Editing IMac G4

{{Short description|All-in-one computer by Apple}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{lowercase title}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox information appliance
| name = iMac G4
| image = [[File:Apple iMac G4 (32871160027).jpg|250px|The iMac G4 with keyboard, mouse, and speakers|alt=A white computer with a hemispherical base and shiny Apple logo, attached to a flat screen with a metal arm. A keyboard and mouse sit in front of the computer, while flanking the base are round, shiny speakers.]]
| caption = iMac G4 (15" version)
| family = [[iMac]]
| type = [[All-in-one computer|All-in-one]]
| releasedate = {{start date and age|2002|1|7}}
| discontinued = {{end date and age|2004|08|31}}
| predecessor = [[iMac G3]]
| successor = [[iMac G5]]
| manufacturer = [[Apple Inc.|Apple Computer]]
}}

The '''iMac G4'''{{efn|name=new}} is an [[All-in-one computer|all-in-one]] [[personal computer]] designed, manufactured, and sold by [[Apple Inc.|Apple Computer]] from January 2002 to August 2004. The computer is comprised of a hemispheric base that holds the components, including a [[PowerPC G4]] processor, and a flatscreen [[liquid-crystal display]] (LCD) mounted above. The display is connected to the base via an adjustable arm that allows the monitor to be tilted and swiveled.

Apple's previous release, the [[iMac G3]] (1998), was a commercial success at a time when the company was close to bankruptcy. As component prices fell, Apple envisioned a replacement that would use an LCD instead of the G3's bulky [[cathode-ray tube]]. The resulting iMac G4 took two years to develop. The new shape was inspired by a sunflower, with Apple's design team exploring different ways of attaching the monitor to the base before settling on a single stainless steel arm. The iMac G4 eschewed the colorful translucency of the iMac G3 in favor of opaque white with silvery accents.

The iMac G4 was announced at the [[Macworld/iWorld|Macworld]] San Francisco trade show on January 7, 2002, and began shipping that month. It was updated over the years with faster internal components and larger LCDs. The iMac G4 was a critical and commercial success, selling more than 1.3&nbsp;million units in its first year and roughly 3.1&nbsp;million units alongside the [[eMac]] in its lifetime. It was succeeded by the [[iMac G5]] in 2004, which replaced the G4's bold design language with a more conservative look that influenced later iMac models.

==Overview==
The iMac G4, originally marketed as "the new iMac",{{efn|name=new|When released, the iMac G4 was referred to as "the new iMac" to distinguish itself from the previous CRT-based models; they would retroactively be called iMac G3 and iMac G4 to distinguish them.<ref name="verge_2023-08-15">{{cite web|last=Shakir|first=Umar|date=August 15, 2023|url=https://www.theverge.com/23808948/imac-twenty-five-visual-history-apple-design-models|title=iMac at 25: A Visual History of Apple's Iconic All-In-One Computer|website=[[The Verge]]|access-date=August 27, 2024}}</ref>}} is an [[All-in-one computer|all-in-one personal computer]]. The machine has an integrated, flatscreen, [[liquid-crystal display]] (LCD) mounted on an adjustable stainless steel arm. The arm allows the display to tilt up and down across 35 degrees, swivel the monitor 180 degrees side to side, and raise or lower it by {{convert|7|in|cm}}.{{sfnp|Snell|2002a|p=53}}<ref name="usatoday_2002-02-06"/> A clear plastic "halo" frames the display.{{sfnp|Quittner|Winters|2002|p=48}} The {{convert|10.6|in|cm|adj=on}} diameter hemispherical base that contains the computer components is heavy enough to support the display, with the neck strong enough to support the weight of the entire computer for carrying.{{sfnp|Michaels|2002a|pp=29–30}}<ref name="journsentinel_2002-01-15">{{cite news|author=Knight Ridder News Service|date=January 15, 2002|title=A Touching Experience|work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]|page=04E}}</ref> The machine is designed for ease of use; the included instructions consist only of six pictures.<ref name="irishtimes_2002-02-22">{{cite news|last=Lillington|first=Karlin|date=February 22, 2002|title=Apple's Core Quality Shows With New iMac|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|page=58}}</ref>

The iMac G4 is powered by a [[PowerPC G4]] processor similar to the one in the [[Power Mac G4]], albeit missing 1 MB of [[CPU cache|L3 cache]].<ref name="Wilcox">{{cite web|url=http://www.betanews.com/article/1037064105|title=Review: Gateway Profile 4 vs. Apple iMac|work=BetaNews|access-date=November 23, 2022|date=November 12, 2002|last=Wilcox|first=Joe }}</ref> The computer has a quiet fan to cool the G4 processor through vents at the top of the base, unlike the iMac G3, which was cooled via convection.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bullard|first=Dave|date=January 16, 2002|title=The Dream Screen|work=[[Herald Sun]]|page=C2}}</ref><ref name="macworld_2012-07-18"/> The power button, power plug, and [[input/output]] ports are arranged on the back of the base, while the tray-loading [[optical drive]] sits in front, sporting a mirror finish Apple logo.<ref name="zdnet_2002-01-14"/><ref name="nytimes_2002-01-10"/> The power supply is also integrated into the base.<ref name="journsentinel_2002-01-15"/> The machine features three [[Universal Serial Bus]] ports, two [[IEEE 1394]] (Firewire) ports, [[Video Graphics Array]] (VGA) out, 100 Mbit/s [[Ethernet]] and 56{{nbsp}}kbit/s [[modem]] connections.<ref name="journsentinel_2002-01-15"/><ref name="zdnet_2002-01-14"/><ref name="washpost_2002-02-17"/> After-purchase expansion is limited to additional [[random access memory]] or an [[AirPort]] wireless networking card; these are added by removing an access plate secured with captive screws on the underside of the base.<ref name="washpost_2002-02-17"/>{{sfnp|Michaels|2002a|p=30–32}}

