New Apple Designs NEEDED!!!

Don't get this post wrong. I'm not looking for designers or anything. I was just wondering WHY Apple, my favorait company, hasn't come up with some awe inspiring designs and creations like they used to.

Everytime they introduced a new version of the iMac (with a processor change), Apple came out with a new design that challenged and inverted the computer industry. So why has the recent new iMacs been left out? They've hardly been changed. "Thinner" and "Brighter" don't cut it, man!

Is Apple getting LAZY???

What happened to the beautiful Cube design? What happened to the iMac G3 -- iMac G4 --- iMac G5 transitions?

The recent iTV sports the Mini's interface. I though they would bring out somethign specatuclar. I remember when the Cube came out, people were actually gasping in the audience. (I don't mean to say the iTV isn't good, i'm just looking at it in a desingers persepctive)

Any comments? Don't hate though, I love Apple as much as the next guy. I was in the Apple store when the new iPods were announced.

PS. Speaking of the new Nanos, I was ready to flip out wen they said it would sport "colored metallics". Then my hopes died wen i looked at them, and they looked like skinnier Mini's. But w/e, they're still look gorgeos .... I guess.

The G4 Cube --> Mac Mini

The iMac G3 stayed in it's CRT form for almost five years. The G4 then stayed in it's form for almost 4 years. The current iMac still has a few more years left in it's design if you follow those trends.

Apple is doing better now than it's ever done, so I'm going to have to disagree with pretty much everything you posted.

Here:

I'm afraid I also have to agree with surfwax and disagree. I think the new nano looks verrrrrry nice, great to see Apple cope with the complaints about the fragile nature of the finish by changing it totally to something practical that looks cool. So it's similar to the mini, so what, the mini design worked well, and now it's been updated to be slimmer and smaller it looks even better.

I think the new shuffle is super-cool, much better than the old one, that never impressed me much. And no need for a belt clip cos that's all it is.

The iMac doesn't look at all dated (well, not to me - it's all subjective anyway I guess) so why change it. Plus saying that iTV looks like the Mini (not sure what you mean? I guess you mean it looks like Front Row?) just goes to show that they have an interface that works and impresses people so it doesn't need changed, there's a lot to be said for consistency. Besides, that was a pre-release product, it may not even look anything like that when it finally comes out.

I have to also agree with SurfWax and Jem. Apples new designs are great and very impressive, the most inpressive in a long time.

The iMac of today looks great. I don't see a reason to update the basic design just because they switched to Intel. I am sure in the future though they will update. I hope they use good taste which is something they have done since Jobs returned.

Well I belive what Piece of Apple was saying is that the new imac despite going from G5 to Core Duo to Core 2 Duo has not changed in its design, and I do agree. I dont really feel they need to change it. The imac design in my opinion is probably one of the most well designed computers EVER! why change it? I would have to disagree with your opinions on the design. I think they are beautiful and functional!

i think that apple is the most innovative design company. They're designs are still beautiful, and always keep going on...

Apple's Design has reached a fairly ubiquitous plain. They've built probably the most solid family of products - design wise - in the consumer market. iPods look like iMacs and their pro line of Macs are similarly styled, not to mention, the designs are incredibly good, and will probably still look incredibly good 10 years from now, they'll age well.

If you think to BMW, their cars maintained a very similar, stable and pleasing design over about 10 years (before their current generation of products), then when Chris Bangle came on board as their lead designer he completely changed their aesthetic, flame siding, organic/curved lines vs. angular lines; lots of people hated the new cars, and still do, but newer models are looking better. Bangle relayed his method as Revolution (first gen, new/wild style) then Evolution (subsequent generations, refined/sharpened style). Maybe apple is on a similar track?

I love Bangle's styling...the new Z4 coupe is gorgeous!

Since Apples went white and iPods took off, look around at how many other products have also gone white. Apple are now going black and i think that in a couple of years there will be a radical shift again.
Each iMac has pretty much changed in a big leap but I think we will now get small refinements until another big bang.

