Apple Timeline, 1976-Present

Year
Apple
Other
1976
  • Steve Wozniak works for Hewlett-Packard
  • Steve Jobs works for Atari.
  • 04.01: Apple Computer incorporates.
  • Apple I introduced for $666.66.
  • Shugart introduces 5.25" floppy.
  • BYTE magazine begins.
  • Micro-soft is one year old.
1977
  • Apple moves out of Steve Jobs' garage.
  • Apple II introduced with 4 KB RAM in April for $1,298.
  • Apple logo designed.
  • TRS-80 introduced by Tandy.
  • Commodore PET introduced.
  • CP/M marketed by Digital Research.
1978
  • Apple moves into new corporate headquarters.
  • Apple introduces 5.25" floppy drive.
  • Apple licenses BASIC from Microsoft.
  • Microsoft SoftCard lets Apple II use CP/M.
  • Intel releases 16-bit 8086 CPU.
1979
  • Apple II Plus introduced with 48 KB RAM for $1,195.
  • Apple targets education market
1980
  • May: Apple III introduced at $3,495.
  • Apple goes public with 4.6 million shares, largest offering since Ford Motor in 1956.
  • Apple has over 1,000 employees.
  • One million personal computers in US
  • Novell announces networking software.
1981
  • First Apple layoff affects 40 employees.
  • Apple introduces ProFile, 5 MB hard drive for Apple III.
  • Over 300,000 Apple II users.
  • Apple has over 2,500 employees.
  • IBM PC introduced on August 12 with 4.77 MHz 8088 CPU and 16 KB RAM. (Floppy drive and video card optional.)
  • MS-DOS introduced.
  • Osborne introduces first portable computer.
1982
  • Apple stops flow of illegal clones.
  • AppleCare introduced.
  • Intel introduces 80286 CPU.
  • Time magazine calls 1982 "The Year of the Computer."
1983
  • 01.19: Lisa introduced with 5 MHz 68000 CPU, 860k 5.25" floppy, 12" b&w screen, detached keyboard, and mouse for $9,995.
  • Jan.: Apple IIe introduced.
  • April: John Sculley becomes Apple's president and CEO.
  • Apple enters Fortune 500 at #411.
  • One-millionth Apple II produced.
  • Dec.: Apple III+ introduced at $2,995.
  • Ten million personal computers in US
  • Lotus 1-2-3 introduced, quickly displaces VisiCalc as spreadsheet of choice.
  • Microsoft Word introduced.
1984
  • 01.22: Legendary 1984 ad appears during Super Bowl.
  • 01.24: Macintosh 128K introduced at $2,495 with 128 KB RAM, 400 KB floppy, built in monitor. (See cover of February 1984 Byte.)
  • 01.24: Macintosh System 1.0
  • Jan.: Lisa 2 introduced with 400k 3.5" floppy and 10 MB optional hard drive.
  • April: Apple IIc introduced at $1,295.
  • May: Macintosh System 1.1 introduces fonts and Font Mover.
  • Apple introduces 300 bps and 1200 bps modems.
  • 09.10: Mac 512K 'Fat Mac' introduced at $3,195.
  • 2,000,000 Apple IIs in existence.
  • More in Macintosh History: 1984
  • 3.5" floppy drives introduced.
  • IBM PC/AT uses 6 MHz 80286 CPU, 256 KB RAM, HD 1.2 MB floppy, 16-bit bus. $4,000. Compare with features and price of Mac 128K and 512K to the left.
The Macintosh
1985
  • Jan.: Lisa 2 w/10 MB hard drive renamed Macintosh XL. All other Lisa models discontinued.
  • Feb.: Steve Wozniak leaves Apple.
  • March: LaserWriter introduced at $6,999.
  • April: Macintosh System 2.0 introduces New Folder command and viewing by small icon or as a list.
  • June: 1,200 employees dropped in reorganization.
  • Sept.: Steve Jobs leaves Apple and eventually starts NeXT.
  • 500,000 Macs in use.
  • More in Macintosh History: 1985
  • Microsoft ships Windows.
  • Intel introduces 80386 CPU.
  • Aldus PageMaker ships.
1986
  • 01.16: Mac Plus introduced at $2,599, first Mac with SCSI.
  • 01.16: Macintosh System 3.0 introduces disk cache and HFS, which allows nested folders.
  • 01.16: LaserWriter Plus introduced at $6,798.
  • Feb.: Macintosh System 3.1 is buggy.
  • 04.14: Mac 512Ke introduced at $1,999.
  • June: Macintosh System 3.2 fixes bugs in 3.1.
