# Canonical recap data for Apple II Computer Launch (1977)
# Source: https://recap.at/1977/apple-ii-launch-1977
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: apple-ii-launch-1977
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1977/apple-ii-launch-1977"
title: Apple II Computer Launch
aliases:
- Apple II
- Apple 2
- Apple Computer II
subtitle: ""
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1977-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 1977
decade: 1970
country:
name: United States
slug: united-states
summaryShort: Apple Computer Company introduced the Apple II on April 16, 1977-the first mass-market personal computer with color graphics and a built-in BASIC interpreter, priced at $1,298.
summaryLong: |-
  The Apple II arrived at a moment when computers were still room-sized industrial equipment or hobbyist kits soldered together by enthusiasts in garages. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak had formed Apple Computer Company in 1976 after Wozniak designed the original Apple I, a bare-circuit-board machine that Jobs convinced a local electronics retailer to stock. The Apple II, unveiled April 16, 1977, at the West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco, changed the calculus entirely. It came in a beige plastic case that looked like a typewriter, plugged into a standard wall outlet and television set, and sold for $1,298-expensive by today's standards but a revelation compared to the $20,000-plus price tags on competing systems.

  Wozniak's engineering made this possible. His design used fewer chips than competitors' machines, ran cooler, and included color graphics capability at a time when most computers output only text. The machine shipped with 4 kilobytes of RAM, expandable to 48 KB., and ran at 1 megahertz. More crucially, it came with Applesoft BASIC already built in-meaning buyers could start programming immediately, no additional purchases required. That combination of accessibility, color output, and built-in software made the Apple II genuinely different from machines like the Commodore PET and Tandy TRS-80, which hit shelves around the same time.

  The Apple II's real power emerged over the next few years, not at launch. VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet application, arrived in 1979 and ran only on the Apple II initially-that single piece of software justified the purchase price for thousands of small-business owners who had never thought of computers as business tools. The machine stayed in production, with incremental improvements, for sixteen years. By 1981, Apple had shipped 25,000 units; by 1983, that number topped 1 million. The Apple II established the template for personal computing: a closed, integrated system with a friendly interface, priced for individuals rather than institutions.

