History of Apple (2003)

In January 2003, the recovery began, as Apple released iLife, a bundled package that included iPhoto, iTunes, iMovie and iDVD. It also announced two new PowerBook G4 models, a 12″ model similar to existing 12″ iBooks, and a wide-screen 17″ model. The company also announced Safari, its own Web Browser. The new PowerBooks sold well. The sales of flat panel iMacs remained steady. The iPod was beginning to take off. In April of 2003, the iTunes Music Store opened, which would sell individual songs through the iTunes application, for 99 cents each. When announced, the iTunes Music Store had the backing of the five major record labels, and a catalog of more than 200,000 songs. In October, Apple released iTunes for Windows.

History of the Apple Computer Corporation

Apple History 2003

January 6, 2003: In San Francisco, California, the Macworld Conference and Expo is held, over five days.

January 7, 2003: At the Macworld Expo, Steve Jobs unveils the Safari Web browser for Macintosh computers. The software is available as a free download. Jobs also introduces the Keynote presentation software, available for US$99.

January 7, 2003: At the Macworld Expo, Apple Computer debuts the iLife application suite, with iPhoto 2, iDVD 3, iMovie 3, iTunes 3, and Safari Web browser. The whole package but iDVD can be freely downloaded from Apple’s site and iDVD is offered for $50. This is widely seen as a play to further push the digital-hub concept into the consumer space.

January 8, 2003: At the Macworld Expo, Apple Computer introduces a PowerBook G4 with 17-inch display. It features 1 GHz G4 processor with 1 MB L3 cache, 167 MHz bus, 512 MB RAM, 1440 x 900 resolution display, Gigabit Ethernet, AirPort Extreme, SuperDrive, 60 GB hard drive, FireWire 400, FireWire 800, PCMCIA slot, nVidia GeForce4 440 Go with 64 MB RAM. Battery life is about 4.5 hours. Prices start at US$3299; size is 15.4 x 10.2 x 1 inch; weight is 6.8 pounds.

January 8, 2003: At the Macworld Expo, Apple Computer introduces a PowerBook G4 with 12-inch display. It features 867 MHz G4 processor with 256 KB L2 cache, 133 MHz bus, 256 MB RAM, 1024 x 768 resolution display, 10/100BaseT Ethernet, AirPort Extreme, Combo Drive, 60 GB hard drive, FireWire 400, nVidia GeForce4 420 Go with 32 MB RAM. Battery life is about 5 hours. Price is US$1799; size is 10.9 x 8.6 x 1.18 inches; weight is 4.6 pounds.

January 9, 2003: At the Macworld Expo, Apple Computer introduces FireWire 800, with maximum distance 100 metres, and speed 800 Mbps.

January 20, 2003: The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Fairly Oddparents TV show. Throughout the show, personal computers with keyboard and mouse are used to send email, with windows similar to those of the Mac OS.

January 27, 2003: The Fox Broadcasting Company airs The Fairly Oddparents TV show. A laptop computer is used, with a prominent green pear logo on the case.

January 28, 2003: Apple Computer announces a new high-end Power Mac. It features dual 1.42 GHz PowerPC G4 processors, 512 MB RAM, 120 GB hard drive, 4X DVD SuperDrive, ATI Radeon 9000 Pro graphics card, 56 kbps modem, USB 1.1, Ethernet, Mac OS 10.2.3, FireWire 800, and iLife digital media suite. Price is US$2699.

January 28, 2003: Apple announces a new low-end Power Mac. It features 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processor, 256 MB RAM, 60 GB hard drive, CD-RW/DVD drive, 64 MB Nvidia GeForce 4MX graphics card, 56 kbps modem, USB 1.1, Ethernet, Mac OS 10.2.3, FireWire 800, and iLife digital media suite. Price is US$1499.

January 28, 2003: Apple announces a new midrange Power Mac. It features dual 1.25 GHz PowerPC G4 processors, 256 MB RAM, 80 GB hard drive, CD-RW/DVD drive, ATI Radeon 9000 Pro graphics card, 56 kbps modem, USB 1.1, Ethernet, Mac OS 10.2.3, FireWire 800, and iLife digital media suite. Price is US$1999.

