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Year
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Apple
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Other
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1976
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- Steve Wozniak works for Hewlett-Packard
- Steve Jobs works for Atari.
- 04.01: Apple Computer incorporates.
- Apple I introduced for $666.66.
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- Shugart introduces 5.25" floppy.
- BYTE magazine begins.
- Micro-soft is one year old.
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1977
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- Apple moves out of Steve Jobs' garage.
- Apple II introduced with 4 KB RAM in April for $1,298.
- Apple logo designed.
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- TRS-80 introduced by Tandy.
- Commodore PET introduced.
- CP/M marketed by Digital Research.
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1978
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- 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.
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- Intel releases 16-bit 8086 CPU.
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1979
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- Apple II Plus introduced with 48 KB RAM for $1,195.
- Apple targets education market
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1980
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- 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.
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- One million personal computers in
US
- Novell announces networking software.
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1981
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- 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.
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- 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.
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1982
|
- Apple stops flow of illegal clones.
- AppleCare introduced.
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- Intel introduces 80286 CPU.
- Time magazine calls 1982 "The Year of the Computer."
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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.
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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.
|
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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.
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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.
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1987
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- 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.
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1988
|
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- 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.
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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.
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1990
|
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- May. Microsoft ships Windows 3.0.
- First PCs with 80486 CPU ship.
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1991
|
|
|
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1992
|
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- Microsoft ships Windows 3.1.
- NeXT releases NeXTstep 3.0 and NeXTstep 486.
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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.
|
1994
The
Mac
is
10!
|
- 02.02: LC 550 and
575 introduced.
- Feb.: Quadra 610 DOS
compatible introduced.
- 03.14: Power Macintosh line introduced with 6100/60, 7100/66, and 8100/80.
- April: Workgroup Server 6150, 8150, and 9150 introduced
(based on 6100, 8100, and 9100, respectively).
- 05.16: Duo 280 and
Duo 280c replace Duo
270.
- 05.16: PowerBook 520,
520c,
540, and 540creplace 165 and
180.
- 05.30: PowerBook 550c (dates
unknown)
- June: System 7.5 introduced.
- 07.18: Quadra 630
introduced.
- 07.18: PowerBook 150
replaces 145b.
- Sept.: Performa 6100
line introduced, first Power PC Performa.
- Sept.: Apple announces intent to support
Macintosh clones, licensed to Radius and Power Computing.
- 11.03: Power
Macintosh 8100/110 introduced.
- More in Macintosh History:
1994
|
- Flaw discovered in Intel's Pentium CPU, resulting in huge
recall.
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1995
|
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- World Wide Web enters our language.
- Microsoft introduces Windows 95.
- November. Intel introduces Pentium Pro CPU.
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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
|
|
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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.
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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.
|
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.
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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)
|
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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.
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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.
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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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Other Resources
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