History of Apple 2002 – The Most Significant Events

As Glen Sanford states on his History of Apple Website, «in January 2002, Apple reinvented the consumer desktop, again, when it released its flat panel iMac». The company also announced iPhoto, a new software package. However, Apple stumbled in the second half of 2002, when the marketplace shrank due to global economic conditions. In June, Apple introduced its Switchers ad campaign, which would grow to be one of the most successful of Apple’s history. Based on non-scripted monologues of real people, the Switchers campaign made the strongest case yet for Macs in a PC world. In July 2002, Apple announced iCal and iSync, as well as the free iTools service which would be rolled into a new subscription-based «dotMac» service, aimed at futher centralizing the Mac in the high-tech lifestyle. But in October Apple announced a quarterly loss of $45 million, due to weak PowerBook and PowerMac sales.

History of Apple 2002

January 7, 2002

At the Macworld trade show, Apple Computer announces new iMac computers, with a 15-inch flat-panel screen attached by a pivoting arm to a 10.5-inch diameter dome. The feature 700 to 800 MHz PowerPC G4 processor, 128 to 256 MB RAM, 40 to 60 GB hard drive, CD-RW drive or DVD writer, 10/100 network port. Prices of the three models are US$1299, US$1399, and US$1799.

January 7, 2002: At the Macworld trade show, Apple introduces a new iBook portable computer with 14-inch flat-panel display.

January 28, 2002: Apple begins shipping a Power Mac with two 1 GHz processors. It features 512 MB RAM, 80 GB hard drive. Price is US$2999.

January 28, 2002: Apple begins shipping a Power Mac with a 933 MHz processor. It features 256 MB RAM, 60 GB hard drive, DVD recording drive, Nvidia GeForce 4 MX graphics card. Price is US$2299.

January 28, 2002: Apple begins shipping a Power Mac with a 800 MHz PowerPC processor. It features 256 MB RAM, 40 GB hard drive, CD-RW drive, ATI Radeon 7500 graphics card. Price is US$1599.

February 10, 2002: Apple Computer buys the Nothing Real company, maker of the Shake compositing software.

February 20, 2002: Apple releases the Mac OS 10.1.3 operating system. New additions include support for several digital cameras and CD burners.

April 7, 2002: The Fox Broadcasting Company airs the Futurama TV show. A portable computer appears, looking like an Apple Computer model.

April 19, 2002: At auction, an Apple I computer with 9-inch amber monitor and Magnavox cassette player, sells for US$14,000.

April 29, 2002: Apple Computer announces the Apple eMac computer, for the educational market only. It features 700 MHz G4 processor, 128 MB CDROM, 40 GB hard drive, CD-RW drive, 17-inch monitor, nVidia GeForce2 MX video card, five USB ports, two FireWire ports, built-in speakers and microphone, keyboard, mouse, OS X 10.1.5. Price is US$1099.

May 6, 2002: In San Jose, California, the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference is held. Steve Jobs unveils the latest Mac OS version, code-named Jaguar, and the iChat software. QuickTime 6 and QuickTime Broadcaster are released to developers.

June 4, 2002: Apple makes the eMac computer available to consumers.

June 2002: Apple Computer buys the Silicon Grail company and the Prismo Graphics company, maker of the India Titler Pro software.

June 17, 2002: Microsoft releases the Internet Explorer 5.2 web browser for the Mac OS X. The software is free from Microsoft’s Web site.

June 2002: The Industrial Design Excellence Awards are decided: Gold Award for Apple Computer for its retail stores; Gold Award for Apple Computer iMac computer.

July 1, 2002: Apple Computer buys the Emagic company, maker of the Logic audio software.

July 15, 2002: Apple Computer releases QuickTime 6 digital media software. A major new feature is the inclusion of MPEG-4 support.

July 17, 2002: At the Macworld Expo, Apple Computer introduces a new iMac computer with 17-inch flat panel display. Other features: 800 MHz PowerPC G4 with 256 kB L2 cache, 256 MB SDRAM, 80 GB hard drive, Nvidia GeForce4 MX with 32 MB VRAM, SuperDrive, speakers, 1440×900 graphics, 56 Kbps modem, 10/100 Base-T Ethernet. Price is US$1999.

August 23, 2002: Apple Computer launches Mac OS X 10.2 operating system. New features include instant-messaging client iChat, and handwriting recognition technology Inkwell. Price is US$129 for single user, or US$199 for a five-user package. Code-name during development was Jaguar. For the first time since the original Macintosh launch in January 1984, the “Happy Mac” icon is not part of the start-up sequence. It has been replaced by a silver-gray Apple icon.

September 10, 2002: At the Apple Expo in Paris, France, Apple Computer announces that Mac computers shipping in January will boot to Mac OS X only.

October 2002: The company announces a quarterly loss of $45 million, due to weak PowerBook and PowerMac sales.

Bibliography:

• Chronology of Events in the History of Microcomputers: islandnet.com/~kpolsson/comphist.
• Apple History: http://www.apple-history.com.
• Wikipedia.
• iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It. 2007. by Steve Wozniak and Gina Smith.
• Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.

Links

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