  • Sept.: Apple IIGS introduced at $999, fastest Apple II at 2.8 MHz, introduced Mac-like GUI.
  • Japanese and Arabic versions of Mac OS introduced.
  • More in Macintosh History: 1986
  • Steve Jobs founds NeXT.
  • SCSI standard accepted by ANSI.
  • Compaq ships first 80386-based PC.
  • Microsoft goes public.
Mac Plus
1987
  • Jan.: Macintosh System 3.3 prepares Mac OS for networking and AppleShare.
  • 03.02: Mac SE introduced at $2,898 with two 800 KB floppy drives.
  • 03.02: Mac II, first 68020-based Mac , introduced at $3,898 (1 MB RAM, 800 KB floppy) and $5,498 (w/40 MB internal hard drive).
  • 03.02: Macintosh System 4.0 has improved Chooser and Control Panel.
  • 03.17: One-millionth Mac produced.
  • AppleShare file server software introduced.
  • April: Macintosh System 4.1 supports Mac II, requires 1 MB RAM to function.
  • April: Apple creates an "independent" software company known as Claris.
  • Aug.: HyperCard introduced.
  • Oct.: Macintosh System 4.2, a.k.a. System Software 5.0, introduces background printing, DA Handler, and MultiFinder.
  • Nov.: Macintosh System Software 5.1 updates HD SC setup and LaserWriter drivers.
  • More in Macintosh History: 1987
  • IBM and Microsoft release OS/2.
  • August 11. Microsoft ships Windows 1.01.
  • First fax boards for PCs.
  • Sun introduces first RISC CPU.
1988
  • 30,000,000 MS-DOS users.
  • January. Microsoft ships Windows 2.03.
  • Morris Internet Worm infects 6,000 computers on Internet.
  • October. First NeXT released, the NeXT Cube.
NeXT Cube
1989
  • 01.19: Mac SE/30 introduced at $4,369, first 68030-based all-in-one Mac.
  • 03.07: Mac IIcx introduced at $5,369.
  • March: Two-page and portrait b&w monitors and video cards introduced in March.
  • April: 32-bit QuickDraw introduced.
  • 09.20: Mac IIci, first 32-bit clean Mac, introduced.
  • 09.20: Mac Portable (9/89-10/91), first portable Mac, introduced.
  • More in Macintosh History: 1989
  • Fifty-four million personal computers in US
  • Intel ships 80486 CPU.
  • September 18. NeXT introduces NeXTstep OS.
1990
  • May. Microsoft ships Windows 3.0.
  • First PCs with 80486 CPU ship.
Macintosh LC
1991
1992
  • Microsoft ships Windows 3.1.
  • NeXT releases NeXTstep 3.0 and NeXTstep 486.
1993
  • Motorola introduces PowerPC CPU.
  • March. Intel introduces Pentium CPU (with undetected math bug).
  • Over 25,000,000 licensed Windows users.
  • NeXT releases NeXTstep for Intel.
Color Classic
1994
The
Mac
is
10!
  • Flaw discovered in Intel's Pentium CPU, resulting in huge recall.
500 Series
1995
  • World Wide Web enters our language.
  • Microsoft introduces Windows 95.
  • November. Intel introduces Pentium Pro CPU.
1996
  • Last 680x0-based Mac discontinued.
  • 04.22: Power Mac 7600 replaces 7500, moves to PowerPC 604 CPU.
  • 05.01: DayStar Genesis MP 300 introduced, first Mac OS computer with dual CPUs.
  • May: Umax joins the Mac clone market.
  • Aug.: Apple kills Copland project.
  • Sept.: Motorola joins the Mac clone market.
  • 10.01: PowerBook 1400 introduced.
  • Oct.: Apple releases System 7.5.5.
  • 10.30: DayStar Genesis MP 528 introduced, first Mac OS computer with four CPUs.
  • 11.07: Power Mac 4400 is Apple's answer to the Mac clones.
  • Dec.: Apple agrees to acquire NeXT; Steve Jobs returns to Apple.
  • More in Macintosh History: 1996
1997
  • BeOS port to Intel underway, first available March 1998.
  • 56k modems take the industry by storm.
  • Cable modems and WebTV introduced.
  • May. Intel ships Pentium II CPU.
  • June. Intel ships Pentium MMX CPU.
1998
  • 01.19: Mac OS 8.1 introduced.
  • 02.27: Apple discontinues Newton development.
  • 03.17: Beige Power Mac G3 reaches 300 MHz.
  • 05.04: Apple announces PowerBook G3 Series.
  • 05.06: Steve Jobs announces the iMac, which won't ship until mid-August, and creates a media feeding frenzy.
