Apple Computer's ultramodern Cube computer has become an antique after the icon of stylish computers abandoned the PC that consistently failed to meet sales hopes.
Apple said it had suspended production, and although there was a small chance it would reintroduce an upgraded model, it had no plans to do so.
It had upgraded the Cube at least once already, but the tiny translucent plastic box dropped off the charts rather than becoming a crossover hit between consumers and creative professionals.
The Cube got many rave reviews when it debuted last year, but some buyers called it square when the housing developed a fine web of cracks that Apple said were mold marks that were beautiful like wood grain.
High-end users who liked the top of the line Power Mac G4 microchip were disappointed that the form's function did not include an internal disk drive at the start.
Apple cut the price more than once, replaced machines with the mold marks for those who were "upset with less than perfection," as chief executive Mr Steve Jobs once said, and added a CD read/write drive, to no avail.
The Cube accounted for only 12,000 of Apple's 751,000 units sold in its second quarter, which ended in March.
"Cube owners love their Cubes, but most customers decided to buy our powerful Power Mac G4 minitowers instead," said Mr Philip Schiller, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, in a statement.
Apple also revealed a sense of humour about the matter, announcing the production halt under the headline, "Apple puts power mac G4 Cube on ice".
Apple shares ticked down after hours to $23.69 on Instinet from a close of $23.84 on Nasdaq before the announcement.