March 18, 2003: The iMac Says Bye-Bye to the CRT

The original iMac was not only a huge seller but ushered in an era of translucent plastics and ubiquitous USB ports. Alas, Apple couldn't keep the momentum going forever. Whereas the computer once looked svelte and modern, as time passed the computer began looking dated and bulky.

Apple addressed the issue of the iMacs increasingly dated looks by introducing a G4 based LCD iMac. The LCD made the new iMac expensive so Apple kept producing the G3 iMac to have something to sell to their more value minded customers.

Once the G4 iMac was revealed it was only a matter of time until LCD prices dropped to the level where Apple could reach their price targets without relying on the dated original iMac design. Hence, it was March 18, a year and two months after the G4 iMac was introduced, that original iMac form factor was mercifully put to sleep in 2003.