How ‘For All Mankind’ Works With Apple to Revive and Upgrade the Forgotten Newton as Its Alt-History iPhone

For All Mankind's prop master Jaime Mengual collaborated with co-creators Ben Nedivi and Matt Wolpert, and producer Ben McGinnis, to reimagine the Apple Newton as an alternate-history iPhone for the show's fourth season. This creative endeavor involved upgrading the forgotten 1990s personal digital assistant to function as a modern smartphone within the show's narrative. The prop's design and functionality were meticulously crafted to align with the series' established alternate timeline, where space exploration advanced more rapidly. Mengual detailed the process of integrating the Newton's iconic design with contemporary smartphone capabilities, ensuring it felt both retro and functional within the context of the show's 1980s setting. This approach highlights the show's commitment to detailed world-building and the integration of plausible technological advancements within its fictional history. The use of the Newton, a device historically overshadowed by later Apple products, serves as a unique narrative device to explore technological evolution in an alternate reality.