The machine was initially sold with the [[Apple Pro Keyboard]] and [[Apple Pro Mouse]] in white.<ref name="zdnet_2002-01-14">{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/product/apple-imac-800mhz-powerpc-g4/|title=Apple iMac 800&nbsp;MHz PowerPC G4 Review|last=Steinberg|first=Gene|date=January 14, 2002|website=[[ZDNet]]|access-date=2019-02-09|archive-date=February 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210045256/https://www.zdnet.com/product/apple-imac-800mhz-powerpc-g4/|url-status=live}}</ref> While the iMac has a built-in speaker, some models shipped with external [[Apple Pro Speakers]], introduced for the "Digital Audio" Power Mac G4. These use a proprietary connector instead of a 3.5mm [[headphone jack]] and have a higher output signal.<ref name="journsentinel_2002-01-15"/><ref name="macworld_2015-12-08">{{cite web|last=Phin|first=Christopher|date=December 8, 2015|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/226970/the-best-speakers-apple-ever-made.html|title=The Best Speakers 'Apple' Ever Made|website=[[Macworld]]|access-date=June 26, 2024|archive-date=February 16, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216002435/https://www.macworld.com/article/226970/the-best-speakers-apple-ever-made.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The iMac G4 was the first Mac to boot by default into [[Mac OS X]], although it can also boot into [[OS 9]] to use older software.<ref name="zdnet_2002-01-14"/><ref name="washpost_2002-02-17"/>{{sfnp|Michaels|2002a|p=32}} [[Pre-installed software]] included productivity applications ([[AppleWorks]], [[iPhoto]], [[iMovie]], [[iTunes]], [[iDVD]], [[Quicken]], and FaxSTF) internet connectivity services ([[Earthlink]] and [[AOL]]), the [[Pangea Software]] game ''[[Otto Matic]]'', and ''[[World Book Encyclopedia]]''.{{sfnp|Michaels|2002a|p=30}}

==Development==
The [[iMac G3]] was released in 1998 and was a major success for Apple; it sparked a 400% rise in the company's stock price over the next two years and sold six million units.{{sfnp|Quittner|Winters|2002|pp=46–53}} It helped reverse Apple's financial fortunes, marked the first major collaboration between returning CEO [[Steve Jobs]] and [[Chief design officer|head of design]] [[Jony Ive]], and was manufactured using new methodologies at Apple that would be applied to their future products.<ref name="appleinsider_2020-04-09">{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=William |date=April 19, 2020 |title=How Apple Went From Bust to Five Million Colorful iMac Sold |url=https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/04/19/how-apple-went-from-bust-to-five-million-colorful-imacs-sold |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129190702/https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/04/19/how-apple-went-from-bust-to-five-million-colorful-imacs-sold |archive-date=November 29, 2022 |access-date=November 30, 2022 |website=[[Apple Insider]]}}</ref>{{sfnp|Kahney|2013|p=141}} After the iMac's release, Apple revamped its product offerings for other consumer segments, including the [[Power Mac G3]] and [[Power Mac G4|G4]] and the [[iBook]]. Apple's industrial designers increasingly held more sway, and the engineering department saw significant turnover in the wake of the industrial design group's demands.{{sfnp|Kahney|2013|p=149}} In 2001, the design team moved from a separate building to a new space at the company's headquarters, offering a larger area to generate ideas, prototype models, and showcase them to Jobs.{{sfnp|Kahney|2013|pp=159–171}}

[[File:A sunflower 2014-06-18 16-51.png|thumb|left|Sunflowers provided inspiration for the iMac G4's design.|alt=A yellow sunflower perched atop a green, leafy stalk, with a cloudless blue sky behind it]]
Eighteen months after the iMac's release, Ive's team began considering a redesign that swapped the computer's bulky [[cathode-ray tube]] screen, around which the computer was designed, with a thin, flat [[liquid-crystal display]] (LCD).{{sfnp|Kahney|2013|p=187}} Ive produced a prototype that attached the computer components behind the screen, similar to his work on the [[Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh]].{{sfnp|Isaacson|2013|p=445}} The design came with drawbacks; the hard drive and optical drive would be less performant in a vertical orientation, and the added heat produced by the G4 processor would necessitate a noisy fan that would be positioned close to the user. There would also be no easy way to tilt and swivel the display without moving the entire machine.<ref name="nzherald_2002-01-20"/> Jobs hated the design, which he felt lacked purity. "Why have this flat display if you're going to glom all this stuff on its back?" he asked. "We should let each element be true to itself."{{sfnp|Kahney|2013|pp=187–188}} When Ive visited Jobs' house to talk over the issue, Jobs suggested basing the computer on sunflowers, which were growing in his garden. The suggestion of a narrative in the design appealed to Ive, who began sketching out designs drawing on the sunflower shape.{{sfnp|Isaacson|2013|p=446}}{{efn|This is the most commonly given origin for the iMac G4's shape, but [[Leander Kahney]] reports another origin offered by an unnamed former executive. In this telling, Ive made two designs: one with the computer behind the screen, and one with a separate screen and base. Jobs chose the latter "goose neck" design because its anthropomorphic features made it more approachable.{{sfnp|Kahney|2013|p=188}}}}

The machine took two years to develop.<ref name="nzherald_2002-01-20">{{cite news|last=|date=January 20, 2002|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/apple-takes-a-bold-new-byte-at-imac/EAB5W56ADW7WLTINWLXGZ4QFZE/?c_id=5&objectid=787149|title=Apple Takes a Bold New Byte at iMac|work=[[The Independent]]|via=[[The New Zealand Herald]]|access-date=June 19, 2024|archive-date=June 30, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630145017/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/apple-takes-a-bold-new-byte-at-imac/EAB5W56ADW7WLTINWLXGZ4QFZE/?c_id=5&objectid=787149|url-status=live}}</ref> Ive and the design team first tried to attach the screen to the base with a series of vertebrae held together by spring-loaded cables. A clamp on the back of the screen applied tension to the cables and allowed the spine to loosen or stiffen. This design required two hands to grab the screen and release the clamp, and proved difficult for some users to adjust.{{sfnp|Kahney|2013|pp=188–189}} Ive solicited feedback from design consultancy firm [[IDEO]], who recommended abandoning the spine idea in favor of a more practical design with two rigid arms. Designer Doug Satzger suggested that they did not need the amount of flexibility the two-arm design offered, and after Jobs concurred, the second arm was dropped. The final arm was made of stainless steel with an internal spring that balanced the screen while being free enough to be moved by the touch of a finger.{{sfnp|Kahney|2013|p=189}} The designers added the plastic halo ringing the screen that offered space for adjustment without touching the display, and minimized the look of a thick bezel around the edges. The computer components of the machine were put in the weighted base, which borrowed work done for the ill-fated [[Power Mac G4 Cube]] to cool the machine by using a fan to draw air from the bottom and expelling it out the top.{{sfnp|Kahney|2013|p=190}}

