options for where you could place the screen, and even years later, its appearance remains one of Apple's most memorable hardware designs.
9. iMac G3
This computer made Apple come into the computer industry with unique products. With its clear, colored case, there was no other computer that looked like this. It helped build their brand by being able to sell colorful computers, and for many people, seeing one still brings back memories of the late 1990s.
10. Apple PowerBook G4
The PowerBook was known for being a sleek laptop for its time. Apple continued to make these products after the original Intel MacBook. The laptop came with larger screens and a normal keyboard, and they helped shape the looks of their future laptops.
11. Apple Newton MessagePad
One of Apple's first ideas for making their own PDA was the Apple Newton. It had handwriting on it and allowed you to use certain technology that wasn't normal back then. Although they had problems with their Newton product, they are proud of it today, and the Newton helped establish ideas that would eventually become important to Apple's mobile strategy.
National Museum of American History on Wikimedia
12. Apple eMate 300
This was a student version of the Newton. It was encased in a clear green color that would protect your Newton. If you were to see one of these, you would know it's for students, and although they were never able to sell many of these, it gave people an idea of what Apple was trying to create.
Original uploader was Hellis at it.wikipedia on Wikimedia
13. iBook G3 Clamshell
This laptop was another example of Apple's ability to create unique laptops. They were bright and colorful with their clamshell shape. Later on, they changed the shape but kept their original colors, and it gave Apple users a fun way to use a laptop that stood out from all of the other laptops at the time.
14. Apple Cinema Display
If you were a Mac user, you most likely had one of these monitors. They gave your computer a sleeker look and allowed you to view your content on a bigger screen. Their aluminum construction also matched the aesthetic of Apple's computers at the time, and many longtime Mac users still remember building elaborate desk setups around them.
15. AirPort Express
This Wi-Fi gave you the ability to broadcast your signal to your phone and more devices. If you had Apple speakers, you could connect them through the AirPort Express. You could move it around your house to get better coverage, and Apple eventually discontinued the AirPort product family as networking technology moved in other directions.
16. AirPort Time Capsule
If you were backing up your computer, this was your go-to product. It was particularly convenient for people using Time Machine because backups could happen wirelessly without constantly connecting an external drive. The device occupied a unique place in Apple's ecosystem before the company stopped making its AirPort hardware, and for users who relied on automatic backups, its disappearance was noticeable.
Malabooboo at Flickr on Wikimedia
17. Apple Thunderbolt Display
When Apple decided to drop their smaller monitors, they made the Thunderbolt Display. It gave Mac users a big monitor to view their information on. They included a few perks with the Thunderbolt Display as well, and Apple discontinued it in 2016 and later took a different approach to external displays.
18. Apple iPod Socks
These socks were meant to cover your iPod with different colors. It gave you a sense of style and helped protect your iPod as well. They came in packs that you could use on your iPod, and the accessory was simple, but it became a recognizable part of the iPod era.
19. Apple MagSafe Battery Pack
This MagSafe was to help your phone last longer throughout the day. It helped extend the life of your phone so you didn't have to plug in often. You could just stick the battery pack onto your phone, and for some iPhone owners, the magnetic attachment made it particularly convenient.
20. Apple SuperDrive
The Apple USB SuperDrive was an external optical drive for Macs that lacked a built-in CD or DVD drive. It allowed users to read and burn discs even after Apple began removing optical drives from its computers. For anyone with old software, music CDs, movies, or archived files, the accessory remained useful long after optical media stopped being fashionable.
