Why Apple needs to bring back this design

Remember the iconic iMac G3? It’s about time Apple brought back transparent design.

Why Apple needs to bring back the transparent design

Apple is likely to launch the new Beat Studio Buds Plus later this month. Striking about these earplugs is the transparent design. Both the box and the caps themselves have a transparent exterior that allows you to see the parts inside.

For those who have been on this blue planet for a while, this is reminiscent of a time when countless manufacturers worked with a transparent design. For example, you bought a transparent GameBoy Color, a transparent Tamagotchi or a transparent Nintendo 64. Apple also participated in the transparent design for years.

iMac G3: ultimate transparent design

While Apple’s computers today are as thick as a magazine, Macs in 1998 needed a bit more space. The original iMac G3 stood out because the entire computer was still incorporated into the screen. With this computer, Apple also said goodbye to the floppy drive and many people were not ready for that.

But the iMac G3 is mostly remembered for its unique design. This iMac wasn’t Apple’s first see-through device, but it’s the most famous. This is mainly due to the playful shape and the different colours. The keyboard and mouse were also made in the same style.

When the iMac G4 was released in 2002, Apple said goodbye to the transparent design. That is not surprising, because by now every other tech brand had transparent products on the market. That iMac G4 then stood out in its own way, with a thin screen on top of a sphere. But from then on, iMacs and other Apple products would become more and more slick and well-behaved.

25 years ago: time for a comeback

This year marks exactly 25 years since the transparent iMac appeared, and since then Apple has lost some of the playfulness of the iMac G3. The devices look beautiful, but are also very businesslike and secretly a bit boring.

Apple has been trying to do more with color options lately. For example, you can buy the current iMac in seven different colors, but it is still like painting a business briefcase in a different color: it remains good.

We have now come to the point that all manufacturers use similar design. That used to be a reason for Apple to do something completely different, so why not now? How cool would it be if Apple gave the next iPhone or Apple Watch a transparent design?

If Apple brings that transparent design to its other products after the Beat Studio Buds Plus, the company will again stand out among the rest. Then you grab everyone who is nostalgic for the time of the GameBoys and Tamagotchi’s and surprise a whole new generation with this style.

More about the current iMac

The latest iMac on the market is the slim 24-inch iMac from 2021. Read our review to find out what we think of this device. Want more Apple news? Then sign up for our newsletter. In addition, download the free iPhoned app and keep an eye on our website. Then you’ll never miss an Apple news again!