The iconic Macintosh has turned 40. Launched on Jan. 24, 1984, the Mac set the stage for Apple Inc. AAPL and forever changed the personal computing industry.
The Macintosh was not Apple’s first personal computer; it was the fourth computer launched by the Steve Jobs-led company. However, it had the most significant impact on personal computing for two reasons: it was more affordable and brought a graphical user interface (GUI) to the masses.
If you had invested $1,000 in Apple stock on Jan. 24, 1984, today, you would have $1,593,809,” portrays a vivid snapshot of the company’s success over the past 40 years.
The Power of the ‘1984’ Super Bowl Ad
While the Macintosh team was busy preparing the computer for launch, Jobs teamed up with Ridley Scott for a massive push at the Super Bowl XVIII.
What followed was Apple’s iconic “1984” Super Bowl ad that was a “watershed moment” for the company and has since been called a “masterpiece.”
Changing Personal Computing Forever
The original Macintosh seems absurd, with its diminutive display and slightly bulky appearance. However, that was a different time when innovation was just budding, and technology was in its infancy.
For context, you can buy the top-tier iPhone 15 Pro Max today with far, far more processing power, powerful cameras, a stunning display, and 8,192 times more memory than the original Macintosh’s 128KB. This stark evolution encapsulates the immense progress witnessed over the last four decades.
The Apple Silicon-Powered Future
Apple has since scaled several highs, launching several industry-defining products like the iPod, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and even AirPods.
Beating at the heart of most of these products is a piece of silicon – a chipset that tells the device what needs to be done and how.
Apple is not resting on its laurels, either. It is looking beyond the iPhone with its $3,500 Vision Pro headset that is off to a good start, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
