nickpunt
Well-known member
New evidence as come to light! A photo from Apple's Infinite Loop campus store from this reddit thread shows a Performa 460, 475, and 550 side-by-side, with the P475 is in the old-style case, and the P460 is in the transitional espresso case. This shows that Apple was selling old-style 475s at something akin to retail. I think this changes hypotheses a bit:
If the 460 and 475 were manufactured at the same time, and Apple had old LC-style cases to clear out, it would make much more sense that the P460 would get the older Snow White case style (used on SE, 020, and 030 Macs) rather than the new Espresso style (used on other 040's). To me this logic rules out the clearing out Inventory hypothesis, since the 460 would be the natural recipient of such an action.
However, if a run of the 475 was manufactured first, and the 460 only a few months later (perhaps as a hasty update to the 450), it would explain the difference in the cases. To me this logic lends credence to the hypothesis that the P475 was initially slated to be launched earlier but was Delayed.
Of course, Apple famously didn't have their shit together at this time, so Incompetence always remains the alternative hypothesis.
As far as when this photo was taken, these models are all part of the same lineup and came out at the same time (10/18/93) so it makes sense they're side-by-side. Given the P460 was discontinued mere months later (2/1/94, source), we have a 3 month window of when the photo was likely taken (other photos in the series seem to be from other times, given what models are out). Based on the artifacting of the image and the reddit poster's earlier thread of the source these images being a QuicktimeVR video, my strong hunch is it's taken on a QuickTake 100 (intro'd 2/17/94, but probably internally tested earlier), and the image is stretched at the edges for QuicktimeVR. That might put the provenance sometime on the later side of the 3 month window, maybe Jan 94.
- Rules out Replacements and Pre-production hypotheses
- Partners hypothesis is still likely, as its selling on Apple campus at IL
If the 460 and 475 were manufactured at the same time, and Apple had old LC-style cases to clear out, it would make much more sense that the P460 would get the older Snow White case style (used on SE, 020, and 030 Macs) rather than the new Espresso style (used on other 040's). To me this logic rules out the clearing out Inventory hypothesis, since the 460 would be the natural recipient of such an action.
However, if a run of the 475 was manufactured first, and the 460 only a few months later (perhaps as a hasty update to the 450), it would explain the difference in the cases. To me this logic lends credence to the hypothesis that the P475 was initially slated to be launched earlier but was Delayed.
Of course, Apple famously didn't have their shit together at this time, so Incompetence always remains the alternative hypothesis.
As far as when this photo was taken, these models are all part of the same lineup and came out at the same time (10/18/93) so it makes sense they're side-by-side. Given the P460 was discontinued mere months later (2/1/94, source), we have a 3 month window of when the photo was likely taken (other photos in the series seem to be from other times, given what models are out). Based on the artifacting of the image and the reddit poster's earlier thread of the source these images being a QuicktimeVR video, my strong hunch is it's taken on a QuickTake 100 (intro'd 2/17/94, but probably internally tested earlier), and the image is stretched at the edges for QuicktimeVR. That might put the provenance sometime on the later side of the 3 month window, maybe Jan 94.
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