  Steve Jobs understood something his competitors didn't: computers weren't just faster calculators for engineers. They were tools that ordinary people might actually want. The Apple II's industrial design-the work of Jerry Manock and others at Apple-signaled that. So did its price point, which positioned it as attainable technology rather than laboratory equipment. The machine never dominated the market in raw numbers; IBM's PC, launched in 1981, eventually outsold it many times over. But the Apple II proved the personal computer market existed and was worth building for, which made everything that followed-the Macintosh, the iPod, the iPhone-possible.
lede: On April 16, 1977, Apple Computer Company unveiled the Apple II at the West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco, a machine that looked like office equipment and cost less than a used car., a machine that looked like office equipment and cost less than a used car. It was the first computer designed for ordinary people to actually use-complete with color graphics, built-in programming language, and a price that didn't require institutional funding. The Apple II didn't create the personal computer market, but it proved that market could exist.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Apple_II-IMG_7064.jpg/1280px-Apple_II-IMG_7064.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Apple II"
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 50
keyFacts:
- label: Launch date
  value: April 16, 1977
- label: Launch location
  value: West Coast Computer Faire, San Francisco
- label: Original retail price
  value: $1,298
- label: RAM (base configuration)
  value: 4 kilobytes
- label: RAM (maximum expandable)
  value: 48 kilobytes
- label: Processor speed
  value: 1 megahertz
- label: Units shipped by 1981
  value: 25,000
- label: Units sold by 1983
  value: Approximately 1 million.
- label: Production run length
  value: 16 years
timeline:
- date: 1976-04-01
  title: Apple Computer Company is founded in April 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, following Wozniak's design of the Apple I single-board computer.
  description: Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak form Apple Computer Company after Wozniak designs the Apple I single-board computer.
- date: 1977-04-16
  title: Apple II unveiled
  description: 4 KB RAM (expandable to 48 KB)
- date: 1977-06-10
  title: Apple II ships to customers
  description: First Apple II units begin shipping to retail customers following the April announcement.
- date: 1979-10-01
  title: VisiCalc launches on Apple II
  description: VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet application, becomes available exclusively on Apple II. The software drives significant business-user adoption.
- date: 1980-12-12
  title: Apple Computer goes public
  description: Apple's initial public offering prices shares at $22; trading opens higher on the first day.
- date: 1981-08-12
  title: IBM PC launches
  description: IBM introduces its Personal Computer running PC DOS, beginning competition that will eventually dominate the market. IBM PC does not initially match Apple II's graphics capabilities.
- date: 1983-01-01
  title: Apple II sales exceed 1 million units
  description: Apple II has become the best-selling personal computer. The machine remains the company's primary revenue source.
- date: 1993-01-01
  title: Apple II production ends
  description: After 16 years and millions of units sold, Apple discontinues the Apple II line as the Macintosh becomes the company's focus.
sources: []
related: []
relationships:
- targetSlug: iphone-launch
  type: evolved_into
  confidence: 85
  evidence: Apple II established the consumer personal computer market and brand trust that directly enabled the iPhone's reception as a revolutionary device in 2007; Jobs's design philosophy and focus on ease-of-use originated with the II's user interface ambitions.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: world-wide-web-public-release
  type: enabled
  confidence: 80
  evidence: Apple II and its clones became primary vehicles for accessing the web in the early 1990s; the computer's installed base and affordability were prerequisites for the web's mass adoption beyond research institutions.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: stockton-darlington-railway
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Apple II Computer Launch" references "First Passenger Railway Opens (Stockton & Darlington)" (3 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: ibm-personal-computer-launch
  type: caused
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Apple II Computer Launch" references "First IBM Personal Computer Launch" (4 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: youtube-founded
  type: caused
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Apple II Computer Launch" references "YouTube Founded" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Computer_Gaming_World_issue_2.4.pdf/page1-960px-Computer_Gaming_World_issue_2.4.pdf.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Computer_Gaming_World_issue_2.4.pdf/page1-960px-Computer_Gaming_World_issue_2.4.pdf.jpg"
  caption: Computer Gaming World issue 2.4
  credit: Golden Empire Publications
  width: 1204
  height: 1604
  alt: Military medals and insignia are arranged on a brown fabric surface, including winged badges, colorful ribbon bars, a blue nameplate, and a brass belt buckle marked "EXPERT," displayed as the cover of Computer Gaming World Volume 1 Issue 2.4 from July-August 1984.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Computer_Gaming_World_issue_4.3.pdf/page1-960px-Computer_Gaming_World_issue_4.3.pdf.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Computer_Gaming_World_issue_4.3.pdf/page1-960px-Computer_Gaming_World_issue_4.3.pdf.jpg"
  caption: Computer Gaming World issue 4.3
  credit: Golden Empire Publications
  width: 1227
  height: 1631
  alt: The cover of Computer Gaming World magazine from June 1984 features pirate-themed artwork with a central bearded character in period costume surrounded by smaller figures, sailing ships, and a large moon in the background, advertising games including Seven Cities of Gold and Questron.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Computer_Gaming_World_issue_3.3.pdf/page1-960px-Computer_Gaming_World_issue_3.3.pdf.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Computer_Gaming_World_issue_3.3.pdf/page1-960px-Computer_Gaming_World_issue_3.3.pdf.jpg"
  caption: Computer Gaming World issue 3.3
  credit: Golden Empire Publications
  width: 1204
  height: 1604
  alt: The cover of Computer Gaming World magazine from May-June 1983 features two soldiers in military helmets viewing a computer monitor displaying a war game with a military vehicle on a European street. The magazine's masthead and feature article titles appear in gold text against a dark brown background.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Computer_Gaming_World_issue_2.1.pdf/page1-960px-Computer_Gaming_World_issue_2.1.pdf.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Computer_Gaming_World_issue_2.1.pdf/page1-960px-Computer_Gaming_World_issue_2.1.pdf.jpg"
  caption: Computer Gaming World issue 2.1
  credit: Golden Empire Publications
  width: 1202
  height: 1595
  alt: The cover of Computer Gaming World magazine from January-February 1982 features a surreal sci-fi illustration depicting humanoid figures gathered around a tall black monolith with a glowing aperture, set against a desert landscape with rocky formations and a blue sky.
