Apple sneaks in very old devices into iPhone 15 event video -- and omits one, too

Posted:
in General Discussion edited September 2023

Hidden in the background of many moments in Apple's iPhone 15 launch event were familiar old products, but there was also a very surprising omission.

Spot the iSight box in the background
Spot the iSight box in the background



Apple likes to make it look as if those presentations from the middle of an office are where people really work. We may never know if that's true or whether each one just a set like we've seen with living rooms and kitchens.

But whether it's a stage set or a carefully tidied up real office, this time we got to see more than usual. You always had to look behind the presenters or to the edge of frame, but if you did, you could catch famous Apple devices.

Apple talks A17 processor design



Around 64 minutes into the iPhone 15 launch video, Apple takes us into a quite wide, open plan area to listen to Sribalan Santhanam the company's vice president of Silicon Engineering Group, detail the benefits of A17 processor.

But if you look at the far wall at the very start as the camera heads into the room, you can make out an original Bondi Blue iMac on a shelf.

Even picked out in red, it's hard to see that there's an original iMac here
Even picked out in red, it's hard to see that there's an original iMac here



You really have to look for the next one because it begins right at the edge of the frame, and is then quickly obscured. But it appears to be a Macintosh SE, possibly a Macintosh SE/30.


Either a Macintosh SE or a Macintosh SE/30
Either a Macintosh SE or a Macintosh SE/30




Then later when he has moved across the room, he passes near a desk that has an iPhone on it. Although it isn't very clear, it appears to be an original iPhone.

That looks like an iPhone 3G on the desk
That looks like an original iPhone on the desk

Behind the camera



Then at around 72 minutes in, we're taken to join Misha Scepanovic, Apple's Director of Optical Engineering, who talks about the iPhone 15 Pro's camera systems.

And does so while walking by what looks like the packaging for an iSight camera. That was discontinued by Apple around 2008.

Suitably blurry, that's an iSight camera in the background
Suitably blurry, that's an iSight camera in the background



A year before in 2007, Apple also discontinued its iPod Hi-Fi system. This was where you were intended to slot your iPod into the top of a speaker system, and we now learn that Apple held on to one.

Apple has held on to at least one iPod Hi-Fi
Apple has held on to at least one iPod Hi-Fi

Not pictured



While there may even have been more such famous artifacts hidden around Apple Park and in the video, there was one striking omission.

Previously whenever we would see into these apparently real working spaces at Apple, there would be many Mac Pro machines on the floor beside desks.

There were none in this year's event video. Instead, every desk had a Mac Studio on it.

Maybe that's actually proof that these are genuine working spaces -- and that the New Mac Pro isn't cutting it.


Read on AppleInsider

dewmecornchipappleinsideruser

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    I caught all of them except the Mac SE, and wondered if Apple was going to do some sort of contest or prize for the first person to name all the old products. Very fun Easter eggs for sure. 
    bageljoeyAlex1NFileMakerFellerappleinsideruserwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 17
    JinTechJinTech Posts: 1,031member
    What better way to dress up the set than to add vintage Apple products?
    baconstangAlex1NFileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 17
    Interestingly, the XDR displays were all connected to Mac Studios. Not a Pro in sight. 
    FileMakerFellerwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 17
    Not pictured



    While there may even have been more such famous artifacts hidden around Apple Park and in the video, there was one striking omission.

    Previously whenever we would see into these apparently real working spaces at Apple, there would be many Mac Pro machines on the floor beside desks.

    There were none in this year's event video. Instead, every desk had a Mac Studio on it.

    Maybe that's actually proof that these are genuine working spaces -- and that the New Mac Pro isn't cutting it.


