4 By Kickstarting USB

The USB standard is ubiquitous now, but when the iMac G3 launched, it was pretty far from widespread. That’s what made the iMac G3’s sole reliance on USB ports so groundbreaking — and risky. By nixing other established ports, Apple made a statement.

But the iMac G3 undoubtedly helped to kickstart the wider adoption of USB. As we’ve seen from newer MacBook computers, Apple isn’t afraid to take a bold stand and kill off some ports in favor of simplicity and standardization. That’s a fact that’s evident in the next slide.