The iMac's final design suggested a sunflower or a desk lamp, and its [[anthropomorphic]] features made it, like its processor, feel more friendly and approachable. Jobs was so taken with the design that, in an uncommon move, he listed himself as the primary inventor on one of the design patents for the machine.{{sfnp|Isaacson|2013|p=446}}{{sfnp|Kahney|2013|pp=188–189}} Whereas the iMac G3 had been made of translucent plastics in a variety of colors, the new iMac was mostly opaque white, following from decisions Jobs had made to make the [[iPod]] music player all white. Ive called the color "pure and quiet", and Jobs felt the color made consumer products feel more premium, rather than disposable.{{sfnp|Isaacson|2013|pp=390–391}}

==Release==
[[File:IMac G4 Generations.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4| 15-inch, 17-inch, and 20-inch versions of the iMac G4|alt=Three white computers arrayed side-by-side; they are identical save for their screens of differing sizes, arranged from smallest to largest.]]
The new iMac was unveiled at the [[Macworld/iWorld|Macworld]] San Francisco trade show on January 7, 2002.{{sfnp|Kahney|2013|p=191}} Rumors had predicted a flat-panel iMac since the previous summer, as pundits considered the machine due for a revamp amid declining sales.<ref name="nytimes_2002-01-10"/><ref name="latimes_2002-01-03">{{cite news|last=Heid|first=Jim|date=January 3, 2002|title=Tech 101; Mac Focus; Expo Fuels the Apple Rumor Mill|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|page=T3}}</ref> In the aftermath of the [[Dot-com bubble|dot-com crash]], Apple's market share had eroded to just above 4% in the United States, and less worldwide. Analysts had heightened expectations that the new iMac would be able to shore up Apple's market position.{{sfnp|Quittner|Winters|2002|pp=46–53}} On stage, Jobs declared the machine "the best thing I think we've ever done [...] it has a rare beauty and grace that is going to last the next decade." Ive surreptitiously walked the show floor to gauge the public's reaction.{{sfnp|Kahney|2013|p=191}} The floating monitor and arm's [[anthropomorphism]] and sense of personality was highlighted in product videos and ads.<ref name="imore_2018-02-28">{{cite web|last=Hackett|first=Stephen|date=February 28, 2018|url=https://www.imore.com/imac-g4-form-meet-function|title=iMac G4: Form, Meet Function|website=[[Apple community#Online publishers|iMore]]|access-date=June 24, 2024|archive-date=February 16, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216010123/https://www.imore.com/imac-g4-form-meet-function|url-status=live}}</ref>

Apple positioned the computer as the center of its "digital hub" strategy, where the Mac connected multimedia peripherals like the iPod and organized and edited audio and video.<ref name="australian_2002-01-15">{{cite news|last=Frith|first=David|date=January 15, 2002|title=Desklamp Is a Head-Turner|work=[[The Australian]]|page=35}}</ref><ref name="tribune_2002-01-20">{{cite news|last=Coates|first=James|date=January 20, 2002|title=New iMac Mighty, But How Many Will Notice?|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|page=5.4}}</ref> Jobs argued that most consumers wanted a better computer than the ones commonly available, and that meant a Mac; the iMac and hub strategy were part of what he saw as a "third phase" of personal computing, where users used computers to produce creative media.{{sfnp|Quittner|Winters|2002|pp=46–53}}<ref name="washpost_2002-01-20">{{cite news|last1=Pegoraro |first1=Rob|last2=ElBoghdady|first2=Dina|date=January 20, 2002|title=Building Creativity Into the Box; Electronics Companies Hope New Devices Will Spur Imaginations... And Sales|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|page=H1}}</ref>{{efn|According to Jobs, the first phase of computing was using computers for work and utility (word processing, spreadsheets, etc.) while the second phase was connecting computers via the internet.{{sfnp|Quittner|Winters|2002|pp=46–53}}}} The price of an iMac with the ability to burn DVDs was under US$2,000 {{USDCY|2000|2002}}, compared to the $3,500 it had cost two years earlier for the capability on a Power Mac.<ref name="washpost_2002-01-20"/>

Apple launched the iMac G4 in a staggered fashion. Only the most-expensive 15-inch model was available in January 2002, followed by the cheaper configurations in February and March.<ref name="wsj_2002-10-17">{{cite news|last=Mossberg|first=Walter|authorlink=Walt Mossberg|date=January 17, 2002|title=iMac Looks Radical, And Its Performance Seems Right On|work=[[Wall Street Journal]]|page=8}}</ref> Preorders of the iMac in its first week after announcement were the highest of any Apple product since the original.<ref name="sun_2002-01-24"/> Apple said it received more than 150,000 preorders for the iMac in the first month,<ref name="dfp_2002-01-29">{{cite news|date=January 29, 2002|title=Industry Report; Technology|work=[[Detroit Free Press]]|page=C2}}</ref> and produced more than 5,000 iMacs a day to meet the initial demand. Higher prices for RAM and LCDs caused the company to raise the price on iMac configurations by $100, though existing orders were honored at the original price.{{sfnp|Michaels|2002b|p=24}} A high-end model with a larger display was released in August. This 17-inch iMac offered a widescreen 1440×900 pixel display, more hard drive capacity, better graphics, and was slightly heavier. The other iMacs dropped back to their original prices.{{sfnp|Snell|2002b|p=22}} Low-end versions of the previous G3 model continued to be sold until 2003 until they were replaced by the [[eMac]]. The most expensive configuration of the eMac was cheaper than the entry-level iMac G4.<ref name="australian_2002-01-15"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hackett |first=Stephen |date=July 7, 2016 |title=Summer 2001: The Final iMac G3s |url=https://512pixels.net/2016/07/summer-2001-imac-g3 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130172500/https://512pixels.net/2016/07/summer-2001-imac-g3 |archive-date=November 30, 2022 |access-date=November 30, 2022 |website=512 Pixels}}</ref>{{sfnp|Michaels|Cellini|2002|p=16}}

