Apple’s Most Important Devices: A Photo History

No tech company makes more exciting devices than Apple.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t tech companies that make better devices or tech companies that make more popular devices. It means that Apple’s product history is loaded with devices that are closer to cultural touchstones than they are a mere collection of chips and circuits.

Whether you’ve been an Apple fan since your dad brought home a Macintosh, when you filled your first iPod to capacity, or when you made your first iPhone call, you need to know the history of Apple’s products. It consists of devices that have changed your life in ways that you may not even know about.

20. Apple II

Notable Specs:

• CPU: 6502, 1 MHz
• Memory: 4K-48K (3 banks of 4K or 16K RAM)
• Operating System: Apple DOS
• Price: $1,298, $2,638

1977’s Apple II was Apple’s first real attempt at creating a somewhat modern home computer. Its sleek design, intuitive functionality, and open architecture software model made nearly everything else on the market at that time look downright medieval by comparison. The Apple II became the go-to option for forward-thinking businesses and personal computer early adopters everywhere. It set a standard that really wouldn’t be surpassed until Apple themselves released their next major model.

19. Apple Macintosh

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 8 MHz
• Memory: 128K RAM
• No Expansion Slots, No Hard Drive
• Price: $2,495

There are a few contenders for the coveted title of “single most important product in Apple history” on this list, but you’d have a hard time arguing against someone who insists that it’s the Apple Macintosh. Along with being the first “Mac” product, the Macintosh was the first major release personal computer to sport such niceties as a mouse and graphical user interface. This is the computer that Apple devoted that infamous Super Bowl ad too. When you’re drawing lines to separate the milestones in computer history, there is no denying that the release of the Macintosh must be one of those lines.

18. Macintosh II

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 16 MHz
• Memory: 1 MB, 4MB RAM
• Resolution: 512×384, 640×480
• Price: $5,498
• Hard Drive and Expansion Slots Included

1987’s Macintosh II wasn’t quite the game-changer the original was – there are few computers that come close to matching its innovations – but it is the computer that helped pioneer Apple’s long-running philosophy of getting it right with the second model. The Macintosh II’s biggest features were designed as a direct response to the Macintosh’s major criticisms. It brought back open architecture which allowed for easier software updates, it greatly improved the original’s user interface, and – most importantly – it was the first Mac to ship with a full-color display. This was an indisputably superior product.

17. Macintosh LC

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 16 MHz
• Memory: 2 MB, 4 MB
• Resolution: 512×384, 640×480
• Hard Drive: 40 MB, 80 MB
• Price: $2,500
• Dedicated Video Card

The Macintosh LC is the sometimes forgotten member of the early Macintosh line. It is, however, historically significant because of its price point. While the LC wasn’t the cheapest computer on the market, it was significantly cheaper than every other Apple computer that came before. The LC was Apple’s attempt at seeing if they could maintain their design standards while not charging an arm and a leg. Even though the LC was panned by some critics for being more expensive and technically less capable than its competition, the LC was well-received by Apple fans who loved its design and usability. Sound familiar?

16. Macintosh Quadra 700

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 25 MHz
• Memory: 4MB standard (68 maximum)
• Resolution: 512×384 – 1152×870
• Hard Drive: 80, 160, 400 MB
• Price: $5,700

The Quadra 700 isn’t necessarily the most historically significant Apple computer, nor is it one of the company’s best products. However, it does represent an interesting turning point in Apple’s philosophy. The Quadra 700’s logo was formatted in such a way as to encourage users to place the tower vertically, which was still somewhat unusual at the time. More importantly, it was a very powerful computer (at $5,700 it better have been) that was seemingly designed as Apple’s answer to the design and specs of some of their increasingly popular competitors. This is also the computer that the technicians in Jurassic Park used.

15. Powerbook 100

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 16 MHz
• Memory: 2 MB, 4 MB RAM
• Resolution: 640×400
• Hard Drive: 20 MB, 40 MB
• Price: $2,300

Take a look at the computer that changed the technology world as we know it. That’s not an exaggeration. At a time when portable computers were expensive and unwieldy, the Powerbook 100 came along and offered a comparatively cheap alternative that was unbelievably small. Granted, the 100 was the least powerful of Apple’s initial Powerbook designs, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that this was the computer that convinced users across the world that they too could afford such portable electronic devices and that they probably need one in their lives. The Powerbook 100 is regularly referred to as one of the greatest computers ever made.

