March 9, 2000: That Looks a Little too Familiar

by Chris Seibold Mar 09, 2011

The original iMac sold a ton of machines. Wanting to get in on the good stuff, other manufacturers began imitating the iMac's for the time, radically fresh design. Of course, the imitators' machines couldn't run Mac OS or run Mac-only programs so the manufacturers kept the aping of the iMac concerned with industrial design only.

Imitation might be the sincerest form of flattery but, in this case, it was also a great way to get Apple's legal department moving. Apple objected to the naked copying of the iMac's design and set out to stop it via the United States legal system. Suits were filed against three of the larger transgressors: Future Power, eMachines and Sotec.

The legal maneuverings, and subsequent setbacks for the three companies, provided enough incentive to the companies involved to cease their production of PCs featuring design derived from iMac. Apple announced that all three companies would cease selling the iMac-a-likes on March 9. 2000.

Comments

  • What a great time for product design.  Everything from telephones to Foreman grills all looked like the iMac, and came in different colors.  Brilliant.

    jSchwa had this to say on Mar 09, 2006 Posts: 3
  • yeah, before iMacs everything was dull and beige. Even macs.

    nana had this to say on Mar 09, 2007 Posts: 63
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