The next revision to the iMac line came in February 2003; the previous configurations offered were reduced to a single 15- and 17-inch model each. Alongside lower prices, they featured faster processors, optical drives, and faster [[AirPort Extreme]] networking and RAM on the 17-inch model.{{sfnp|Michaels|2003|p=21}} The 17-inch model also added an audio-in jack, the ability to mirror the display to [[composite video]] devices via an adapter, and a [[Bluetooth]] expansion module for short-range wireless communication with peripherals.{{sfnp|Snell|2003|p=37}}

In September 2003, the iMac line was revised again, with the 15- and 17-inch models receiving faster processors and graphics at the same prices, and faster USB 2.0 ports replacing the 1.1 versions. The 15-inch model also received the Bluetooth and AirPort Extreme networking support that had previously been exclusive to the larger model.{{sfnp|Dalrymple|2003|p=24}} A larger 20-inch monitor option was added in November, featuring the same specs as the 17-inch model. The 20-inch models were heavier and the arm stiffer to support the larger display, which made the monitors harder to manipulate and position.<ref name="macworld_2004-03-17">{{cite web|last=Berger|first=Jennifer|date=March 17, 2004|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/170039/20inchimacg4.html|title=Reviews: 20-Inch iMac G4|website=[[Macworld]]|access-date=June 25, 2024|archive-date=June 21, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240621011708/https://www.macworld.com/article/170039/20inchimacg4.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Reception==
The iMac G4 was positively received, particularly the flat-screen design that allowed critics to forget the rest of the computer was there.{{sfnp|Snell|2002a|p=53}}<ref name="nytimes_2002-01-10"/><ref name="wsj_2002-10-17"/> ''[[The Washington Post]]''{{'}}s Rob Pegoraro called the design "staggeringly useful" and found the screen was never in the wrong place.<ref name="washpost_2002-02-17"/> ''[[USA Today]]''{{'}}s Edward Baig and others liked the desk lamp look,<ref name="usatoday_2002-02-06">{{cite news|last=Baig|first=Edward|date=February 6, 2002|title=Apple's iMac Is Flat-Out Powerful and Pretty|work=[[USA Today]]|page=D.07}}</ref> with many comparing it to the [[Luxo Jr.]] character that starred in a [[Pixar]] short animation.<ref name="australian_2002-01-15"/>{{efn|Apple denied a Luxo Jr. influence; coincidentally, Pixar creative chief [[John Lasseter]] also directed the initial iMac G4 advertisement.{{sfnp|Quittner|Winters|2002|pp=46–53}}}} Pegoraro and James Coates compared the computer's dome to the character [[R2-D2]].{{efn|Cited to: <ref name="tribune_2002-01-20"/><ref name="washpost_2002-02-17">{{cite news|last=Pegoraro|first=Rob|date=February 17, 2002|title=iMac's Radical Redesign Easy on the User as Well as the Eyes|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|page=H7}}</ref><ref name="zdnet_2002-01-14"/>{{sfnp|Grumet|2002|p=38}}<ref name="guardian_2002-02-28">{{cite news|last=McIntosh|first=Neil|date=February 28, 2002|title=Online: Me and My iMac|work=[[The Guardian]]|page=5}}</ref>}} Others found the iMac G4 ungainly, with ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''{{'}}s [[Walter Mossberg]] and ''[[The Vancouver Sun]]''{{'}}s Peter Wilson left with the sense it was always likely to tip over.<ref name="wsj_2002-10-17"/><ref name="vancouversun_2002-01-17"/> ''[[Popular Mechanics]]''{{'}}s Tobey Grumet found the iMac larger than the promotional shots suggested, and that overall it took up nearly as much space as the CRT model it replaced.{{sfnp|Grumet|2002|p=38}}

Reviewers cited the iMac's ease of use as a major positive of the machine,<ref name="irishtimes_2002-02-22"/> as well as the quality of its included software.<ref name="washpost_2002-02-17"/><ref name="sun_2002-01-24"/><ref name="postdispatch_2002-01-23"/> ''[[The Irish Times]]''{{'}}s Karlin Lillington said the setup of the computer was so simple a child could do it, while Baig cited the "plug and play" nature of its hardware and software as the best feature of the computer.<ref name="irishtimes_2002-02-22"/><ref name="usatoday_2002-02-06"/> The large port selection was also praised,{{sfnp|Snell|2002a|p=53}}{{sfnp|Dreier|2002|p=42}} with ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]''{{'}}s David Zeiler saying they met the needs of home and education consumers who would not care about the computer's limited expansion options.<ref name="sun_2002-01-24"/> ''[[PCMag|PC Magazine]]'' and ''[[HardwareZone|HWM]]'' were among the publications that suggested the machine would entice Windows PC users to switch to Macs,{{sfnp|Dreier|2002|p=42}}{{sfnp|Tang|2002|p=88}} with the prices of comparably-specced iMacs and Windows PCs generally close.{{efn|Cited to: <ref name="nytimes_2002-01-10"/><ref name="washpost_2002-02-17"/>{{sfnp|Quittner|Winters|2002|pp=46–53}}<ref name="wsj_2002-10-17"/><ref name="sun_2002-01-24"/>{{sfnp|Dreier|2002|p=42}}}} Joe Wilcox of ''betanews'' felt that the iMac and similar all-in-one systems were as expensive but less portable than midrange Windows laptop computers.<ref name="Wilcox"/>

