It’s been rumored for years that Apple is working on a touchscreen Mac, but this 1999 iMac already had one! This is what the computer looks like.
Huge old iMac with touchscreen
Are you still waiting for the first Mac with a touchscreen? Then you don’t have to be patient anymore, because this iMac already has one! The computer is from 1999, but does not require a keyboard or mouse to be operated. This is the iconic iMac G3, of which only a few were manufactured with a touchscreen. The standard version of the iMac G3 had a ‘normal’ screen.
Also read: Minecraft on an old Mac (iMac G3): does it work?
The iMac with touchscreen was not manufactured by Apple itself, but by a company that participated in the Apple Value Added Reseller program. This program gave companies access to Apple’s hardware and the ability to add more features. A company called Elo decided in 1999 to add a touchscreen to the iMac with this program.
This is what the iMac looks like
YouTuber Michael MJD managed to get hold of a touchscreen iMac and made a video about the old computer. The screen no longer worked perfectly, but after a few minor updates, the colors on the screen were back to normal. After starting up it turns out that it is indeed a classic iMac G3, which can be operated via the screen!
The computer’s touchscreen works surprisingly well, especially when you consider that the iMac is from 1999. It is not clear what exactly the Mac was used for, because the computer does not run on a special version of macOS. It was previously thought that the iMac was used in public areas, for example to place orders. The Mac would presumably need other software for that.
Will there be a new Mac with touchscreen?
So many users are waiting for a touchscreen Mac, which has been around for more than 20 years. The iMac G3 was produced from 1998 to 2003, after which Apple released the iMac G4. It now seems that Apple is working on a new Mac with a touchscreen, for example, there are rumors that a MacBook with a touch-sensitive screen is coming.
Also read: Apple is tacking: there will be a MacBook with a touchscreen after all
This would make the MacBook a perfect middle ground between an iPad and Mac. The big advantage is that the device still runs on macOS. In principle, you then have an iPad, but with the possibilities of macOS. According to rumors, the MacBook with a touchscreen would appear as early as 2025, but it is also possible that the release will be later. In any case, it will not be the first Mac with a touchscreen.
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