History of Apple: 1970-1989 – Most Significant Events

How might the world have changed if the Apple Computer Corporation had actually chose another way of development in the 1970s? As more than one character has said in more than one story, «It just might work». The world might be better today, or it might become the worst place in the Universe, we’ll never know. But one fact is certain, the world would be very different.

The History of Apple (1976-2016) [Video]

Video uploaded by Nobel Tech on May 2, 2016.

History of the Apple Computer Corporation 1970-1989

The first project Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak worked on was a high school prank.

1971

Stephen Wozniak is introduced to Steven Jobs by Bill Fernandez. Jobs and Wozniak become friends. They both worked at Hewlett-Packard (HP). «We first met in 1971 during my college years, while he was in high school. A friend said, «you should meet Steve Jobs, because he likes electronics and he also plays pranks» So he introduced us.»

1972

Steve Jobs works for arcade game company Atari, Inc. in Los Gatos, California. He was assigned to create a circuit board for the game Breakout. Jobs made a deal with Wozniak to split the fee evenly between them if Wozniak could minimize the number of chips, as Atari paid US$100 for each chip eliminated. Wozniak reduced the number of chips by 50, by using RAM for the brick representation. Atari didn’t use the prototype, but paid Jobs the full bonus regardless. However, Steve Jobs told Wozniak that Atari gave them only $700. Wozniak did not learn about the actual $5,000 bonus until ten years later.

1976

1976: Steve Wozniak proposes that Hewlett-Packard create a personal computer, but the company rejects the project. Wozniak and Jobs finish work on a computer circuit board and it call the Apple. On April 1, 1976, Wozniak and Jobs form the Apple Computer Company.

July 1976: The Apple I computer board is sold in kit form. Jobs and Wozniak deliver the device to the buyers at an amazing price of US$666.66.

August 1976: Steve Wozniak begins work on the Apple II Computer.

October 1976: Wozniak decides to leave Hewlett-Packard and join Apple Computer Company.

December 1976: Steve Wozniak and Randy Wigginton demonstrate the prototype Apple II at a Homebrew Computer Club meeting.

1977

March 1977: Apple Computer Company moves from Jobs’ garage to an office in Cupertino.

April 1977: Apple Computer Company delivers its first Apple II, for US $1295.

May 1977: Apple company announces that 175 Apple I kits have been sold between July 1976 and May 1977.

1978

1978: An enhanced Apple II with custom chips, code-named Annie is being developed by Apple Computer.

1978: Apple Computer conceives and designs Lisa, a «supercomputer» with a bit-sliced architecture.

1979

June 1979: Apple Computer Company introduces the Apple II Plus, with 48KB memory. The introductory price is of US$1195.

September 1979: Apple announces that more than 35,000 Apple II computers have been sold for the fiscal year 1978-1979 and 50,000 units have been sold since its release.

May 1980: Apple Computer introduces Sara, the new Apple computer which will be known as Apple III.

1980

May 1980: Apple Computer introduces Sara, the new Apple computer which will be known as Apple III. The computer is shipped in limited quantity.

1980: Apple Computer Company works at Diana, which would be released as Apple IIe.

September 1980: Apple Computer announces that over 78,000 Apple II computers have been sold during the fiscal year 1979-1980.

1981

September 1981: Apple Computer Company introduces its first hard drive, the 5MB ProFile, for US$3499 and reintroduces the Apple III computer with improved software and a hard disk.

1982

September 1982: Apple announces that the sales of Apple II Plus to date have reached 45,000 units. The total sales of all Apple II computers line have reached 750,000 units.

October 1982: Apple Computer announces that it its the first personal computer company to reach US$1 billion in annual sales.

1983

January 1983: Apple Computer Company unveils the Lisa computer. Its initial price is US$10,000. During its lifetime, 100,000 units are produced.

January 1983: Apple Computer company introduces the Apple IIe computer (code name Diana) for US$1400.

June 1983: Apple announces that one million units of Apple II computers have been manufactured up to date.

June 1983: Apple Computer Company begins marketing and shipping the Lisa computer.

December 1983: Apple Computer introduces the redesigned Apple III as the Apple III+. Its price is established at US$3000.

December 1983: Apple unveils its new Apple Macintosh.

1984

January 1984: Apple releases a new version of the Lisa 2 computer at the same time as Steve Jobs introduces the Apple Macintosh.

April 1984: Apple Computer introduces the Apple Iic, at a regular price of US$1300.

April 1984: Apple Computer retires the Apple III and Apple III+ from the market. Only 65,000 units were sold out of 90,000 united made.

May 1984: Apple announces that 70,000 Macintosh have been shipped in the first 100 days since the release of this computer.

September1984: The Macintosh 512K is introduced and priced at US$3200.

November 1984: Apple Computer Company announces that two million Apple II computers have been sold up to the date. 250,000 Macintosh system also have been sold.

Macintosh launched on Jan 24, 1984 and changed the world.

1985

January 1985: Apple Computer renames the Lisa computer the Macintosh XL.

March 1985: Apple introduces the Apple Enhanced IIe computer.

April 1985: The Macintosh XL (formerly Lisa) is dropped from product line.

1986

1986: Apple makes a deal to sell discounted Macintosh computers to Dynamac for conversion.

January 1986: Apple Computer introduces the Macintosh Plus system priced at US$2600.

April 1986: Apple announces that it will discontinue the original Macintosh and the Macintosh 512K, replaced by the Macintosh 512K Enhanced for the price of US$2000.

July 1986: Apple discontinues the Macintosh XL.

September 1986: The Apple IIGS is introduced together with the Apple 3.5 drive. Price – US$1000.

1987

January 1987: Apple introduces the Apple Platinum IIe computer.

March 1987: Apple Computer Company makes its 1 millionth Macintosh personal computer.

March 1987: Apple Computer company introduces the open architecture Macintosh II, priced at US$3900 and the expandable Macintosh SE priced at US$2900.

March 1987: Apple discontinues the Macintosh 512K Enhanced and begins shipping the Macintosh II computer.

1988

1988: Colby Systems, which had previously produced their Macintosh-compatible laptops on a trade-in basis, begins selling them to Apple dealers who would then fit motherboards from their spare stock.

September 1988: Apple Computer introduces the Apple IIc Plus for the price of US$1100 and the Macintosh IIx computer, with base price at US$7770.

1989

January 1989: Apple Computer Company introduces the Macintosh SE/30 at US$6499.

September 1989: Apple Computer announces the Macintosh Portable, for US$6499 and the Macintosh IIci, for US$8699.

Bibliography

“iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It” by Steve Wozniak and Gina Smith
“Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson