Apple Computers – The Beginning

Apple Computers was founded on April Fools Day in 1976, when Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne joined hands to start a small company in the Jobs’ family garage in Los Altos.  The first Apple computer was born when the trio assembled Apple I motherboards to fulfill a 50-computer order from Byte’s Shop.  Thirty years hence, Apple Computers is now Apple Inc, a multinational computer corporation that develops, sells, and supports personal computers, portable media players, computer software, and computer hardware accessories.

Apple’s Early Product History

Apple’s product history started with the Apple I, which was sold as an assembled circuit board.  The first product of Apple’s hardware history lacked basic features like a keyboard, monitor, and case.  Apple Computer Corporation introduced the Apple II microcomputer in 1977, which was followed by the Lisa™ – the first commercial PC to incorporate a Graphical User Interface (GUI).  The Lisa™, introduced in 1983, was also the first computer with a mouse.  The following year, Apple launched the hugely popular Macintosh, which advanced the concept of a new user-friendly GUI.

Apple’s Computer Market

Apple’s first client in its hardware history was Byte’s Shop, which paid $500 for each of the 50 units sold by Apple Computers.  Apple’s initial models were sold as consumer products.  Apple IIgs continued to be sold in the consumer market until the end of 1992.  Of all the Macintosh™ products - the Plus, SE, SE/30, IIx, IIcx, and IIci, only the Plus was affordable by most consumers.  Other models were designed specifically for the corporate market and were quite expensive.

The Golden Age:  Development of Portable Computers

The period from 1989 to 1991 was the Golden Age of Apple’s hardware history.  After the failure of the Macintosh Portable in 1989, Apple turned to Sony for help.  Sony built a much smaller portable device for Apple with the specs it received from Apple computers.  The portable device, named as the PowerBook 100™, established Apple’s reputation as a quality manufacturer.  The success of the PowerBook and other products during this period pushed Apple’s computer corporation to greater heights.

Dell Controversy

Apple has had its share of controversy in the thirty years of its existence.  Problems like enterprise leadership, stock options controversies, environmental issues, etc., have been a part of Apple’s corporate history.  One notable incident was the public exchange of comments between Steve Jobs and Michael Dell, founder of Dell Corporation.  Steve Jobs announced in 1997 that Apple’s prime target was Dell.  Michael Dell found this very amusing.

For more information about the incident, visit

http://www.applematters.com/index.php/section/history/2006/11/06/

Apple – Looking Ahead

Since its inception, Apple Inc has come a long way in establishing itself as a reputed brand.  Apple Inc offers a wide array of computer products.  It serves both the consumer and corporate markets with its range of hardware and software products, which include monitors, music, and media players, PCs, peripherals, notebooks, etc.  Apple has also served the education sector with its adaptation of the computer programming language LOGO™, used in schools with the Apple II.  With the introduction of the iPhone™ recently, Apple looks to set foot into a new niche market.