Technology

Apple’s Pippin console launched 30 years ago today — shunned by the public as too expensive and too slow, only 42,000 units were sold

Source

Tom's Hardware

Published

Apr 21, 2026

TL;DR

AI Generated

Apple's Pippin console, launched 30 years ago, failed to gain traction due to being expensive and slow, with only 42,000 units sold. Initially seen as an open standard for home entertainment, the collaboration between Apple and Bandai resulted in a device that couldn't compete with the gaming consoles of the time like the PlayStation and Nintendo 64. The Pippin, based on PowerPC architecture, lacked custom chips for graphics and audio processing, and its OS and software library were subpar. Priced at $599, it was significantly more expensive than its competitors, leading to its discontinuation in 1997.

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