Tag Archives: Ian Zelbo

Retro Macintosh concept is the perfect fusion of nostalgia and modern Apple design

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Everything old is new again, as they say, and one designer envisions the possibility of a Macintosh that tastefully blends the old and the new in a way that could make even Apple interested.

Nostalgia is a very strong emotion, as shown by the number of successful retro consoles and crowdfunded projects launched in the past few years. Going down memory lane is quite effective for people who were there to witness events first-hand, but it also serves a different function for those who weren’t around back then. It gives them an insight into the minds of the past and the thinking that lead to the products of yesteryears. More importantly, they also serve as inspiration for new ideas, like this Macintosh concept that brings the past to the present in some interesting ways.

Designer: Ian Zelbo

Even back in its earliest days, way before the iPhone or even the iPod, Apple was already turning the consumer electronics market on its head. Although it unsurprisingly looks dated by today’s standards, the original Macintosh already prefigured what would become Apple’s forte. It offered something that wasn’t just a tool but a well-designed, thoughtful, beautiful, and more human product.

Ian Zelbo wasn’t around when Apple launched the first-ever Macintosh in 1984, but he was well aware of how that product sent ripples that would be felt even decades later. Likewise, what started out as an almost tongue-in-cheek joke and homage to the landmark product ended up sparking interest and discussion over the Internet. After all, nothing fuels the imagination more than something Apple would never do yet still remained within the realm of what is possible if it ever decided to do so.

From the front, the Retro Macintosh clearly looks like a blast from the past. The screen extrudes forward from the body just like the original Macintosh with the array of ports sitting below it. The rainbow Apple logo, something that the company would never use today, also sits in the original place on the lower-left corner of the display. And while Apple has wholeheartedly embraced white for many of its products, the off-white hue is a clear nod to the computers of the past.

At the same time, this concept isn’t just the 1984 Macintosh with a colored screen and USB ports. Unlike the hulking boxes of the 80s and 90s, this retro concept chops off most of the body, leaving only a comparatively slim chassis to hold the electronics. It is pretty much like a modern all-in-one iMac, albeit a bit thicker. It doesn’t have a slim stand that keeps the computer afloat, but there is a “foot” that extends toward the back to balance the Retro Mac while keeping in line with the computer’s unibody design.

It isn’t all praise for Apple’s design, though, at least not for some people. Zelbo didn’t miss the opportunity to include what is perhaps one of the most controversial new features in the latest MacBook Pros. There is a wide notch on the screen, something that Apple might also implement in future iMacs. Ironically, this small detail is the one thing that truly sets this concept apart from being a mere recreation of the original Macintosh, embracing Apple’s design language throughout the decades. After all, nothing says “modern” than having a notch on your screen.

There is, however, one aspect that conflicts between the two generations of Apple computers. While the iMac and even the Mac Pros hide their ports, this retro concept puts them up front, just like the original Macintosh. While this isn’t as clean and tidy as current Macs, this “old” design has the benefit of providing easy and immediate access to those ports.

“While I was not born in time for the launch of the Macintosh, I can appreciate how influential it was,” says the designer. “I wanted to see what the Macintosh would look like today by blending the nostalgic design with Apple’s current design trends. While it started out as a play on Apple’s recycling of past designs, I truly love the result.”

Apple will most likely never make such a product, of course, not even to celebrate the Macintosh’s anniversary and its significance in history. The concept, however, is still a fruitful exercise in testing how Apple’s designs can actually stand the test of time and how different aesthetics can blend together, even if they’re decades apart. Fortunately, we live in a time when it’s possible and feasible to actually make something like it, and it might only be a matter of time before someone does try to hack together a Retro Macintosh that actually works, unofficially, of course.

The post Retro Macintosh concept is the perfect fusion of nostalgia and modern Apple design first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Apple iPhone 14’s design has already leaked online, a full year in advance… with a flattened camera bump and no notch

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No camera module, no notch, and a design that feels like the spiritual successor to the iPhone 4 which would complete its 11th year anniversary on the day. That’s what the upcoming iPhone 14 will look like, proclaims YouTuber and Apple’s worst nightmare Jon Prosser.

