The design details of every Apple product are pored over even before they're released, and it's fair to say every edge (chamfered or otherwise) is familiar to fans. But here's one Apple product that's a little more elusive than the rest.
A video has emerged detailing an aluminium statuette that Apple gifts employees when they reach 10 years of service. And while the internals aren't much to write home about (there's no M2 chip in this thing), it's as beautifully designed as any Apple product. Speaking of which, check out today's best Apple deals.
The video (above) from DongleBookPro reveals an object that looks rather like the M2 Mac Mini, albeit with a much larger Apple logo. It's made from the same aluminium as the company's various products, and includes a signed note from Tim Apple Cook.
Also included is a note explaining how the award was made. It reads, "Your 10-year award is made from the same 6000 series aluminum that we use to make our products. Remnants from the production process are collected and reformulated to create a 100 percent recycled, custom alloy. The alloy is cast into long ingots, then each ingot is sliced into blocks that are machined to the finished size. The surface is fine blasted and the edges are diamond-cut. The block is then anodised to seal the finish and create a protective layer. Finally, a stainless steel Apple logo is set into the centre."
Just got sent this picture of Apple's 10-year Award in the old crystal design next to the the 20-year Award in space gray. cc @DongleBookPro https://t.co/3TPfYEX5tD pic.twitter.com/qoMwVLSzN6February 15, 2023
And it turns out this is a recent redesign – the 10 year award previously came in an equally fetching transparent crystal finish (above), which is much less likely to be mistaken for one of the company's existing desktop computers.
Indeed, like the iPhone with mis-printed logo and, of course, the Apple I, this has to be one of the most collectible Apple 'products' out there. If you're looking for something a little less rare (but no less beautifully designed), take a look at today's best iPhone 14 deals below.
Read more:
- The rumoured iPhone subscription plan sounds great (for Apple)
- The 100 greatest Apple creations
- Apple iPhone 15: from design to features, everything we know
