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Concept designer reimagines the classic Apple Macintosh with a revised design and a notched display

Concept designer Ian Zelbo has given the classic Macintosh a fresh look in his series of renders. (Image source: Ian Zelbo)
Concept designer Ian Zelbo has given the classic Macintosh a fresh look in his series of renders. (Image source: Ian Zelbo)
The classic Macintosh nears its 40th anniversary, with Apple having released it in 1984. While the company has moved away from the design of its first computers, a concept designer has realised how it could bring the device up to date.
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The Macintosh was the beginning of the personal computer, and one that all-in-one machines like the iMac owe a lot to. Apple has moved on from its near-40-year-old design, but Ian Zelbo has returned to it, a concept designer who collaborates with leakers like Jon Prosser. As the images below show, Zelbo has imagined what the classic Macintosh could look like if Apple swapped in a few new parts.

For one, Zelbo has included modern I/O, such as HDMI and USB Type-C ports. Sadly, there is no sign of the MagSafe connector with which Apple has equipped the 24-inch iMac, the MacBook Pro 14 and the MacBook Pro 16. Still, Zelbo has included the latter two's trademark notched display, a bone of contention among laptop and Apple fans. Incidentally, Samsung has recently brought the notch to the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, albeit on a smaller scale.

(Image source: Ian Zelbo)
(Image source: Ian Zelbo)
(Image source: Ian Zelbo)
(Image source: Ian Zelbo)

Arguably, Zelbo has only used a notched display as a nod to Apple's current product design. If Apple were ever to bring back the Macintosh, we imagine it would integrate a webcam above the display, along with the sensor that it includes in the MacBook Pro 14 and MacBook Pro 16's notch. Also, Zelbo has done away with the original Macintosh's huge back panel, mirroring the 24-inch iMac.

While Apple is unlikely ever to release a modern version of the Macintosh, it is expected to announce an iMac Pro this year. Reputedly, the iMac Pro will launch with a 27-inch and 120 Hz display, plus M1 Pro and M1 Max SoCs. The iMac Pro is rumoured to debut this summer, potentially during WWDC 2022.

Purchase the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M1 Pro) on Amazon

(Image source: Thomas Millot)
(Image source: Thomas Millot)

Source(s)

Ian Zelbo & Yanko Design, Thomas Millot (1) (2) - Image credits

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2022 02 > Concept designer reimagines the classic Apple Macintosh with a revised design and a notched display
Alex Alderson, 2022-02-25 (Update: 2022-02-25)