Critics noted the performance improvements of the G4 processor. Jason Snell of ''Macworld'' wrote that compared to the consumer iMac G3, the new iMac was fast enough for demanding users who did not need the expansion options of a Power Mac.{{sfnp|Snell|2002a|p=53}} Peter Wilson and ''[[The New York Times]]''{{'}}s [[David Pogue]] felt that the iMac was a better value than the lower-end Power Macs, and might steal sales away from the latter.<ref name="nytimes_2002-01-10"/><ref name="vancouversun_2002-01-17">{{cite news|last=Wilson|first=Peter|date=January 17, 2002|title=Maybe New-Generation iMac Is in the Cards, Or Maybe Not|work=[[The Vancouver Sun]]|page=D11}}</ref> In comparison, ''[[The Guardian]]''{{'}}s Neil McIntosh found the iMac powerful enough, but that the Power Macs were much speedier than the on-paper difference suggested.<ref name="guardian_2002-02-28"/> ''Macworld'' speed tests found that the iMac generally performed worse than equivalent G4 processors in the Power Mac line,<ref name="macworld_2003-05-19">{{cite web|last=Breen|first=Christopher|date=May 19, 2003|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/160078/1ghzimac17inch.html|title=Reviews: 1GHz iMac G4, 17-Inch|website=[[Macworld]]|access-date=June 25, 2024|archive-date=June 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240625150754/https://www.macworld.com/article/160078/1ghzimac17inch.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="macworld_2002-04-17">{{cite web|last=Jary|first=Simon|date=April 17, 2002|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/666260/imac-800mhz-2002-review.html|title=iMac 800MHz (2002) Review|website=[[Macworld]]|access-date=June 25, 2024|archive-date=June 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604113435/https://www.macworld.com/article/666260/imac-800mhz-2002-review.html|url-status=live}}</ref> while another comparison found that the iMac lagged behind a similarly priced [[Pentium 4]] system in multitasking performance.<ref name="Wilcox"/>

