That iMac G4 - like the Cube and trash can Macs - was probably “doomed” from the start…designed for initial impact and a generation or two of upgrades/support, but just couldn’t progress too far along due to weight, sizing, thermal, etc. issues.
They all looked great and made a nice front-end splash, but, big picture/long run, they really didn’t make a true dent in any real day-to-day way. Probably too funky and “different” to make it as long term computers. Maybe things are different now with the AS, and more adventurous designs are possible…more power (and room to grow) in smaller, interesting enclosures.
Sometimes it seems like Apple just hates towers, even though they sold zillions of them over the years (G3, G4, G5, Mac Pro). It’s only when they’ve tried to get cute with it - Cube, trash can - did things go a little off. If this little Studio is that powerful, I’m curious to see what the next Mac Pro is like. It’ll either be dramatically smaller (because it can), OR they’ll go absolutely nuts and make it even bigger/roomier and start at $11K.
I can imagine either one, honestly. To me, that Mac Pro desktop just kinda exists in its own category where money/budgets don’t matter and people don’t want one ounce of compromise/hold back. I think the MacBook Pro’s desktop counterpart is actually the Mac Studio, and the pro tower just exists off in its own little specialized niche, apart from the mini, iMac, studio and the notebooks.
I kinda see the new Mac Studio as the 2022 take on the G4 Cube. Same basic approach, but smaller and more powerful (and I assume it has some headroom to where it’s not discontinued in 18-24 months because it “had nowhere to go”. Surely they’ve learned those lessons after a few high-profile “oops”.