Iomega
Corporate brand
UnclaimedAmerican data-storage company best known for its Zip and Jaz removable-media systems.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Iomega was an American data-storage company established in Roy, Utah, in 1980. It became one of the most recognizable names in removable computer storage during the 1990s, developing products intended to supplement or replace the standard 3.5-inch floppy disk. Its best-known product was the Zip drive, introduced with 100 MB removable disks at a time when conventional floppy disks held 1.44 MB. Zip drives were sold as internal and external peripherals for IBM-compatible personal computers and Macintosh systems, using interfaces that included SCSI, parallel ports, USB, and FireWire. The company also developed the Bernoulli Box family, Ditto tape drives, Jaz high-capacity removable drives, Clik! miniature media, optical and CD-RW products, external hard drives, network-attached storage, multimedia devices, and storage software. Iomega's rise was closely associated with the growth of home computing, desktop publishing, digital photography, and multimedia files. The Zip format offered substantially more capacity and easier handling than floppy disks, making it useful for transporting files, backups, and software. The company shipped more than 410 million storage drives and disks during its history, according to reference material, and the Zip brand became a widely recognized consumer-technology name. Iomega also attempted to extend its business into newer categories, including the HipZip digital audio player, the FotoShow Digital Image Center, optical drives, portable hard disks, online storage, and network-attached storage systems. The company's dependence on proprietary removable media became a strategic weakness as CD-RW, inexpensive hard drives, flash storage, broadband networking, and other alternatives gained ground. Some Zip drives developed a recurring mechanical failure that became popularly known as the “click of death.” The resulting reputational damage, together with competition from recordable optical media and other storage technologies, contributed to a sharp decline in Zip sales. Later products did not restore the company's former consumer-market position, and its sales and profitability deteriorated. Iomega tried to reposition itself toward external storage and small-office and home-office infrastructure. Products such as the StorCenter network-attached storage line, ScreenPlay multimedia devices, eGo hard drives, REV removable backup systems, and v.Clone virtualization software extended the brand beyond removable floppy-like media. In 2001, the company moved its headquarters from Utah to San Diego and reduced its workforce. In April 2008, EMC Corporation announced an acquisition valued at US$213 million, completed later that year. EMC retained the Iomega name for products aimed at home users and small and medium-sized businesses. In 2013, Iomega's business was transferred into LenovoEMC, a joint venture between Lenovo and EMC. LenovoEMC rebranded Iomega products and focused on storage systems for smaller organizations, including NAS hardware and related software. The Iomega corporate identity consequently faded as products moved under LenovoEMC branding. LenovoEMC itself was later affected by EMC's acquisition by Dell, and the LenovoEMC product line was ultimately discontinued in 2018. Iomega is therefore best understood as a defunct storage-company brand whose principal historical legacy is the popularization of high-capacity removable storage through Zip and related products.
History
Iomega began operations in Roy, Utah, in 1980, founded by Jerome Paul Johnson, David Bailey, and David Norton. Its early strategy centered on removable storage with greater capacity and convenience than the conventional floppy disk. The Bernoulli Box, introduced in the early 1980s, used a flexible disk medium and was offered in progressively larger capacities, including 10 MB, 20 MB, 44 MB, 90 MB, 150 MB, and 230 MB systems. Iomega also explored optical-storage technology through Bernoulli Optical Systems Corporation, a subsidiary that worked on flexible optical media and related drive concepts. The company's defining commercial breakthrough came in 1995 with the Zip 100 MB drive. Zip disks were dramatically larger than standard 1.44 MB floppy disks while retaining the practical advantages of removable media. Drives were offered for personal computers and Macintosh systems through several connection standards, including SCSI, parallel, USB, and FireWire. Iomega expanded the family with the Jaz removable hard-disk system, whose first-generation media held 1 GB and whose later version reached 2 GB. Other late-1990s initiatives included Ditto tape drives, the Buz multimedia product, Clik! miniature 40 MB media, larger Zip capacities, and internal CD-RW drives. Zip became a major consumer technology brand, but its success depended on proprietary disks and dedicated drives. Mechanical failures affecting some units became known as the “click of death,” a phrase that damaged confidence in the product. At the same time, CD-RW drives, recordable optical media, hard disks, and eventually flash storage offered competing combinations of capacity, price, and convenience. Zip sales declined despite the introduction of 250 MB and 750 MB versions. Without strong demand for its proprietary media, Iomega's financial performance weakened. During the 2000s, Iomega diversified into digital entertainment, portable storage, optical drives, online storage, and network infrastructure. It launched products such as the HipZip digital audio player, FotoShow Digital Image Center, DataSafe network storage, external hard drives, USB flash products, REV removable backup systems, ScreenPlay multimedia devices, and StorCenter NAS systems. The company also developed v.Clone, an Iomega-branded virtualization product based on VMware technology. In 2001, it reduced its workforce and moved its headquarters from Utah to San Diego. EMC agreed to acquire Iomega in April 2008 for approximately US$213 million, completing the transaction later that year. Iomega became EMC's consumer and small-business storage arm, with products including StorCenter NAS devices, ScreenPlay media products, and eGo hard drives. A significant security controversy emerged in 2012 when investigators found that thousands of Iomega NAS devices were exposing customer files on the Internet because password protection was disabled by default. Iomega acknowledged the problem and stated that future models would use stronger default security settings. In 2013, the business became part of LenovoEMC, a Lenovo-EMC joint venture. The Iomega products were rebranded, while the new business concentrated on storage for small and medium-sized companies. LenovoEMC introduced and supported NAS products such as the PX4-400d and announced the Lenovo Beacon home-cloud device. Following broader corporate changes involving EMC and Dell, the LenovoEMC line was eventually discontinued in 2018. Iomega's historical importance lies primarily in making removable high-capacity storage familiar to a mass personal-computer audience.