Other complaints about the iMac included the placement of the computer's ports and power button on the back of the base, since this made it harder to plug and unplug peripherals.{{efn|Cited to: <ref name="nytimes_2002-01-10">{{cite news|last=Pogue|first=David|authorlink=David Pogue|date=January 10, 2002|title=For Apple, To Be Flat Is a Virtue|work=[[The New York Times]]|page=G1}}</ref><ref name="washpost_2002-02-17"/><ref name="wsj_2002-10-17"/>{{sfnp|Dreier|2002|p=42}}}} Neil McIntosh called it the machine's "[[Achilles heel]]".<ref name="guardian_2002-02-28"/> Baig and ''PC Magazine''{{'}}s Troy Dreier found that the external speakers sounded tinny.<ref name="usatoday_2002-02-06"/>{{sfnp|Dreier|2002|p=42}} Other deficiencies noted were the limited options for expansion,<ref name="wsj_2002-10-17"/><ref name="vancouversun_2002-01-17"/> color-shifting of the screens when viewed at extreme angles,<ref name="macworld_2003-12-31">{{cite web|author=Staff|date=December 31, 2003|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/169186/reviewsinbrief-7.html|title=Reviews in Brief; 17-Inch IMac G4/1.25GHz|website=[[Macworld]]|access-date=June 26, 2024|archive-date=June 30, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630145030/https://www.macworld.com/article/169186/reviewsinbrief-7.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and the small amount of RAM offered on the entry-level models.<ref name="sun_2002-01-24">{{cite news|last=Zeiler|first=David|date=January 24, 2002|title=iMac Is Barely There—but Delivers Goods|work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|page=10C}}</ref> Some reviews complained of hardware glitches and malfunctions.<ref name="usatoday_2002-02-06"/><ref name="washpost_2002-02-17"/> Dreier felt the keyboard and mouse were unappealing and likely to be immediately replaced by users,{{sfnp|Dreier|2002|p=42}} while Mossberg and ''[[ZDNet]]'' regretted the lack of a wireless option for the mouse and keyboard,<ref name="wsj_2002-10-17"/><ref name="postdispatch_2002-01-23">{{cite news|last=Sheets|first=David|date=January 23, 2002|title=Digital Editing, Not Flat Screen, Is the New iMac's Real Gem|work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]|page=E3}}</ref> which Apple would not offer until 2003.<ref>{{cite web|last=Edwards|first=Benj|date=March 1, 2013|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/220496/tablets-mice-and-trackpads-the-evolution-of-apple-pointing-devices.html|title=Tablets, Mice, And Trackpads: The Evolution of Apple Pointing Devices|website=[[Macworld]]|access-date=June 26, 2024|archive-date=March 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320001845/https://www.macworld.com/article/220496/tablets-mice-and-trackpads-the-evolution-of-apple-pointing-devices.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Legacy==
[[File:Timeline of the product Apple iMac.svg|thumb|upright=1.4|Comparison of iMac models]]
Apple sold 1.3&nbsp;million iMacs in 2002, making it their top-selling product for the year.<ref name="wired_2003-01-16">{{cite magazine|last=Kahney|first=Leander|authorlink=Leander Kahney|date=January 16, 2003|url=https://www.wired.com/2003/01/the-end-of-the-imac-not-likely/|title=The End of the iMac? Not Likely|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|access-date=June 25, 2024|archive-date=June 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240625171647/https://www.wired.com/2003/01/the-end-of-the-imac-not-likely/|url-status=live}}</ref> iMac and eMac models sales during the iMac G4's lifespan totaled roughly 3.1&nbsp;million units.{{efn|Apple grouped all iMac (and later, iMac and eMac) sales together in a single iMac category on quarterly financial reports. Sales figures for the category were 372K Q2'02 (the first fiscal quarter the iMac G4 was sold,) 378K Q3'02, 318K Q4'02, 298K Q1'03, 256K Q2'03, 287K Q3'03, 253K Q4'03, 227K Q1'04, 217K Q2'04, 243K Q3'04, and 229K Q4'04.<ref>Cited to:
*{{cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/q202data_sum.pdf|title=Apple Computer, Inc. Q2'02 Summary Data|date=April 17, 2002|publisher=[[Apple Inc.]]|access-date=February 3, 2025}}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/q402data_sum.pdf|title=Apple Computer, Inc. Q4'02 Summary Data|date=October 16, 2002|publisher=[[Apple Inc.]]|access-date=February 3, 2025}}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/q203data_sum.pdf|title=Apple Computer, Inc. Q2'03 Summary Data|date=April 16, 2003|publisher=[[Apple Inc.]]|access-date=February 3, 2025}}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/q403data_sum.pdf|title=Apple Computer, Inc. Q4'03 Summary Data|date=October 15, 2003|publisher=[[Apple Inc.]]|access-date=February 3, 2025}}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/q204data_sum.pdf|title=Apple Computer, Inc. Q2'04 Unaudited Summary Data|date=July 14, 2004|publisher=[[Apple Inc.]]|access-date=February 3, 2025}}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/q404data_sum2.pdf|title=Apple Computer, Inc. Q404 Unaudited Summary Data|date=October 13, 2004|publisher=[[Apple Inc.]]|access-date=February 3, 2025}}</ref>}} The iMac G4 helped rehabilitate Apple's public image after the failure of the G4 Cube,{{sfnp|Kahney|2013|p=191}} and proved that Apple's success with the iMac G3 was not a fluke.<ref name="macworld_2012-07-18">{{cite web|last=Edwards|first=Benj|date=July 18, 2012|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/218460/the-exceptional-imac-g4-ten-years-later.html|title=The Exceptional iMac G4: Ten Years Later|website=[[Macworld]]|access-date=June 26, 2024|archive-date=September 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929095417/https://www.macworld.com/article/218460/the-exceptional-imac-g4-ten-years-later.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Macworld_2022-01-07">{{cite web|last=Loyola|first=Roman|date=January 7, 2022|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/563365/imac-g4-design-memory-ergonomics.html|title=Why iMac G4 Is Still the Greatest Mac Ever Made 20 Years Later|website=[[Macworld]]|access-date=June 25, 2024|archive-date=March 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331165440/https://www.macworld.com/article/563365/imac-g4-design-memory-ergonomics.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Apple enthusiasts have called it one of the best computers Apple has made.<ref name="imore_2018-02-28"/><ref name="Macworld_2022-01-07"/><ref name="sixcolors_2020-10-26">{{cite web|last=Snell|first=Jason|authorlink=Jason Snell (writer)|date=October 26, 2020|url=https://sixcolors.com/post/2020/10/20-macs-for-2020-9-imac-g4/|title=20 Macs for 2020: #9 – iMac G4|website=Six Colors|access-date=June 21, 2024|archive-date=June 30, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630145018/https://sixcolors.com/post/2020/10/20-macs-for-2020-9-imac-g4/|url-status=live}}</ref> The design won a gold [[International Design Excellence Award]] in 2002, and Apple won more awards that year than any other company.<ref name="washpost_2002-06-29">{{cite news|last=Hales|first= Linda|date=June 29, 2002|title=At Awards, The I's Have It; The iMac and Three Other Apple Concepts Take Gold for Industrial Design|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|page=C2}}</ref> Ive won the Designer of the Year award from the [[Design Museum]] in 2003 for his work on the iMac and other products.<ref>{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Karyn|date=February 16, 2003|title=Design of the Times; The Design Museum's Prestigious New Award Celebrates Britain's Hottest Talent|work=[[The Mail on Sunday]]|page=42}}</ref> iMac G4 models are held in the permanent collections of museums such as the [[Museum of Modern Art]], [[HomeComputerMuseum]], [[Museums Victoria]], and [[Science Museum Group]].<ref>Cited to:
* ''MoMA'': {{cite web|url=https://www.moma.org/collection/works/88065?classifications=any&date_begin=Pre-1850&date_end=2024&q=imac&utf8=%E2%9C%93&with_images=1|title=Jonathan Ive, Apple Industrial Design Group; iMac G4 Desktop Computer c. 2001|publisher=[[Museum of Modern Art]]|access-date=June 26, 2024|archive-date=June 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240626170344/https://www.moma.org/collection/works/88065?classifications=any&date_begin=Pre-1850&date_end=2024&q=imac&utf8=%E2%9C%93&with_images=1|url-status=live}}
* ''HomeComputerMuseum'': {{cite web|url=https://www.homecomputermuseum.nl/en/collectie/apple/apple-imac/|title=Collection: Apple iMac G4|publisher=[[HomeComputerMuseum]]|access-date=June 26, 2024|archive-date=February 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208235215/https://www.homecomputermuseum.nl/en/collectie/apple/apple-imac/|url-status=live}}
* ''Museums Victoria'': {{cite web|url=https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/1484690|title=Item HT 23813; Personal Computer – Apple, iMac G4, Sunflower, 2002|publisher=[[Museums Victoria]]|access-date=June 26, 2024|archive-date=June 30, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630145020/https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/1484690|url-status=live}}
* ''Science Museum Group'': {{cite web|url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8361867/imac-g4-computer-with-keyboard-computer|title=iMac G4 computer with keyboard|publisher=[[Science Museum Group]]|access-date=June 26, 2024|archive-date=June 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240626170341/https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co8361867/imac-g4-computer-with-keyboard-computer|url-status=live}}</ref>

While Jobs had declared the iMac G4 would reshape the look of computers for the next decade, the iMac's ergonomic design language would not last three years. The balance of the machine was challenged by larger displays, and the G4 processor's successor, the G5, ran much hotter and needed more cooling. ''Macworld'' called the successor [[iMac G5]] "conservative" compared to the G3 and G4 models, as it gave up the exuberant colors and sunflower design of previous iMacs in favor of placing the computer internals behind the display{{sfnp|Norr|2004|p=22}}—the same approach Jobs had previously eschewed as inelegant. This design proved to be the template future iMac models would use.<ref name="sixcolors_2020-10-26"/><ref name="verge_2023-08-15"/> The iMac G4 has been adapted by hobbyists to use newer components, such as Apple's latest [[Apple silicon|custom chips]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Wes|date=May 4, 2024|url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/4/24148757/the-best-imac-g4-now-with-m2|title=The Best iMac, Now with M2|website=[[The Verge]]|access-date=September 3, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=White|first=Monica|date=March 10, 2022|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/apple-2002-imac-g4-rebuilt-with-m1-chip/|title=Apple's 2002 iMac G4 Comes Back from the Dead with M1 Chip|website=[[Digital Trends]]|access-date=September 3, 2024}}</ref>