culturalContext:
topMusic:
- title: Rumours
  artist: Fleetwood Mac
  year: 1977
  note: The dominant album of 1977, reflecting the era's shift toward polished, introspective pop-rock.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-24T18:37:30.054Z"
- title: Star Wars Theme
  artist: John Williams
  year: 1977
  note: The year's defining orchestral moment, tethered to the blockbuster revolution that paralleled personal computing's emergence.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-24T18:37:30.054Z"
- title: I Feel Love
  artist: Donna Summer
  year: 1977
  note: Giorgio Moroder's synthesizer-driven production presaged the electronic aesthetic that would define the digital age.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-24T18:37:30.054Z"
topFilms:
- title: Star Wars (A New Hope)
  year: 1977
  note: The year's watershed moment in cinema; released four days before Apple II's launch, it signaled the mainstreaming of high-tech spectacle.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-24T18:37:30.054Z"
- title: Annie Hall
  year: 1977
  note: Woody Allen's neurotic Manhattan tale captured the intellectual anxieties of an era on the cusp of technological transformation.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-24T18:37:30.054Z"
- title: Close Encounters of the Third Kind
  year: 1977
  note: Spielberg's meditation on communication and technology; released the same year as the machine designed to democratize computing.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-24T18:37:30.054Z"
topTVShows:
- title: Happy Days
  year: 1977
  note: Still dominant in its fifth season; represented nostalgia for the 1950s even as the present raced toward the digital future.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-24T18:37:30.054Z"
- title: Charlie's Angels
  year: 1977
  note: In its second season; embodied the glossy, consumer-focused aesthetic of mid-1970s mass culture.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-24T18:37:30.054Z"
- title: 60 Minutes
  year: 1977
  note: In its third season; would become the vehicle for exposing the societal impact of computing's spread.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-24T18:37:30.054Z"
zeitgeistNote: "1977 was a paradoxical moment: the disco era and punk both peaked, suggesting simultaneous appetite for hedonistic escapism and anarchic disruption. The Apple II arrived during this cultural inflection-offering neither escape nor destruction, but rather a tool for personal agency. The computer was still understood as something befitting a hobbyist or engineer; mainstream culture treated it as science fiction. Within five years, that perception would flip entirely."
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Base Price
  thenValue: $1,298
  thenYear: 1977
  nowValue: $999
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Apple II cost adjusted to 2024 dollars is approximately $6,800; modern entry-level computers are vastly cheaper for dramatically more power.
- metric: RAM
  thenValue: 4 KB
  thenYear: 1977
  nowValue: 16 GB
  nowYear: 2024
  note: A 4-million-fold increase in standard memory capacity in less than 50 years.
- metric: Storage Capacity
  thenValue: Cassette tape or 5.25" floppy (140 KB)
  thenYear: 1977
  nowValue: 1-2 TB SSD standard
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Storage density increased by approximately 10 million times.
- metric: Processor Clock Speed
  thenValue: 1 MHz
  thenYear: 1977
  nowValue: 3-4 GHz
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Raw speed improvement of 3,000-4,000x, though comparison is complicated by architectural differences and multi-core design.
impactStatement: The Apple II was unveiled at the West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco.
consequences:
- title: IBM PC Released
  year: 1981
  description: IBM's entry into the personal computer market, directly inspired by Apple II's commercial success, establishing the x86 architecture that would dominate business computing for decades.
- title: Commodore 64 Launch
  year: 1982
  description: The best-selling single computer model in history, priced aggressively and featuring superior graphics compared to Apple II, intensifying the home computer market competition.
- title: Apple III Released
  year: 1980
  description: Apple's troubled follow-up to the II, designed for business users but plagued by overheating and compatibility issues, exposing the difficulty of building on an existing platform's success.
- title: Graphical User Interface Commercialization
  year: 1984
  description: Apple's Macintosh brought the GUI to mass market consumers, a concept that had gestated at Xerox PARC but required Apple II's market foundation and brand trust to reach viability.
- title: Spreadsheet Software Explosion
  year: 1979
  description: VisiCalc's release for the Apple II created the first killer app for personal computers, proving that consumers would pay for machines to run specific software applications.
archiveSnapshots: []
categories:
- tech-launch
metaDescription: Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak unleashed the Apple II in 1977, proving computers belonged in homes, not just corporate bunkers. It was accessible, affordable, and actually worked.
originSignals:
- "wikipedia:apple-ii-launch-1977"
geo:
lat: 39.7837304
lng: -100.445882
place: United States
note: Location inferred from recap.country via OSM Nominatim.
significance: 25
heroImageAlt: A vintage Apple II computer system from the 1980s displaying a beige-colored monitor mounted on top of a keyboard base with two disk drives positioned in the middle tier. The setup showcases the characteristic design of early personal computers with its modular components and tan plastic housing typical of that era.
translations:
es:
lede: El 16 de abril de 1977, Apple Computer Company presentó la Apple II en la West Coast Computer Faire en San Francisco, una máquina que parecía equipo de oficina y costaba menos que un automóvil usado. Fue la primera computadora diseñada para que la usaran personas ordinarias, completa con gráficos a color, lenguaje de programación integrado y un precio que no requería financiamiento institucional. La Apple II no creó el mercado de computadoras personales, pero demostró que ese mercado podía existir.
summaryShort: Apple Computer Company introdujo la Apple II el 16 de abril de 1977, la primera computadora personal de mercado masivo con gráficos a color e intérprete BASIC integrado, con precio de $1,298.
summaryLong: |-
  La Apple II llegó en un momento en que las computadoras seguían siendo equipos industriales del tamaño de una habitación o kits para aficionados soldados por entusiastas en garajes. Steve Jobs y Steve Wozniak formaron Apple Computer Company en 1976 después de que Wozniak diseñara la Apple I original, una máquina de placa de circuito desnuda que Jobs convenció a un minorista local de electrónica para que almacenara. La Apple II, presentada el 16 de abril de 1977, en la West Coast Computer Faire en San Francisco, cambió completamente el panorama. Venía en una carcasa de plástico beige que parecía una máquina de escribir, se enchufaba en un tomacorriente estándar y un televisor, y se vendía por $1,298, caro según los estándares actuales pero una revelación comparado con los precios de más de $20,000 en sistemas competidores.

