Oddly-shaped 2012 iMac Box

[iMikeT]

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

 

[george-brooks]

oh my god what the hell is that box?!

 

[iMikeT]

oh my god what the hell is that box?!

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?

 

[bennybuyer]

I wouldn't be surprised if Apple stacked two, with one of them upside down, to make a square shape.

 

[12dylan34]

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?

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

 

[bennybuyer]

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

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

 

[bennybuyer]

Another view:

 

[Dirtyharry50]

Oh, man! You guys are just too funny sometimes! lol

Clearly this is way cooler than a plain box of yesteryear.

 

[Ljohnson72]

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.

 

[george-brooks]

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

Back doesn't look flat to me in the picture....not at all...

 

[bennybuyer]

Back doesn't look flat to me in the picture....not at all...

Huh? That image is nearly perfectly isometric.

 

[Wild-Bill]

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.

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.

 

[bennybuyer]

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.

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?

 

[Wild-Bill]

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?

Oh, look! Another taker for the UD model !!!!

 

[Overg]

Who care about the box shape? Really?
But I think it's really cool box.

 

[12dylan34]

Another view:

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.

 

[Bendrix]

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.

 

[Godzilla71]

its the new magical wedge design. see how they integrate seamlessly when stacked together. that is just marvelous design. It just works flawlessly.
/end box/packaging keynote

 

[iMarvin]

Oh, look! Another taker for the UD model !!!!

Why would it matter? Can you explain please?

 

[croooow]

500!!!

Some people have too much time on their hands

 

[snow blind]

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.

I'm sitting here and was about to draw the same thing in SolidWorks! haha

 

[johto]

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

I just loooove ambient occlusion !

 

[karpich1]

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.

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.

 

[kuhtang]

The renderings in this post made me laugh pretty hard, thanks all.

 

[iHailCarlo]

I really hope that no one is really complaining about the shape of a packing box?