Amidst the chaos of the September 14th invite to Apple‘s launch for the iPhone 13, Prosser decided to drop a pretty big bombshell. His leak, he reiterates, isn’t of the iPhone 13… but rather, of the iPhone 14, which isn’t due till 2022. Prosser says he’s been in touch with supply chain workers who have shared images of the new phone with him and has then used those images to create renders that fully do justice to the design. The design in question, celebrates the 10th anniversary of the popular iPhone 4, with a similar flat-edge design, a flat camera module underneath a glass back, and a metal rim running along the sides. A noteworthy upgrade, however, is the presence of 3 rear camera lenses, and the disappearance of the divisive notch, which has plagued the iPhone’s design for nearly 5 years if you count the notched iPhone 13 that drops next week.

Apple iPhone 14 Jon Prosser Rendersbyian

Prosser teamed up with long-time collaborator RendersByIan to help visualize the phone. Look past that incredibly tongue-in-cheek Twitter screenshot of Prosser being blocked by Apple Executive Phil Schiller, and you’ll see a design that seems new yet familiar. Apple’s cultivated a reputation of incremental progress and upgrades (with a few absolute refreshes every decade or so), and the iPhone 14 is no different. It looks remarkably like the iPhone 4, with how flush the cameras sit on the back, the circular buttons against the metal rim on the side, and a silhouette that is just as bit iconic as it was back in 2011.

Apple iPhone 14 Jon Prosser Rendersbyian

Apple iPhone 14 Jon Prosser Rendersbyian

Apple iPhone 14 Jon Prosser Rendersbyian

Flip the phone over on its front and you’ll notice perhaps its biggest visual change yet. The screen on the front does away with the infamous notch, finally adopting the hole-punch camera design that’s been around on Android phones for a while now. The disappearance of the notch was even briefly foreshadowed on an episode of Ted Lasso where fans managed to catch a fleeting glimpse of a smartphone with a hole-punch camera. Now, this could easily be Apple just trying to elaborately fool us, but the most logical solution is that the company’s finally come up with a replacement for FaceID and therefore doesn’t need that massive unibrow on the top of the phone. Some speculate an in-screen fingerprint while others say the fingerprint scanner could be merged within the power button.

Apple iPhone 14 Jon Prosser Rendersbyian

Apple iPhone 14 Jon Prosser Rendersbyian

Prosser’s video also deep-dives into possible color options and materials, which feels a little speculative at this point but it’s literally the only information we’ve got. He claims the images he saw were of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, so it isn’t immediately clear which other variants Apple aims at releasing and if there’s an iPhone 14 Mini too. Prosser also speculates that the phone will finally do away with the aluminum chassis and offer a new titanium variant which sounds incredibly interesting. The removal of the camera bump ties in with yet another online rumor from Ming-Chi Kuo that the iPhone 14 will be portless, which would mean the smartphone would need to rely solely on wireless communication and wireless charging, putting the phone’s MagSafe feature front and center. A flatter back panel (sans the camera bump) would go a great distance in helping the phone rest on flat chargers and wireless communication devices too. However, it’s too soon to really get into the details of a smartphone that isn’t due for approximately another 13 months. That being said, all we can really hope and pray for is that we get past the massive chip shortage we’re currently facing, so the next iPhone launch is nothing but smooth sailing!

Image Credits: Jon Prosser and Ian Zelbo (FRONT PAGE TECH)

Apple iPhone 14 Jon Prosser Rendersbyian

Apple iPhone 14 Jon Prosser Rendersbyian

Apple iPhone 14 Jon Prosser Rendersbyian

Apple iPhone 14 Jon Prosser Rendersbyian

Apple iPhone 14 Jon Prosser Rendersbyian

The post The Apple iPhone 14’s design has already leaked online, a full year in advance… with a flattened camera bump and no notch first appeared on Yanko Design.

Is this the new Apple Watch Series 7? First-look renders show a flat-edge design inspired by the iPhone 12

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I was today years old when I learned that the Apple Watch is the most popular watch in the world, overtaking Rolex to gain that title. Anyway, now that we have that tidbit aside, famed tech-leaker Jon Prosser is alleging that the world’s most popular watch is getting a redesign. Currently in its 6th series, the Apple Watch has seen only two major redesigns (with the second arguably boasting of a screen with thinner bezels) but it seems like the Cupertino-giant has giant plans for the 7th edition of its popular smartwatch… and it involves homogenizing its design to fit in with the iPhone and iPad’s form language.