  La ingeniería de Wozniak hizo esto posible. Su diseño utilizaba menos chips que las máquinas de competidores, funcionaba más frío e incluía capacidad de gráficos a color en un momento en que la mayoría de computadoras solo producían texto. La máquina se envió con 4 kilobytes de RAM, expandibles a 48 KB, y funcionaba a 1 megahertz. Más críticamente, venía con Applesoft BASIC ya integrado, lo que significa que los compradores podían empezar a programar de inmediato, sin compras adicionales requeridas. Esa combinación de accesibilidad, salida a color y software integrado hizo que la Apple II fuera genuinamente diferente de máquinas como la Commodore PET y Tandy TRS-80, que llegaron a las tiendas aproximadamente en la misma época.

  El verdadero poder de la Apple II emergió en los próximos años, no en el lanzamiento. VisiCalc, la primera aplicación de hojas de cálculo, llegó en 1979 y inicialmente funcionaba solo en la Apple II, ese software único justificó el precio de compra para miles de propietarios de pequeños negocios que nunca habían pensado en computadoras como herramientas comerciales. La máquina permaneció en producción, con mejoras incrementales, durante dieciséis años. Para 1981, Apple había enviado 25,000 unidades; para 1983, ese número superaba 1 millón. La Apple II estableció el modelo para la computación personal: un sistema cerrado e integrado con una interfaz amigable, con precio para individuos en lugar de instituciones.