  • 05.29: Umax, the last Mac OS licensee, pulls out of the Mac clone market.
  • 08.15: iMac officially available, largest model rollout in the industry.
  • 08.31: Apple discontinues support for all 68000- and 68020-based Macs, as well as most 86030-based models.
  • August to November: iMac top selling US computer, sells 800,000 units during 1998
  • Apple has first year with four profitable quarters since 1985.
  • 10.17: Mac OS 8.5 ships, first Mac OS release with no 680x0 support.
  • 10.17: iMac Rev. B replaces first iMac design.
  • More in Macintosh History: 1998
  • April. Intel introduces Celeron CPU.
  • June. Windows 98 ships.
  • June. Intel introduces Pentium II Xeon CPU.
The iMac
1999
The
Mac
is
15!
  • 01.04: iMac 266 introduced.
  • 01.04: Power Mac G3(a.k.a. Blue & White G3, Yosemite) introduced at 300, 350, and 400 MHz.
  • 01.24: The Macintosh is 15 years old.
  • March: Mac OS X Server ships
  • 04.14: iMac 333 ships.
  • 04.14: Mac OS 8.6 ships.
  • 05.10: PowerBook G3 (a.k.a. Lombard, Bronze Keyboard) ships at 333 and 400 MHz.
  • June: Power Mac G3 reaches 450 MHz.
  • 07.21: iBook announced with September release.
  • 08.31: 'Yikes' Power Mac G4/400 available, 450 MHz 'Sawtooth' model follows in September.
  • Late September: iBook reaches dealers.
  • 10.13: Apple scales base G4 back to 350 MHz with no price drop. G4/500 projected for first quarter 2000.
  • 12.01: Apple replaces 'Yikes' G4/350 with model using 'Sawtooth' motherboard.
  • dd>More in Macintosh History: 1999
  • Intel introduces Pentium III CPU.
  • AMD roars past Intel with Athlon CPU, which reaches 800 MHz by year-end.
2000
  • AMD roars past Intel with Athlon CPU, which reaches 1 GHz
  • Intel catches up with 1 GHz Pentium III CPU
  • Microsoft releases Window Me (Millennium Edition)
2001
  • 01.09 Power Mac G4 moves to 133 MHz system bus, PowerPC 7410 and 7450 processors, reaches 733 MHz
  • 01.09 PowerBook G4 announced Jan. 9 at Macworld Expo.
  • 02.22 iMac available in 400, 500, and 600 MHz versions; fastest models use PowerPC 750Cx
  • 03.24 Mac OS X 10.0 ships
  • 05.01 iBook completely redesigned, reaches 500 MHz, prices start at $1,299.
  • 07.18 'Quicksilver' Power Mac G4 available with 733, 867, and dual 800 MHz CPUs.
  • 07.18 iMac pushes to 700 MHz, CD-RW standard on all models.
  • 09.25 Mac OS X 10.1 released, noted for improved speed, reintroduction of some old Mac features
  • 10.16 iBook pushed to 600 MHz
  • 10.16 TiBook rolled out at 550 MHz and 667 MHz
  • 12.17 Apple makes Combo Drive (CD-RW/DVD-ROM) standard on TiBook
  • More in Macintosh History: 2001
  • Pentium 4 pushes speed threshold to 2 GHz, but performance doesn't measure up to clock speed (P4 less efficient per clock cycle than PIII).
  • Athlon XP outperforms Pentium 4 at lower clock speed, becomes serious choice among PC power users.
  • Windows laptops reach 1 GHz mark.
  • First Itanium servers ship in July. Intel's bold new CPU runs at 733 MHz and 800 MHz.
2002
  • Everyone laughs at Microsoft's push for "secure computing."
  • Pentium 4 reaches 3.06 GHz
  • First Itanium 2 hardware ships in September, runs at 900 MHz or 1 GHz.
2003
  • 01.07 12" PowerBook G4 and 17" PowerBook G4 announced.
  • 01.07 AirPort Extreme announced at nearly 5x speed of AirPort
  • 01.07 Beta of Safari browser released, quickly becomes #2 browser among Mac users.
  • 01.28 Power Mac G4 reaches 1.42 GHz with dual CPUs, adds FireWire 800 and AirPort Extreme support, only runs OS X.
  • 02.04 17" iMac reaches 1 GHz, adds AirPort Extreme support
  • 02.14 Mac OS X 10.2.4 released.
  • 01.25 Slammer worm infects Microsoft SQL server, rated as fastest spreading worm to date - despite fact that Microsoft released a security patch six months earlier.
  • 02.06 Dell drops the 3.5" floppy drive as a standard feature, but users can still order them as an option.
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