14. Newton MessagePad

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 20 MHz
• Resolution: 336×240
• Battery Life: 5-10 Hours
• Modem: 9.6k
• Price: $699

Apple is sometimes criticized for perfecting rather than innovating, but that’s not exactly a fair assessment. It’s more accurate to say that Apple prefers to innovate in subtle ways. The Newton MessagePad, however, was a product well ahead of its time. The Newton was a surprisingly versatile personal device that featured a touchscreen interface. It looks pretty archaic now, but in 1993, this thing was straight out of the pages of sci-fi. The only problem was that the Newton had a tendency to not exactly work as advertised. In fact, its poor handwriting recognition technology arguably became its defining feature in pop culture.

13. iMac G3

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 233 MHz
• Memory: 32 MB RAM
• Resolution: 800×600
• Hard Drive: 4 GB
• Modem: 56.6k
• Price: $1,299

Here it is. The product that laid the foundation for the Apple we know today. When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, he found that the company had stretched themselves too thin and were running out of ways to distinguish themselves. So, he shelved some other product lines in favor of the creation of all-in-one iMac. While the iMac reveal was criticized by nearly everyone in the industry due to its radical departures (it didn’t even have a floppy disk drive!), Jobs chose to focus on the computer’s visual appeal and form above all else. The iMac became the first computer for fashionably minded electronic consumers. It changed the game.

12. iBook G3

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 300 MHz
• Memory: 32 MB, 64 MB RAM
• Resolution: 800×600
• Hard Drive: 3.2 GB (standard), 6.0 GB (optional)
• Battery Life: Six Hours
• Weight: 6.7 pounds
• Price: $1,599

By the time that the iBook G3 was released in 1999, the doubt that surrounded the iMac line had been replaced by pure hype. Even still, some looked at the iBook G3’s design and thought “You know, that kind of looks like a toilet seat with a handle.” While that’s not an entirely inaccurate comparison, the truth of the matter was that Apple had already begun forming their cult fanbase and that fanbase could no longer buy laptops that didn’t look as sleek as their iMac. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t as powerful as some of its price point competitors; the iBook G3 became a must-have fashion item disguised as a computer.

11. Power Mac G4 Cube

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 450 MHz
• Memory: 64 MB
• Resolution: 1920×1200
• Hard Drive: 20 GB
• Video Card: Rage 128 Pro
• Price: $1,799

The PowerMac G4 Cube is typically referenced by those who thought Steve Jobs was a genius and those who felt his philosophy had its limits. The latter group will tell you that the G4 Cube was a flop. It was too expensive, it didn’t come with a monitor, and it wasn’t nearly as powerful as its competition. Fans, however, will rightfully point out that the G4 Cube was designed from the ground up to be distinctive. Indeed, the Cube’s late rise in popularity can be attributed to the fact that it appeared in several high-profile movies and TV shows. Apple would revisit that cube design with some other products we’ll look at later on this list.

10. Titanium PowerBook G4

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 400 MHz
• Memory: 128 MB
• Hard Drive: 20 GB
• Resolution: 1280×960
• Battery Life: Five Hours
• Price: $2,999

The iBook G3 was a beloved and sleek device, but it was also kind of a dud from a pure performance perspective. When it came time to release the G4, Apple decided that perhaps it was better to perfect existing laptop designs rather than reinvent the wheel. The most notable innovation of the G4 was its widescreen design which put other laptops on the market to shame. Most importantly, the G4 was designed to compete with all but the most powerful laptops in the world. It didn’t necessarily receive the love it should have in its time, but looking back, this was the laptop that basically drew the blueprint for modern laptops.

9. iPod

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 90 MHz
• Storage: 5 GB, 10 GB
• Song Capacity: 1000, 2000
• Battery Life: 10 Hours
• Price: $399, $499

The iPod was the most important thing to happen to music since The Beatles. To be clear, it was not the first MP3 player. Those had been on the market for years. It was, however, the first MP3 player that got it right. The iPod could be used by pretty much everyone, was much smaller than its competition, and could hold up to 1,000 songs. It’s $399 price opened some eyes, but there was no other MP3 player on the market that even came close to offering the functionality and overall quality of the iPod. It may very well be the most universally beloved product that Apple has ever made.

8.  iMac G4

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 800 MHz
• Memory: 256 MB
• Hard Drive: 60 GB HDD
• Resolution: 1024×768
• Price: $1,799

Apple took the somewhat lukewarm reception of the G4 Cube to heart when they designed the iMac G4, but they certainly didn’t take it pepersonallyFirst off, the iMac G4 restored the line’s all-in-one status. Second, it retained the unique look of the cube, but this time was engineered in such a way as to make the thin LCD screen the star of the show rather than the components (which were hidden in the screen domed base). The iMac G4 was another design hit for Apple who had once again made a computer that looked like it belonged on the bridge of a spaceship. This time, however, they remembered to add a little practicality to the design.