== Specifications ==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" style="font-size:small; text-align:center"

! Model
! colspan=4 | Flat Panel<ref name="appletechspecs_112501">{{cite web|url=https://support.apple.com/en-us/112501|title=iMac (Flat Panel), iMac (17-Inch Flat Panel) – Technical Specifications|publisher=[[Apple, Inc]]|access-date=June 25, 2024|archive-date=June 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240625150752/https://support.apple.com/en-us/112501|url-status=live}}</ref>
! 15-inch 800&nbsp;MHz<ref name="appletechspecs_112516">{{cite web|url=https://support.apple.com/en-us/112516|title=iMac (17-Inch 1GHz) – Technical Specifications|publisher=[[Apple, Inc]]|access-date=June 25, 2024|archive-date=June 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240626182850/https://support.apple.com/en-us/112516|url-status=live}}</ref>
! 17-inch 1&nbsp;GHz<ref name="appletechspecs_112516"/>
! colspan=3 | USB 2.0<ref name="appletechspecs_112313">{{cite web|url=https://support.apple.com/en-us/112313|title=iMac (USB 2.0) – Technical Specifications|publisher=[[Apple, Inc]]|access-date=June 25, 2024|archive-date=June 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240626182852/https://support.apple.com/en-us/112313|url-status=live}}</ref>

|-
! Release date
| colspan=3 | January 7, 2002<ref name="applepressreleases">Cited to:
*{{Cite press release |title=Apple Unveils the New iMac |url=http://apple.com/newsroom/2002/01/07Apple-Unveils-the-New-iMac |date=2002-01-07 |publisher=[[Apple Inc.]] |language=en-US |access-date=March 11, 2024 |archive-date=February 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216004032/https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2002/01/07Apple-Unveils-the-New-iMac/ |url-status=live }}
*{{Cite press release |title=Apple Unveils 17-Inch Flat Screen iMac |url=http://apple.com/newsroom/2002/07/17Apple-Unveils-17-inch-Flat-Screen-iMac |date=2002-07-17 |publisher=[[Apple Inc.]] |language=en-US |access-date=March 11, 2024 |archive-date=February 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240216004058/https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2002/07/17Apple-Unveils-17-inch-Flat-Screen-iMac/ |url-status=live }}
*{{cite press release|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2002/08/13Apple-Enhances-Consumer-Desktop-Lines/|title=Apple Enhances Consumer Desktop Lines|date=August 13, 2002|publisher=[[Apple Inc.]]|access-date=August 22, 2024}}
*{{cite press release|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2003/02/04Apple-Unveils-Spring-iMacs/|title=Apple Unveils Spring iMacs|date=February 4, 2003|publisher=[[Apple Inc.]]|access-date=August 22, 2024}}
*{{cite press release|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2003/09/08Apple-Announces-Faster-iMacs/|title=Apple Announces Faster iMacs|date=September 8, 2003|publisher=[[Apple Inc.]]|access-date=August 22, 2024}}
*{{cite press release|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2003/11/18Apple-Introduces-20-inch-iMac/|title=Apple Introduces 20-inch iMac|date=November 18, 2003|publisher=[[Apple Inc.]]|access-date=August 22, 2024}}
</ref>
| August 13, 2002<ref name="applepressreleases"/>
| colspan=2 | February 4, 2003<ref name="applepressreleases"/>
| colspan=2 | September 8, 2003<ref name="applepressreleases"/>
| November 18, 2003<ref name="applepressreleases"/>

|-
! [[Display device|Display]]
| colspan=3 | 15" [[TFT LCD|Thin-film-transistor]] (TFT) LCD
| 17" TFT widescreen LCD 
| 15" TFT LCD 
| 17" TFT widescreen LCD
| 15" TFT LCD
| 17" TFT widescreen LCD 
| 20" TFT widescreen LCD

|-
! [[Central processing unit|Processor]]
| colspan=2 | 700&nbsp;MHz
| colspan=3 | 800&nbsp;MHz
| colspan=2 | 1.0&nbsp;GHz
| colspan=2 | 1.25&nbsp;GHz

|-
! [[CPU cache|Cache]]
| colspan=9 | 256&nbsp;KB level 2 cache

|-
! [[Front Side Bus]]
| colspan=5 | 100&nbsp;MHz
| 133&nbsp;MHz
| colspan=3 | 167&nbsp;MHz

|-
! [[Random access memory|Memory]]{{efn|Two slots; one populated and one open user-accessible slot}}
| 128&nbsp;MB of PC133 [[Synchronous dynamic random-access memory|SDRAM]]
| 256&nbsp;MB of PC133 SDRAM
| colspan=2 | 128 or 256&nbsp;MB of PC133 SDRAM
| 256&nbsp;MB of PC133 SDRAM
| 256&nbsp;MB of PC2100 (266&nbsp;MHz) DDR SDRAM
| colspan=3 | 256&nbsp;MB of PC2700 (333&nbsp;MHz) DDR SDRAM
|-

