Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Oddly-shaped 2012 iMac Box

I

iMikeT

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 8, 2006
2,304
1
California
For as long as I can remember, Apple has had their signature industrial design from product to shipping container. Despite all of that, what were they thinking with the trapezoid-shaped packaging of the new 2012 iMac?

Don't believe me, look at Apple's iMac page: store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/imac
 

Attachments

  • 2012-imac-overview-box.png
    2012-imac-overview-box.png
    15.5 KB · Views: 4,882
george-brooks said:
oh my god what the hell is that box?!
Click to expand...


I guess like the iMac itself, Apple is probably trying to trick the buyer into thinking the packaging is also thinner?

More importantly however, the real question is, how well will these boxes stack on top of each other on pallets?
 
I wouldn't be surprised if Apple stacked two, with one of them upside down, to make a square shape.
 
iMikeT said:
I guess like the iMac itself, Apple is probably trying to trick the buyer into thinking the packaging is also thinner?

More importantly however, the real question is, how well will these boxes stack on top of each other on pallets?
Click to expand...

You'd have to have a shim to put on the bottom though, to start it out level.
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2012-10-24 at 12.13.27 AM.png
    Screen Shot 2012-10-24 at 12.13.27 AM.png
    14.4 KB · Views: 418
12dylan34 said:
You'd have to have a shim to put on the bottom though, to start it out level.
Click to expand...

That's only if both faces are angled. The picture on Apple's site makes the back look flat. Therefore:
 

Attachments

  • Screen shot 2012-10-24 at 5.17.23 PM.png
    Screen shot 2012-10-24 at 5.17.23 PM.png
    12.7 KB · Views: 168
Oh, man! You guys are just too funny sometimes! lol

Clearly this is way cooler than a plain box of yesteryear. :D
 
What's so confusing about this? They can stack these boxes together to make shipping them cheaper and more environmentally friendly (less planes needed). Additionally, the boxes themselves also use less material.
 
Ljohnson72 said:
What's so confusing about this? They can stack these boxes together to make shipping them cheaper and more environmentally friendly (less planes needed). Additionally, the boxes themselves also use less material.
Click to expand...


Ok, you can have the iMac that was stocked & shipped in the upside-down position all the way from China. I'll take the right-side up one.
 
Wild-Bill said:
Ok, you can have the iMac that was stocked & shipped in the upside-down position all the way from China. I'll take the right-side up one.
Click to expand...

Because we all know that computers shipped upside down don't function as well as their upright counterparts.

Maybe we should 'shake well' when it arrives, just to be safe?
 
bennybuyer said:
Another view:
Click to expand...

I think you're right about the flat back thing. I didn't notice that. But that actually solves my initial problem because you can just put them in groups of twos, flat sides facing one another and have them fit together.

I counter with a 3D render, now with 100% more ambient occlusion.
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2012-10-24 at 8.37.40 AM.png
    Screen Shot 2012-10-24 at 8.37.40 AM.png
    178.7 KB · Views: 166
The box reminds me of something from the 80s or 90s for some reason, like a box you would get at Christmas with some kind of toy in it. I'm not just saying that to be snarky. The packaging for this feels very consumerist? More so than sophisticated or sleek.
 
its the new magical wedge design. ;) see how they integrate seamlessly when stacked together. :eek: that is just marvelous design. It just works flawlessly. ;) :p
/end box/packaging keynote
 
12dylan34 said:
I think you're right about the flat back thing. I didn't notice that. But that actually solves my initial problem because you can just put them in groups of twos, flat sides facing one another and have them fit together.

I counter with a 3D render, now with 100% more ambient occlusion.
Click to expand...
:D I'm sitting here and was about to draw the same thing in SolidWorks! haha
 
Bendrix said:
The box reminds me of something from the 80s or 90s for some reason, like a box you would get at Christmas with some kind of toy in it. I'm not just saying that to be snarky. The packaging for this feels very consumerist? More so than sophisticated or sleek.
Click to expand...

Apple is big on making their boxes small and slim. Partially because, "Hey, we're Apple so we're cool." But ALSO because, the smaller the box the more they can ship at once.

By shaving off a bit diagonally (due to the shape of the imac) and by stacking them accordingly (diagonal-side of box-A against diagonal-side of box-B) they can probably fit another X containers per pallet.

So, they can ship more for cheaper.

So they reduced the weight of each iMac by some lbs and shrunk the box a little.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back