Apple Places Cube on Ice

Fans of Apple's radically different Power Mac G4 Cube are in for some disappointment. Rumors predicting Apple's plan to discontinue the production of the Cube have proven to be true. Today the Cupertino, California based company announced that production would be suspended indefinitely. Leaving a glimmer of hope for Cube users, Apple did keep open the prospect of a similar design resurfacing with upgraded hardware. However, no plans exist for new models at this time.

Introduced at last July's Mac World Expo, the G4 Cube never experienced the consumer response Apple had hoped to ignite with its release. Dismal sales that remained well under projections, as well a reputation for quality assurance problems plagued the Cube during its lifespan. For many, the most notable aspects of the G4 Cube will remain the infamous micro-cracks that formed in its clear plastic casing, and the misaligned switches that caused it to turn off unexpectedly.

The Power Mac G4 Cube delivered a powerful desktop computer that measured a fraction of the size of traditional offerings. However, it did pack a premium price that was cut shortly after its introduction. Despite its unorthodox design, it was out sold by other G4 based products. Apple's Philip Schiller, vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing summed up the failure of the Cube in a brief statement. "Cube owners love their Cubes, but most customers decided to buy our powerful Power Mac G4 minitowers instead."

When contacted by BetaNews, Apple spokesperson Nathalie Welch declined to offer any additional information beyond what was included in the press release.