! [[Computer graphics|Graphics]]
| colspan=3 | [[Nvidia GeForce 2 MX]]<br/>32&nbsp;MB of DDR SDRAM
| [[Nvidia GeForce 4 MX]]<br/>32&nbsp;MB of DDR SDRAM
| [[Nvidia GeForce 2 MX]]<br/>32&nbsp;MB of DDR SDRAM
| [[Nvidia GeForce 4 MX]]<br/>64&nbsp;MB of DDR SDRAM
| [[Nvidia GeForce 4 MX]]<br/>32&nbsp;MB of DDR SDRAM
| colspan=2 | [[Nvidia GeForce FX 5200 Ultra]]<br/>64&nbsp;MB of DDR SDRAM

|-
! [[Hard drive]]
| colspan="4" | 40&nbsp;GB, 60&nbsp;GB, 80&nbsp;GB
| colspan=2 | 60&nbsp;GB, 80&nbsp;GB
| colspan=3 | 80&nbsp;GB, 160&nbsp;GB

|-
! [[Optical drive]]
| 32× CD-R and 10× CD-RW write CD-RW Drive
| 8× DVD and 32× CD read [[Combo drive]]
| colspan=2 | 6× DVD and 24× CD read; 2× DVD-R, 8× CD-R, and 4× CD-RW write [[SuperDrive]]
| 32× Combo drive
| 4× SuperDrive
| 32× Combo drive
| colspan=2 | 4× SuperDrive

|-
! Network
| colspan=4 | 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX [[Ethernet]]<br/>56k V.90 modem<br/>{{Gray|Optional 11 Mbit/s [[AirPort]] 802.11b}}
| 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Ethernet<br/>56k V.92 modem<br/>{{Gray|Optional 11 Mbit/s [[AirPort]] 802.11b}}
| colspan=4 | 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Ethernet<br/>56k V.92 modem<br/>{{Gray|Optional [[Bluetooth]] 1.1}}<br/>{{Gray|Optional 54 Mbit/s AirPort Extreme 802.11b/g}}

|-
! Peripherals
| colspan=6 | 3× [[USB]] 1.1<br/>2× [[FireWire]] 400<br/>Built-in microphone<br/>Audio out<br/>Apple Pro Speakers mini-jack
| colspan=3 | 3× USB 2.0<br/>2× [[FireWire]] 400<br/>Built-in microphone<br/>Audio out<br/>Apple Pro Speakers mini-jack

|-
! Video out
| colspan=9 | [[Mini-VGA]]

|-
! Original operating system
| colspan=4 | Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X 10.1
| colspan=2 | Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar
| colspan=3 | Mac OS X 10.3 Panther
|-
! Weight
| colspan=3 | 21.2&nbsp;lb. / 9.7&nbsp;kg
| 22.8&nbsp;lb. / 10.4&nbsp;kg
| 21.2&nbsp;lbs. / 9.7&nbsp;kg
| 22.8&nbsp;lbs. / 10.4&nbsp;kg
| 21.2&nbsp;lb. / 9.7&nbsp;kg
| 22.8&nbsp;lb. / 10.4&nbsp;kg
| 40.1&nbsp;lb. / 18.2&nbsp;kg

|}

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
{{refbegin|30em}}
* {{cite magazine|last1=Dalrymple|first1=Jim|date=November 2003|location=Mac Beat|title=Faster iMacs, Bigger iPods|magazine=[[Macworld]]|page=24|issn=0741-8647}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Dreier|first=Troy|date=April 9, 2002|title=Apple iMac: Bold New Look, Software Bundle Woo Converts|magazine=[[PCMag]]|volume=21|issue=7|page=42|issn=0888-8507}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Grumet|first=Tobey|date=June 2002|title=Girth Control|magazine=[[Popular Mechanics]]|volume=179|issue=6|location=Technology|pages=38–40|issn=0032-4558}}
* {{Cite book |last=Isaacson |first=Walter |authorlink=Walter Isaacson|title=Steve Jobs |publisher=Simon & Schuster |date=2013 |isbn=978-1-4516-4854-6}}
* {{Cite book |last=Kahney |first=Leander |authorlink=Leander Kahney|title=Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple's Greatest Products |publisher=Penguin Group |date=2013 |isbn=978-1-5918-4617-8}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Michaels|first=Philip|date=March 2002a|title=The iMac: Flat Is Where It's At|magazine=[[Macworld]]|pages=29–32|issn=0741-8647}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Michaels|first=Philip|date=June 2002b|title=The Price is Right?|magazine=[[Macworld]]|pages=24|issn=0741-8647}}
* {{cite magazine|last1=Michaels|first1=Philip|last2=Cellini|first2=Adelia|date=July 2002|location=Mac Beat|title=Does the eMac Make the Grade?|magazine=[[Macworld]]|issue=207|pages=|issn=0741-8647}}
* {{cite magazine|last1=Michaels|first1=Philip|date=April 2003|location=Mac Beat|title=The Desktop Shuffle|magazine=[[Macworld]]|page=21|issn=0741-8647}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Norr|first=Henry|date=December 2004|title=Reviews: Apple's Consumer Desktop Strikes a New Pose|magazine=[[Macworld]]|pages=22–25|issn=0741-8647}}
* {{cite magazine|last1=Quittner|first1=Josh|last2=Winters|first2=Rebecca|date=January 14, 2002|title=Apple's New Core|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|volume=159|issue=2|pages=46–53|issn=0040-781X}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Snell|first=Jason|authorlink=Jason Snell (writer)|date=May 2002a|title=iMac G4/800; Bold System Avoids the Sophomore Slump|magazine=[[Macworld]]|pages=52–53|issn=0741-8647}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Snell|first=Jason|authorlink=Jason Snell (writer)|date=September 2002b|title=iMac Hits the Big Screen|magazine=[[Macworld]]|pages=22–23|issn=0741-8647}}
* {{cite magazine|last1=Snell|first1=Jason|authorlink=Jason Snell (writer)|date=May 2003|location=Reviews|title=1GHz iMac G4, 17-inch|magazine=[[Macworld]]|page=37|issn=0741-8647}}
* {{cite magazine|last=Tang|first=Jimmy|title=When G4 Meets iMac|date=2002|magazine=[[HardwareZone|HWM]]|volume=2|issue=2|page=88|issn=0219-5607}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|IMac G4|lcfirst=yes}}
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050305043636/http://www.apple.com/support/imac/g4/ |title=iMac G4 support page}}

{{Apple hardware since 1998}}
{{Apple hardware}}
{{Portal bar|Electronics|Computer programming|Internet}}

[[Category:IMac family|G4]]
[[Category:Macintosh all-in-ones]]
[[Category:PowerPC Macintosh computers]]
[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 2002]]
[[Category:Discontinued Apple Inc. products]]
[[Category:Collection of the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)]]
[[Category:Collection of the Science Museum, London]]