  Steve Jobs entendió algo que sus competidores no: las computadoras no eran solo calculadoras más rápidas para ingenieros. Eran herramientas que la gente ordinaria podría querer. El diseño industrial de la Apple II, trabajo de Jerry Manock y otros en Apple, lo señalaba. También lo hacía su punto de precio, que la posicionaba como tecnología asequible en lugar de equipo de laboratorio. La máquina nunca dominó el mercado en números brutos; la PC de IBM, lanzada en 1981, eventualmente la superó muchas veces. Pero la Apple II demostró que el mercado de computadoras personales existía y valía la pena construir para, lo que hizo posible todo lo que siguió: la Macintosh, el iPod, el iPhone.
generatedAt: "2026-06-03T17:36:11.094Z"
fr:
lede: Le 16 avril 1977, Apple Computer Company a présenté l'Apple II à la West Coast Computer Faire à San Francisco, une machine qui ressemblait à du matériel de bureau et coûtait moins cher qu'une voiture d'occasion. C'était le premier ordinateur conçu pour être utilisé par des gens ordinaires, avec des graphiques en couleur, un langage de programmation intégré et un prix qui ne nécessitait pas de financement institutionnel. L'Apple II n'a pas créé le marché de l'ordinateur personnel, mais il a prouvé que ce marché pouvait exister.
summaryShort: Apple Computer Company a présenté l'Apple II le 16 avril 1977, le premier ordinateur personnel grand public avec des graphiques en couleur et un interpréteur BASIC intégré, au prix de 1 298 dollars.
summaryLong: |-
  L'Apple II est arrivé à une époque où les ordinateurs étaient encore des équipements industriels de la taille d'une pièce ou des kits pour amateurs assemblés par des passionnés dans des garages. Steve Jobs et Steve Wozniak avaient fondé Apple Computer Company en 1976 après que Wozniak ait conçu l'Apple I original, une machine à circuit nu que Jobs a convaincue un détaillant d'électronique local de stocker. L'Apple II, présenté le 16 avril 1977 à la West Coast Computer Faire à San Francisco, a complètement changé la donne. Il était logé dans un boîtier en plastique beige qui ressemblait à une machine à écrire, se branchait sur une prise murale standard et un téléviseur, et se vendait 1 298 dollars, cher selon les normes d'aujourd'hui, mais une révélation comparé aux étiquettes de prix de 20 000 dollars et plus sur les systèmes concurrents.

  L'ingénierie de Wozniak l'a rendu possible. Sa conception utilisait moins de puces que les machines des concurrents, fonctionnait plus froidement et incluait la capacité de graphiques en couleur à une époque où la plupart des ordinateurs ne produisaient que du texte. La machine a été expédiée avec 4 kilooctets de RAM, extensible à 48 KB, et fonctionnait à 1 mégahertz. Plus important encore, elle était livrée avec Applesoft BASIC déjà intégré, ce qui signifiait que les acheteurs pouvaient commencer à programmer immédiatement, sans achats supplémentaires. Cette combinaison d'accessibilité, de sortie en couleur et de logiciel intégré rendait l'Apple II vraiment différent des machines comme le Commodore PET et le Tandy TRS-80, qui ont été lancés sur le marché à peu près au même moment.

  Le vrai pouvoir de l'Apple II s'est manifesté au cours des années suivantes, pas au lancement. VisiCalc, la première application de tableur, est arrivée en 1979 et s'exécutait initialement uniquement sur l'Apple II - ce seul logiciel a justifié le prix d'achat pour des milliers de petits propriétaires d'entreprises qui n'avaient jamais pensé aux ordinateurs comme outils commerciaux. La machine est restée en production, avec des améliorations progressives, pendant seize ans. En 1981, Apple avait expédié 25 000 unités ; en 1983, ce nombre dépassait 1 million. L'Apple II a établi le modèle de l'informatique personnelle : un système fermé et intégré avec une interface conviviale, au prix des individus plutôt que des institutions.