    Read on AppleInsider

    While most of the desks had Mac Studio's, there were some server mounted Mac Pro's, and one on the floor in the background.


    edited September 2023 baconstangdewmeAlex1NXedfreeassociate2Alex_VFileMakerFellerradarthekatcornchipappleinsideruser
  • Reply 5 of 17
    And in the event video, mother nature dropped a reference to the iPod Shuffle...
    coolfactorAlex_Vradarthekatcornchipwatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 17
    I never did get an iSight or Hi-Fi. Wishing I had, though.
    radarthekatwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 17
    602warren said:
    I caught all of them except the Mac SE, and wondered if Apple was going to do some sort of contest or prize for the first person to name all the old products. Very fun Easter eggs for sure. 

    As chill as Tim Cook seems, I can't see the Apple of today entertaining that idea. I could see Microsoft or Google running such a contest, though.
    williamlondon602warrenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 17
    Lots of offices have vintage equipment in them and many of the team like to repurpose equipment. Having a working iPod Hi-Fi setup is pretty common.  At least in the offices that I’ve been in. 
    radarthekatwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 17
    danoxdanox Posts: 2,948member
    I never did get an iSight or Hi-Fi. Wishing I had, though.
    The Apple hi-fi has a 3.5 audio jack, which means you can still use it today if you have one. Wired connections work that way too bad the original HomePod doesn’t have any, I wanted to buy a pair, but the lack of wired connections was a huge stop sign. Speakers good ones last for decades, Bluetooth/Airplay who knows?
    dewmewilliamlondonloquiturargonautradarthekatcornchip
  • Reply 10 of 17
    Those white shoes he's wearing could be original Apple Sneakers from the 1990s. 
    Alex_VFileMakerFellerradarthekatwatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 17
    602warren said:
    I caught all of them except the Mac SE, and wondered if Apple was going to do some sort of contest or prize for the first person to name all the old products. Very fun Easter eggs for sure. 

    As chill as Tim Cook seems, I can't see the Apple of today entertaining that idea. I could see Microsoft or Google running such a contest, though.
    None of those companies will do that. Contests are more of a PITA than anything else. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 17
    danox said:
    I never did get an iSight or Hi-Fi. Wishing I had, though.
    The Apple hi-fi has a 3.5 audio jack, which means you can still use it today if you have one. Wired connections work that way too bad the original HomePod doesn’t have any, I wanted to buy a pair, but the lack of wired connections was a huge stop sign. Speakers good ones last for decades, Bluetooth/Airplay who knows?
    Yup, I still use the iPod Hi Fi everyday, as a "soundbar" for a small kitchen TV (24" Vizio, cuz built-in Airplay).
    Class D amps, engineering managed by "Podfather" Jon Rubenstein.  Works great!
    FileMakerFellerradarthekatwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 17
    "Suitably blurry" - hahaha! Good one!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 17
    The MOST important (post green-screen devices) is AWOL - Lisa.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 17
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,065member
    602warren said:
    I caught all of them except the Mac SE, and wondered if Apple was going to do some sort of contest or prize for the first person to name all the old products. Very fun Easter eggs for sure. 
    Apple doesn't run this type of contests. I don't recall anything like this in this millennium and Internet usage wasn't enough in the Nineties for this type of antic.

    It's way too gimmicky and that's not Apple target audience anyhow. Hell, Apple doesn't even do major promotional activities on social media "Tag this in Myspace and win a chance at an iPod sock!" or "Text APPLE to 42069 to win a Tim Cook t-shirt!"

    That might work well when you have a young, immature, and unsophisticated target audience like the videogame industry (adolescents and people on their early twenties) but Apple always aims at the premium end of any product category.

    Remember, this is a company that doesn't sell merch like apparel with the sole exception of on-premise sales at the Apple Visitor Center store.
    edited September 2023 watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 17

    Previously whenever we would see into these apparently real working spaces at Apple, there would be many Mac Pro machines on the floor beside desks.

    There were none in this year's event video. Instead, every desk had a Mac Studio on it.

    Maybe that's actually proof that these are genuine working spaces -- and that the New Mac Pro isn't cutting it.

    The likelihood these are actual working spaces is probably somewhere between 0 and -1.
    watto_cobra
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