iBook G4 from 2003 can still download Apple updates and use modern Wi-Fi

A nearly forgotten page of Apple's history has unexpectedly returned to the spotlight. A Reddit user demonstrated that a 2003 iBook G4 can still connect to Apple's servers and download old system updates—23 years after the device's release. Moreover, the laptop connected to a modern Wi-Fi network without any modifications.

This model dates back to the era of Steve Jobs' return to Apple. The iBook line was positioned as a more affordable alternative to professional PowerBooks, yet it became a symbol of the company's shift toward a wireless future for the masses. The iBook was among the first to feature a built-in Wi-Fi module, which Apple marketed under the AirPort brand.

Although official support for the iBook G4 ended in 2011, old patches and system files are still stored on Apple's servers. These aren't new updates but archival packages, yet their availability after so many years has surprised many users. For context, such infrastructure longevity is extremely rare.

Equally impressive is the device's ability to work with modern wireless networks without extra configuration. For a laptop from the early 2000s, this feels almost symbolic: the demonstration of Wi-Fi with a hula hoop on stage during Jobs' time once seemed like a technological spectacle, but now it's part of everyday life.