7. iMac G5

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 1.8 GHz
• Memory: 256 MB
• Hard Drive: 80 GB HDD
• Resolution: 1440×900
• Price: $1,499

Remember when we said that the iMac G4 was the device that taught Apple that the screen should be the star of the all-in-one show? Meet their thesis on that very subject. Apple basically scrapped everything they’d previously been working on when it came to developing the iMac G5. Yes, it looked good, and yes, it was expensive, but this was also an iMac designed to go pound for pound with other all-in-one devices. If you stacked a G5 next to any other all-in-one on the market, we guarantee you that 99% of consumers would have chosen it under the condition that price wasn’t a factor. This was the prototype for all future iMacs.

6. iPod Nano

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 80 MHz (x2)
• Storage: 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB
• Song Capacity: 240, 500, 1000
• Battery Life: 14 Hours
• Price: $149, $199, $249

To be honest, this spot could have either gone to the iPod Mini or the iPod Nano. The iPod Mini was undoubtedly a great and important product, but it was also something of a half-measure. Apple knew they needed to release a smaller iPod, but it wasn’t until the Nano that they figured out what a smaller iPod meant. The iPod Nano slipped right into your pocket like some other MP3 players at the time, but none of those MP3 players boasted the Nano’s fantastic design and amazing user interface. Aside from those nasty overheating issues that eventually resulted in a recall, the Nano line is the best iPod we ever got.

5. Apple TV

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 1.0 GHz
• Memory: 256 MB
• Hard Drive: 40, 160 GB HDD
• Price: $299

It’s hard to believe that the first Apple TV was released way back in 2007. At the time of its debut, Apple TV was little more than a way to easily play your iTunes library on your television. However, an early update made it so that users no longer needed to connect it to a computer running iTunes. This was a major leap forward in the cord-cutting movement. Suddenly, incredible amounts of content were available to users like never before. While we were still a few generations away from the Apple TV becoming a true streaming device, this first model alerted everyone to the impending future of content.

4. iPhone

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 412 Mhz
• Memory: 128 MB
• Storage: 3, 8, 16 GB
• Battery Life: 24 Hours (Music-Only)
• Price: $499, $599

In recent years, Apple engineers have stepped forward and admitted that the iPhone model they displayed during that infamous press conference was so poorly optimized that they essentially had to set-up a special cell tower just so the thing could receive a call. Nevertheless, this is the most important consumer device of the 21st century. The original iPhone impressed users with its touchscreen interface and built-in iPod functionality, but you have to remember that smartphones were mostly only purchased by a very limited market of people before the iPhone came and turned them into a must-have item.

3. iPhone 3G

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 412 Mhz
• Memory: 128 MB
• Storage: 8, 16 GB
• Battery Life: 24 Hours (Music-Only)
• Price: $199, $299
• 3G Support Included

In the spirit of Apple getting it right the second time around, we arrive at the iPhone 3G. The iPhone 3G was basically the iPhone that Apple wanted to release the year before. It was better designed, could run a host of apps, and actually functioned reasonably well as a phone. Most importantly, it allowed for users to access 3G data. That changed everything. Suddenly, your phone could give you turn-by-turn directions. Suddenly, you could access the “app store” where there was apparently an app for everything. In fact, we’re willing to bet when you think back on the original iPhone, it’s actually the iPhone 3G you’re thinking of.

2. iPad

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 1.0 GHz
• Memory: 256 MB
• Storage: 16, 32, 64 GB
• Battery Life: 10 Hours (Music-Only)
• Price: $499, $599, $699

Even though Apple was hitting nothing but home runs at the time of the iPad’s release, some felt that the company had finally lost their minds. After all, we’d seen tablets before and nearly all of them failed spectacularly. Besides, how many people were going to want to drag around a larger iPhone? As it turned out, the answer to that question was “millions.” Just as the iPhone had perfected the smartphone concept, the iPad perfected – or nearly perfected – the tablet concept by being the first device of its kind that was a true joy to use. It put a huge dent in the laptop market and remains some people’s favorite Apple device.

1. iPhone 4

Notable Specs:

• Processor Speed: 1.0 GHz
• Memory: 512 MB
• Storage: 16, 32 GB
• Battery Life: 40 Hours (Music-Only)
• Resolution: 960×640
• Price: $199, $299

By the time the iPhone 4 was released, Apple had established that cult-like following they are known for today. Leaks regarding its features populated the internet in the months leading up to its release, and everyone was dying to see it for themselves. Remarkably, almost nobody was disappointed by the final product. This is the iPhone that introduced the world to the Retina Display. This was the iPhone that shipped with a front and rear camera. An iPhone made available for multiple networks. The iPhone that Apple leaned on for longer than any other model. In many ways, it is the last iPhone to live up to all expectations.