  Steve Jobs a compris quelque chose que ses concurrents ne comprenaient pas : les ordinateurs n'étaient pas seulement des calculatrices plus rapides pour les ingénieurs. C'étaient des outils que des gens ordinaires pourraient réellement vouloir. La conception industrielle de l'Apple II, le travail de Jerry Manock et d'autres chez Apple, l'a signalé. Son prix aussi, qui la positionnait comme une technologie accessible plutôt que comme un équipement de laboratoire. La machine n'a jamais dominé le marché en nombre brut ; l'IBM PC, lancé en 1981, l'a finalement surpassé de loin. Mais l'Apple II a prouvé que le marché de l'ordinateur personnel existait et valait la peine d'être construit, ce qui a rendu tout ce qui a suivi possible : le Macintosh, l'iPod, l'iPhone.
generatedAt: "2026-06-03T17:36:21.085Z"
de:
lede: Am 16. April 1977 stellte die Apple Computer Company den Apple II auf der West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco vor – ein Gerät, das wie Büroausstattung aussah und weniger kostete als ein Gebrauchtwagen. Es war der erste Computer, der für normale Menschen tatsächlich bedienbar war – mit Farbgrafiken, integrierter Programmiersprache und einem Preis, der keine institutionelle Finanzierung erforderte. Der Apple II schuf den Markt für Personalcomputer nicht, aber er bewies, dass dieser Markt existieren konnte.
summaryShort: Die Apple Computer Company führte den Apple II am 16. April 1977 ein – der erste Massenmarkt-Personalcomputer mit Farbgrafiken und integriertem BASIC-Interpreter, zum Preis von 1.298 Dollar.
summaryLong: |-
  Der Apple II kam zu einer Zeit auf den Markt, als Computer noch raumgroße Industriemaschinen oder von Enthusiasten in Garagen zusammenlötete Hobby-Bausätze waren. Steve Jobs und Steve Wozniak hatten Apple Computer Company 1976 gegründet, nachdem Wozniak den ursprünglichen Apple I entwickelt hatte – eine Maschine mit blanker Leiterplatte, die Jobs einen lokalen Elektronik-Händler überredete, zu lagern. Der Apple II, am 16. April 1977 auf der West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco vorgestellt, änderte alles grundlegend. Er kam in einem beigefarbenen Kunststoffgehäuse, das wie eine Schreibmaschine aussah, ließ sich an eine Standard-Steckdose und einen Fernseher anschließen und kostete 1.298 Dollar – teuer nach heutigen Maßstäben, aber eine Offenbarung im Vergleich zu Konkurrenzgeräten im Preissegment von über 20.000 Dollar.

  Wozniaks Konstruktion machte dies möglich. Sein Design verwendete weniger Chips als die Maschinen von Konkurrenten, lief kühler und bot Farbgrafiken-Funktionalität zu einer Zeit, als die meisten Computer nur Text ausgaben. Die Maschine wurde mit 4 Kilobyte RAM ausgeliefert, erweiterbar auf 48 KB, und lief mit 1 Megahertz. Noch entscheidender war, dass Applesoft BASIC bereits eingebaut war – das bedeutete, dass Käufer sofort programmieren konnten, ohne zusätzliche Käufe tätigen zu müssen. Diese Kombination aus Benutzerfreundlichkeit, Farbausgabe und integrierter Software machte den Apple II wirklich unterschiedlich zu Maschinen wie dem Commodore PET und Tandy TRS-80, die ungefähr zur gleichen Zeit auf den Markt kamen.

  Die eigentliche Stärke des Apple II kam in den folgenden Jahren zum Tragen, nicht beim Launch. VisiCalc, die erste Tabellenkalkulationsanwendung, kam 1979 auf den Markt und lief zunächst nur auf dem Apple II – dieses einzelne Softwareprodukt rechtfertigte den Kaufpreis für Tausende von Kleinunternehmer, die Computer nie als Geschäftswerkzeuge betrachtet hatten. Die Maschine blieb sechzehn Jahre lang in Produktion, mit schrittweisen Verbesserungen. Bis 1981 hatte Apple 25.000 Einheiten ausgeliefert; bis 1983 überstieg diese Zahl 1 Million. Der Apple II etablierte die Vorlage für Personal Computing: ein geschlossenes, integriertes System mit benutzerfreundlicher Oberfläche, zu einem Preis für Einzelpersonen statt Institutionen.

  Steve Jobs verstand etwas, das seine Konkurrenten nicht verstanden: Computer waren nicht nur schnellere Rechner für Ingenieure. Sie waren Werkzeuge, die normale Menschen tatsächlich haben wollten. Das Industrial Design des Apple II – die Arbeit von Jerry Manock und anderen bei Apple – signalisierte das. Genauso wie sein Preis, der ihn als erreichbare Technologie statt Laborausrüstung positionierte. Die Maschine dominierte den Markt nie in rohen Zahlen; IBMs PC, 1981 eingeführt, verkaufte sich schließlich viel häufiger. Aber der Apple II bewies, dass der Personalcomputer-Markt existierte und es wert war, für ihn zu entwickeln – was alles Folgende ermöglichte: den Macintosh, den iPod, das iPhone.
generatedAt: "2026-06-03T17:36:31.636Z"