The rumor-mill of a new Apple Watch started back in 2020 when prominent Apple Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo hinted that a new design was in the works and could drop as soon as 2021. Now that we’re well into the year 2021, Prosser’s collaborated with Ian Zelbo to bring rumors and leaks to life in the form of pretty life-like renders. The renders are based on real images and CAD-file screenshots supplied to Prosser by his network of sources. In order to protect the sources yet still share the designs with everyone, Prosser and Ian created these renders to show us exactly what they saw, and it seems like Apple is really beginning to streamline their design language. The ‘magical slab of glass’ analogy seemed to work really well for the iPad and its flat-edge design language finally carried onto the iPhone 12 last year and the iMac this year. According to the renders, the Apple Watch is getting a similar design upgrade with flat sides as opposed to the rounded ones, giving its screen a larger-than-life presence with minimal bezel interference.

It’s worth noting that these renders do come with some caveats. For starters, they’re literally just renders. Prosser couldn’t get his hands on a spec sheet, so we don’t have any idea what’s on the inside of the watch and if there are any new sensors or features. In fact, the watches go by codenames in the supply line too, so for all we know, this might not necessarily even be the Apple Watch Series 7 but rather an incredibly early look at Series 8! One thing that definitely stands out is the Watch 7’s new color-schemes, especially that rather soothing moss green color that doesn’t just exist on the strap, it’s present on the anodized metal body too (iMac 2021 much?) I wonder if Apple’s planning on releasing an iPhone 12-style purple variant too.

Image Credits: Jon Prosser and Ian Zelbo

Google Pixel 6 leaked images show a smartphone with a ‘camera belt’ instead of a bump

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When John Prosser leaks or predicts something, one usually takes it with a grain of salt. He’s been right about a bunch of designs, including the colorful iMacs, the AirTags, and even the AirPods Max, but he missed it with the Pixel 5, and even made a pretty big bet about the date of Apple’s Spring Loaded event this year. A bet which he lost and had to shave his eyebrows on YouTube for. However, taking things in his stride, Prosser is back for yet another prediction/leak which he feels is right on point. It’s the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, which Google is slated to release this year… with Google’s first homemade silicone chip on the inside to rival Apple’s M1, and more noticeably, a whopper of a camera bump.

I wouldn’t really call this a bump because it’s so wide and protruding, it’s practically a shelf. Prosser claims these images are as legit as they come, because they’re based on actual leaked photos from his inside source. Deciding it was better to protect the source by creating fresh 3D renders rather than just circulating those leaked images, Prosser collaborated with Ian Zelbo to bring the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro to life. Now I’ll be much more critical of Google’s strategy when the phone actually drops (because Google did such a horribly half-assed job with the Pixel 5 last year, drawing the ire of many Android lovers… me included), so let’s just look at these renders for what they are. According to Prosser, Google’s working on two phones, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro (they ditched the XL name). The smaller 6 has a dual-camera setup on the back, while the slightly taller Pro opts for 3 cameras. The Pixel’s design language has been famous for its color-blocking design, with the upper half being glossy and black, and the lower half being a variety of colors and finishes. This concept develops on that original style, adding a band of black running between the upper and lower blocks.

Objectively speaking, the band protrudes at least 2-3 millimeters from the phone’s back, making it look almost like a belt or a shelf emerging from the phone. Subjectively, it kind of makes the phone look like a criminal – serves them right for stealing the ‘Pro’ nomenclature from Apple! However, that really isn’t an indictment on the phone’s design itself, it gives the Pixel a strong new character, which makes sense, because this is a new era for the Pixel.

Prosser further breaks down the renders, talking about how the two phones come in different colors too. The smaller Pixel 6 has an orange band on top and a pure white block at the bottom. The Pro version, however, ditches the white bottom for an orange-tinted white. Prosser also mentions the presence of a Champagne-Gold Pixel 6 Pro (the first image in this article) that I personally really love.

The renders are as close as possible to the leaked images Prosser has his hands on. In fact, it even exactly mimics the wallpaper and widget on the screen. The screen even comes with a centrally aligned hole-punch camera, and we still have no word on whether there’s an in-screen fingerprint reader, so the jury’s still out on that. Interestingly though, the final image in this piece has the Pixel 6 sitting beside a rather interesting-looking smartwatch. Could it be the highly anticipated Pixel smartwatch?? Let’s wait till Google’s product event to find out!

Image Credits: Jon Prosser & Ian Zelbo