March 2003: Apple releases another iMac model. It features 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processor, 1 GB DDR266 SDRAM, 80 GB hard drive, CD-R/RW and DVD-R/RW SuperDrive, modem, Ethernet, 1440 x 900 resolution 17-inch widescreen display, Mac OS X v10.2, Nvidia GeForce4 MX graphics processor with 64 MB DDR RAM. Price is US$1799.

April 2003: Apple Computer releases Mac OS X 10.2.5 operating system, with several minor updates and additions. It is available as a free download, or for US$19.95 on CD-ROM.

April 22, 2003: Apple releases updated iBook computers. They feature 800 or 900 MHz G3 processor, 12.1- or 14.1-inch LCD screen, 30 or 40 GB hard drive.

April of 2003: Apple unveils the iTunes Music Store, which would sell individual songs through the iTunes application, for 99 cents each. These songs could be played only on Macs or iPods, but Apple felt that by offering an easy to use, no-nonsense music service, it could make significant inroads to the digital music market. When announced, the iTunes Music Store already had the backing of the five major record labels, and a catalog of more than 200,000 songs.

May 6, 2003: Apple Computer releases updated eMac computers. They feature 800 – 1 GHz G4 processor, 40 or 80 GB hard drive, 17-inch monitor.

May 2003: Apple Computer launches the Power Macintosh G5 desktop computer. It features IBM PowerPC 970 processor, and Mac OS X operating system.

June 23, 2003: In San Jose, California, Apple Computer holds its Worldwide Developers’ Conference, over five days. Apple Computer announces new Power Mac G5 computers with Power PC 970 processors operating at up to 2 GHz. The computers are scheduled to be available in August. Steve Jobs also shows a new version of the Mac OS X 10.3, code-named Panther.

June 26, 2003: Apple Computer releases updated Power Mac G4 computers. They feature single or dual 1.25 GHz G4 processors, single 80 GB to dual 160 GB hard drives.

September 8, 2003: Apple Computer introduces two new iMac computers. They feature 1 or 1.25 GHz G4 processor, 80 GB hard drive, and 15- to 20-inch LCD screens.

September 16, 2003: In Paris, France, the Apple Expo 2003 trade show is held, over five days. At this Apple Expo, Steve Jobs unveils new PowerBooks with 1 to 1.33 GHz G4 processors, and 12-, 15-, and 17-inch screens.

October 8, 2003: Apple releases updated Power Mac G4 computers. They feature 1.25 GHz G4 to dual 1.25 GHz G4 processors, 80 GB hard drive.

October 2003: In San Francisco, Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs announces the release of iTunes software for Windows 2000 or XP. Apple announces the one millionth download of iTunes software for Windows.

October 2003: Computer scientists at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University complete assembling a cluster of 1100 Apple PowerMac G5 computers with 64-bit IBM PowerPC 970 processors, dubbed “Big Mac”. The system is benchmarked at a processing speed of 10.3 trillion operations per second, making it the world’s third-fastest supercomputer. Total cost is US$7 million.

October 24, 2003: Apple Computer releases Mac OS X 10.3 operating system. Code-name during development was Panther.

October 2003:  Apple releases iTunes for Windows. While the iPod had been available for Windows for some time, it had used third-party software which failed to provide the unique user experience that iTunes/iPod integration allowed. With the release of a stable, user-friendly Windows version of iTunes, which included both iPod and Music Store integration, Apple was poised to take the digital music industry by storm.

November 10, 2003: Apple Computer releases Mac OS X 10.3.1.

November 2003: Apple Corps (a corporation founded by the Beatles) sues Apple Computer for the third time, demanding that Apple Computer cease using the Apple name and rebrand all products and services with non-infringing names.

November 18 2003: Apple Computer releases new Power Mac G5 computers. They feature single 1.66 GHz to dual 2 GHz G5 processors, 80 or 160 GB hard drive.

December 2003: Apple opens its first Apple Store abroad, in Tokyo’s Ginza district, Japan.

December 2003: Market share of desktop personal computer shipments in the US during October to December: Dell 31%, Hewlett-Packard 22%, Gateway 8%, IBM 3.5%, Apple Computer 2.1%. Market share of portable personal computer shipments in the US during October to December: Dell 26.6%, Hewlett-Packard 20%, Toshiba 12.3%, IBM 9%, Apple Computer 5.1%.

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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