Without being too much of a nerd, the thing other than the design, which makes Apples stand out is the equality of the materials and manufacturing methods. Look at most plastic consumer products and you will see a grain moulded into the plastic, this is to hide imperfections in the plastic due to cheaper tooling or faults and split lines in the tool. Look at an Apple and you have high gloss white and clear plastic which isnt too easy to do without a part looking rubbish.

i think Apple are keeping heading in one direction until the industry gets close and then they will pull the rug from under them with something radical.

I think Apple has a solid design that they have proven consumers like. The iBook to MacBook, PowerBook to MacBook Pro, PowerMac to MacPro, etc, they dont look that much different. The itV form factor, not interface, is very similar to that of the MacMini, just shorter. I think the point that the original poster is unable to state clearly; is the lack of new ideas. Most of the replacements look like their predecessors. He talked about the G4 Cube wowing people with its design when it was introduced, as was the case with the iMac G4 and G5. Yet here we are, and I feel that the iPod announcements on Monday were not a wow moment for me. When was the last hardware wow moment?

When I look over the last few model upgrades, whether its desktop, notebook or iPod, everything looks just as you would expect it to. This doesnt mean they arent quality products. It doesnt mean that I dont like them. Im just stating that the bold design ques we have seen in the past, have been removed in order to follow a tride and true model that has been established. So, congratulations Apple, for finding a design standard that is so successful, and shame on you for not tripping us out with amazing new designs.

Well I belive what Piece of Apple was saying is that the new imac despite going from G5 to Core Duo to Core 2 Duo has not changed in its design, and I do agree.

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Yea. I'm not saying the design of the current iMac isn't gorgeous. It's BREATHAKING. I was just wondering about why the Mac hasn't changed since the processor have chaged, is all.

They have added a couple of features like the built in cam and I suppose they are concentrating on software for a bit and broadening the market.
People still assume my iMacs just the monitor.

I think Apple have been taking a steady stream of patents out so something must be coming.

when the time arrives apple will produce!

I can understand what the OP is saying. When was the last time you truly held your breath when Apple revealed a product? The current iMac and minis did it for me and perhaps it's unrealistic to expect constant innovation.

Maybe they've reached some sort of design plateau where the functionality of an item precludes any more wow-factor designs.

piece of apple said:

Yea. I'm not saying the design of the current iMac isn't gorgeous. It's BREATHAKING. I was just wondering about why the Mac hasn't changed since the processor have chaged, is all.

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I think the main reason that all of the Intel machines kept the same basic look as their PowerPC predecessors is that Apple didn't want to shock customers more than they already were by switching processors. I think they wanted to ease people into the Intel transition, and wait until the end of the design cycle to introduce a groundbreaking new design. As surfwax said, the G3 and G4 iMacs were around a lot longer than the G5 was, so it really wasn't time to come up with a new design.

dohidied, that sounds very possible! There was enough shock when I saw XP booting on a Mac as it was! :spook:

I have to agree with Peice of Apple. Look at the new iPhone design (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060913215342.shtml). Its exactly the same as the iPod with a bigger screen. I was hoping Apple would come up with something new for this!

hollerz.mac said:

I have to agree with Peice of Apple. Look at the new iPhone design (http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/09/20060913215342.shtml). Its exactly the same as the iPod with a bigger screen. I was hoping Apple would come up with something new for this!

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You mean the rumored iPhone that Apple has never confirmed or shown any pictures of? Yeah, that's a good example.

dohidied said:

You mean the rumored iPhone that Apple has never confirmed or shown any pictures of? Yeah, that's a good example.

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Yeah, obviously its not real. But I'd bet money on it that when/if it comes out it has a click wheel.

It was a bad example, sorry.

It's hard to fault a company that's found it's groove when it comes to consumer designs, especially when there are other company's like Dell that seem to change the design of their laptops every year.

At the same time, as a designer, you don't want to settle into a style for too long, since it makes you look unable to adapt to industry and trend. But really, should you be forced to adapt when your designs are obviously THE industry standard trend setters?

I think once the rest of the industry starts to catch up with Apple's design quality, we'll see some new views from Apple designers.