Apple is rumored to be using a stackable, modular design for its next Mac Pro, allowing components to be easily swapped in and out. It’s an innovative concept — but it’s not new.
In fact, Apple worked on a very similar concept way back in 1984. The so-called Jonathan Computer was ultimately deemed too “advanced and risky” by Apple bosses. Still, what was scarily ahead of its time in the mid-1980s might be perfectly in tune with the times, circa 2019!
Since rumors abound about a modular and stackable Mac Pro, here’s a piece about Apple’s first attempt, way back in the 80s, the “Jonathan Computer”: https://t.co/ie5mVfir9p pic.twitter.com/zAg7NHTg8l
— storiediapple (@storiediapple) February 25, 2019
The concept of the Jonathan was reportedly inspired by the “open” architecture of the Apple II. The notion was that it would be capable of running Apple II, Mac, UNIX and DOS software. Other snap-on modules would also offer disk drives and networking capabilities.
It would allow customers to have a computer that could adapt depending on their expertise. This would have avoided lots of the hardware confusion that marked the later Mac product line.
A swing and a miss?
The Jonathan concept was designed by Helmut Esslinger and the frogdesign team. These were the designers best known for Apple’s later “Snow White” design language. A mockup of the finished Jonathan product was shown to Apple executives in June 1985, after eight months of development.
An article by Stories of Apple notes that:
“The Executives’ first reaction was of astonishment. The design’s militaristic look with smooth surfaces, sharp corners, vertical ribs around the base and the use of a dramatic black color with white product graphics was unlike anything done before at Apple. The Jonathan concept was deemed too advanced and risky. Jean-Louis Gassée, who at time was Apple’s VP of Product Development, observed that they would have to sell two or three Jonathans to equal the profit of a single Macintosh II.”
Ultimately, the Jonathan didn’t happen. Nonetheless, it’s amazing to think of how far ahead of their time these Apple engineers and designers were. Maybe, 35 years down the line, Mac fans will soon get to try it out for themselves!
