Apple has for years been known for its best in class products like iPhones, iPad, iMac and much more. It is taken for granted by one and all that Apple products are the best in terms of quality and performance. However, no brand becomes a success overnight and so has been the case with Apple as well! It has taken a lot of experiments and products for them to reach where they are today.
Many of us aren’t aware that Apple was not always this successful. In its early years, Apple experimented and released its fair share of strange products. Stupefied? Didn’t think that the tech giant could have any missteps?
In this post, we have consolidated a list of the 11 strange Apple products that you might never knew existed.
1. Flower Power And Blue Dalmatian iMacs
Indeed, Apple showed their love for colors with the launch of Dalmatian iMacs. Apple launched the multi-color patterns named Blue Dalmatian & Flower Power that came molded into the case plastic. It was manufactured in a huge variety of colors such as Strawberry, Grape, Bondi Blue, Sage, Blueberry, Ruby, Lime, Indigo Tangerine, Graphite, etc.
2. Apple OneScanner
Apple OneScanner was a line of flatbed scanners that come into the picture in the early 1990s. In the very next year, Apple replaced the prior Apple scanner offering 8-bit (256 shades) greyscale scanning. The OneScanner series used SCSI as its primary interface and resolutions of 600×1200 dpi and 30-bit color scanning, which was advanced at that time. This flatbed scanner has an automatic scanning or manual control of each aspect product. However, Apple discontinued the product in the year 1997.
3. Apple PowerCD
PowerCD was basically designed by Philips and branded with Apple logo. This CD player was available in the market in the year 1993 but Apple stopped selling it after few years. The PowerCD can read traditional CDs when it was connected to speakers such as Kodak photo CDs, data CDs, and audio CDs. It could also read data disc when it was connected to a Mac. Indeed, it was a useful source of entertainment that was loved by Apple users during 90s.
4. SilenType Apple Printer
It was the first printer that Apple announced in 1979 but got released in 1980 for just $599. It was a thermal printer that needed a special paper and capable of providing 80-column output. As it was launched just after the Apple II Plus, so it was also compatible with the Apple III users. The Silentype Apple printer was low-priced printer compared to other printers.
5. Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh (1997)
It was an expensive machine that cost you even more than an individual had in their bank at the time. It was a limited edition of personal computers that was launched on Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh in 1997. Moreover, the machine was referred and considered as the over-engineered personal computer that ever created.
6. Solid Rose Gold Apple EarPods
It wasn’t an ordinary earphone, solid rose gold Apple EarPods was a limited-edition that was created out of 18k solid rose gold to benefit Bono’s Product (RED) charity. These Earpods were around 16,000 times over price than the regular $29 pair Apple sell. Solid Rose Gold Apple EarPods has displayed sell was around $20,000 to $25,000 but end up increasing to $461,000.
7. Apple QuickTake 100 Camera (1994)
Some of you might think it hard to believe but yes Apple did play their cards in camera business as well. Apple QuickTake 100 Camera was introduced in 1994 but three years later Apple decided to break off the sell. According to ‘Time Magazine profiled’ QuickTake was “the first consumer digital camera” and ranked it among its “100 greatest and most influential gadgets from 1923 to the present”.
8. Macintosh XL (1985)
The Macintosh XL was a modified version of the Apple Lisa 2/10 personal computer and the brain of a Mac. Apple introduced Macintosh XL in 1985 but due to its high price demand of the product was slow. Macintosh XL couldn’t protect its future and Apple discontinued the product after three months.
9. Apple Newton (1993-1998)
Apple Newton was a series of personal digital assistants developed by Apple twenty-five years ago in 1993. It is also known as the 1st feature handwriting recognition tool. It was an innovative idea but unfortunately due to initial problems and over price hampered the sale. Apple decided to discontinue the sale on February 27, 1998.
10. Apple Clothing Line (1986)
Believe it or not, but after trying gadgets, new models, and interface, Apple did try their hands in the clothing line. Steve Jobs had a few bad ideas and Apple Collection was one of them. Apple launched the huge range of sweatshirts, patterned shirts, polos, caps, and children clothing as well. Moreover, apart from clothing, the brand had a huge cult-like on accessories such as belts and bags.
11. Apple Pippin (1995-1997)
Apple introduced an open multimedia technology platform back in 1996. Apple designed this gaming platform based on the Macintosh Operating System. It was launched in the year 1996 and discontinued in 1997 but somehow Apple managed to sell 42000 units with the year.
So, these were that Apple did introduce but didn’t last for long. Did these products have promising future? What do you think please let us know in the comments section below?