- 2018
LenovoEMC line discontinued
[1]The successor product line is discontinued, marking the end of Iomega's active commercial lineage.
- 2013
Transition to LenovoEMC
[1]The Iomega business is renamed LenovoEMC through a joint venture between Lenovo and EMC.
- 2008
EMC acquisition
[1]EMC announces and completes its acquisition of Iomega, retaining the brand for consumer and small-business storage.
- 2004
REV removable backup system
[1]Iomega ships the REV 35 GB drive and later develops automated REV backup systems.
- 2002
Zip 750 launched
[1]Iomega introduces a 750 MB version of the Zip system.
- 2001
Headquarters move to San Diego
[1]The company moves its headquarters from Utah to California while reducing its workforce.
- 1998
Zip 250 and Jaz 2 GB generations
[1]Iomega expands its principal removable-media lines with a 250 MB Zip disk and a 2 GB Jaz system.
- 1995
Zip 100 MB drive introduced
[1]The first Zip drive is released, giving personal-computer users a removable 100 MB medium.
- 1995
Jaz drive introduced
[1]Iomega ships the first 1 GB Jaz removable drive.
- 1982
First Bernoulli Box drive
[1]Iomega releases its first Bernoulli Box drive, offering 10 MB of removable storage.
Products and positioning
Portable, removable, external, and networked storage for consumers, professionals, and small and medium-sized businesses.
Removable storage · 1982
Bernoulli Box
Iomega's early removable-storage platform used a flexible disk medium based on Bernoulli technology. It was offered in several generations and capacities, serving professional and business users before the Zip system became the company's consumer breakthrough.
Removable magnetic storage · 1995
Zip drive
The Zip drive was Iomega's signature product. Its original 100 MB disk held many times more data than a standard floppy disk, while remaining removable and relatively easy to transport. Later versions increased capacity to 250 MB and 750 MB and were sold for internal and external computer installations.
Removable hard-disk storage · 1995
Jaz drive
Jaz was a higher-capacity removable storage system aimed at users handling larger professional files. The first generation provided 1 GB of capacity and a later generation provided 2 GB, but the format faced competition from writable optical media and increasingly affordable hard disks.
Digital audio player · 2000
HipZip
HipZip was Iomega's attempt to enter portable digital audio. It used small removable media and sought to combine the company's removable-storage expertise with emerging MP3-player demand, but it did not become a major commercial success.
Removable backup storage · 2004
REV
REV was a removable storage and backup platform introduced for higher-capacity business and professional backup applications. Iomega also offered automated REV systems, including an autoloader, to support managed backup workflows.
Network-attached storage · 2008
StorCenter
StorCenter was Iomega's network-attached storage family for home users, offices, and small and medium-sized businesses. Models included the ix2, ix4, and larger systems, providing shared files, backup, and network storage functions through dedicated appliances.
Multimedia storage and playback · 2005
ScreenPlay
ScreenPlay products combined local storage with playback and streaming functions for digital video, music, and photographs. The line included multimedia drives and the ScreenPlay TV Link adapter, extending Iomega into connected home entertainment.
External hard drive · 2008
eGo
The eGo family consisted of portable and desktop external hard drives. It represented Iomega's effort to compete in mainstream external storage as removable proprietary media lost ground to inexpensive hard-disk products.
Virtualization software · 2010
v.Clone
v.Clone was an Iomega-branded virtualization solution based on VMware technology. It was intended to let users carry and run a virtualized version of their personal computing environment from compatible storage.
Controversies
2012
Insecure default settings on NAS devices
Investigators reported that at least 16,000 Iomega NAS devices were making stored files accessible from the public Internet because password protection was disabled by default. Confidential material associated with several organizations was reportedly exposed. Iomega acknowledged the issue and said newer models would enable password security by default and provide clearer warnings.
1990
Zip drive reliability controversy
Some Zip drives developed a repeated clicking failure that became widely known as the “click of death.” The issue became associated with damaged drives and disks and contributed to negative consumer perceptions as competing storage formats gained popularity.
Brand decisions
2013
Creation of LenovoEMCM&ABackground
EMC and Lenovo sought to combine Lenovo's computer and channel presence with EMC's storage expertise.
Action taken
Iomega's business was renamed LenovoEMC and its products were moved toward LenovoEMC branding.
Aftermath
The Iomega name gradually disappeared from new storage products as LenovoEMC targeted small and medium-sized businesses.
2013
Shift toward small-business NASStrategyBackground
The company's historic removable-media business had been displaced by hard drives, optical media, and flash storage.
Action taken
The successor organization emphasized network-attached storage, cloud-oriented home storage, and small-business infrastructure, including products such as the PX4-400d and Lenovo Beacon.
Aftermath
The strategy extended the business beyond removable disks but did not preserve Iomega as a continuing consumer brand.
2008
Sale to EMCM&ABackground
Declining proprietary-media demand left Iomega seeking a stronger position in external, networked, and small-business storage.
Action taken
EMC agreed to acquire Iomega for approximately US$213 million and completed the transaction in 2008.
Aftermath
Iomega became EMC's consumer and small-business storage arm, while the brand continued on products such as StorCenter and ScreenPlay.
Acquisition value. US$213 million announced transaction value (2008)
1995
Launch of the Zip storage systemProduct launchBackground
Standard floppy disks provided very limited capacity for increasingly large software and multimedia files.
Action taken
Iomega introduced a removable 100 MB disk and compatible drives for personal computers.
Aftermath
Zip became the company's most recognizable product and a major removable-storage format during the 1990s.
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