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Apple at 50: A nostalgic tour through five decades of Apple’s gadgets

Apple at 50: A nostalgic tour through five decades of Apple’s gadgets
source: gettyimages
April 1, 2026

I’m fond of my 2024 MacBook Air M3, and I’m grateful for how smoothly it handles my daily work. Yet I don’t feel the same affection as I did for my iPod Nano—the purple, pocket-sized companion that rode shotgun through college and beyond. It’s tucked away in a drawer now, a memento of an era when those tiny music choices felt like a personal soundtrack.

To honor Apple’s 50th birthday, TechRadar is running a week of features that span personal memories, top and flop gadget lists, and community-voted favorites. You can follow along in the 50 years of Apple collection, which gathers the best and the most surprising Apple moments from the company’s storied timeline.

If Apple’s current lineup isn’t bursting with color, there are plenty of retro options to explore, especially those inspired by the iconic iMac G3. The newer MacBook Neo’s Citrus hue isn’t a match for those bold, tropical tones in the eyes of many fans. Meanwhile, Spigen has a compact G3-inspired accessory that doubles as an Apple Watch charger, with the watch face taking on the role of a computer screen.

Dive deeper to see more of these nostalgic picks, with curated options available to readers in the US and the UK. The retro lineup even includes dedicated pages titled Retro Apple accessories and gadgets for both regions, inviting you to relive the past with a modern twist.

Ruth, TechRadar’s Collections Editor, leads the charge on the new Collections format—a themed, curated way to discover and shop for the best new gadgets and gizmos. It’s designed to present readers with a fresh, themed shopping experience built around nostalgia, design, and utility.

If you’re curious to explore more, head to the 50 years of Apple hub for ongoing stories, retrospectives, and community votes on the gadgets that defined each era.

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