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{{About|Apple personal computers|other uses|McIntosh{{!}}McIntosh}}
{{Short description|Family of personal computers made by Apple}}
{{About|the family of personal computers|3=Mac (disambiguation){{!}}Mac}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2011}}
{{Redirect|Macintosh|the original Macintosh|Macintosh 128K||Macintosh (disambiguation)||}}
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[[File:Macintosh 128k transparency.png|thumb|alt=A beige, boxy computer with a small black and white screen showing a window and desktop with icons.|The [[Macintosh 128K|original Macintosh]], released in January 1984.]]
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[[File:Imac 16-9.png|thumb|alt=A wide, thin computer made of aluminum with a large screen.|A 2009 model [[iMac]]: a wide, thin design.]]
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
The '''Macintosh''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|æ|k|ɨ|n|t|ɒ|ʃ}} {{respell|MAK|in-tosh}}),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/macintosh|publisher=[[Reference.com|Dictionary.com]]|title=Define Macintosh|accessdate=April 11, 2010}}</ref> marketed as '''Mac''', is a line of [[personal computer]]s (PCs) designed, developed, and marketed by [[Apple Inc.]] It is targeted mainly at the home, education, and creative professional markets, and includes the descendants of the original [[iMac]], the entry-level [[Mac mini]] [[Desktop computer|desktop]] model, the [[Mac Pro]] tower [[computer graphics|graphics]] [[workstation]], and the [[MacBook Air]] and [[MacBook Pro]] laptops. Its [[Xserve]] [[server (computing)|server]] was discontinued on January 31, 2011.<ref name="xserve discontinue pdf">{{cite web |url=http://images.apple.com/xserve/pdf/L422277A_Xserve_Guide.pdf |title=Xserve Transition Guide |date=November 5, 2010 |accessdate=November 5, 2010}}</ref>


{{infobox information appliance
Apple Inc.'s then-chairman [[Steve Jobs]] introduced the [[Macintosh 128K|first Macintosh]] on January 24, 1984. It became the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a [[Mouse (computing)|mouse]] and a [[graphical user interface]], rather than a [[command-line interface]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Polsson|first=Ken|url=http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/applehis/appl1984.htm|title=Chronology of Apple Computer Personal Computers|date=July 29, 2009|accessdate=August 27, 2009}} See May 3, 1984.</ref> The Macintosh product line saw success through the end of the decade, though popularity dropped in the 1990s as the personal computer market shifted toward the "[[Wintel]]" platform: [[IBM PC compatible]] machines running [[MS-DOS]] and [[Microsoft Windows]] with an Intel processor. In 1998, Apple consolidated its multiple consumer-level desktop models into the all-in-one [[iMac G3|iMac]], which proved to be a sales success and saw the brand revitalized.<ref name="eight ways">{{cite web|last=Edwards|first=Benj|url=http://www.macworld.com/article/135017/2008/08/imacanniversary.html|title=Eight ways the iMac changed computing|publisher=[[Macworld]]|date=August 15, 2008|accessdate=August 27, 2009}}</ref>
| name = Mac
| logo = MacLogo.svg
| logo_size = 125px
| developer = [[Apple, Inc.]]
| manufacturer = Apple, Inc.
| type = [[Desktop computer]]s, [[All-in-one computer]]s, [[Laptop computer]]s
| release date = {{start date and age|1984|1|24}}
| cpu =
| related = [[Apple II]]<br/>[[Apple Lisa]]<br>[[Apple Workgroup Server]]<br>[[Xserve]]
| os = [[macOS]]<br>[[Classic Mac OS|"Classic" Mac OS]] (formerly)
| marketing_target =
| website =
| image = Macbook Air 15 inch - 2 (blurred).jpg
| caption = The MacBook Air, a notebook computer of the Mac lineup
| soc =
| lifespan = 1984–present
| aka = Macintosh
}}'''Mac''' is a family of [[personal computer]]s designed and marketed by [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] since 1984. The name is short for '''Macintosh''' (its official name until 1999), a reference to a type of apple called [[McIntosh (apple)|McIntosh]]. The current product lineup includes the [[MacBook Air]] and [[MacBook Pro]] laptops, and the [[iMac]], [[Mac Mini]], [[Mac Studio]], and [[Mac Pro]] desktops. Macs are sold with the [[macOS]] operating system, which is not licensed to other manufacturers and exclusively [[Pre-installed software|bundled]] with Mac computers.


[[Jef Raskin]] conceived the Macintosh project in 1979, which was usurped and redefined by Apple co-founder [[Steve Jobs]] in 1981. The original [[Macintosh 128K|Macintosh]] was launched in January 1984, after Apple's [[1984 (advertisement)|"1984" advertisement]] during [[Super Bowl XVIII]]. A series of incrementally improved models followed, sharing the same integrated case design. In 1987, the [[Macintosh II]] brought color graphics, but priced as a professional workstation and not a personal computer. Beginning in 1994 with the [[Power Macintosh]], the Mac transitioned from [[Motorola 68000 series]] processors to [[PowerPC]]. [[Macintosh clones]] by other manufacturers were also briefly sold afterwards. The line was refreshed in 1998 with the launch of [[iMac G3]], reinvigorating the line's competitiveness against commodity [[IBM PC compatible]]s. Macs [[Mac transition to Intel processors|transitioned]] to [[Intel]] [[x86]] processors by 2006 along with new sub-product lines [[MacBook]] and Mac Pro. Since 2020, Macs have [[Mac transition to Apple silicon|transitioned]] to [[Apple silicon]] chips based on [[ARM64]].
Production of the Mac is based on a [[vertical integration]] model. Apple facilitates all aspects of its hardware and creates its own [[operating system]]<ref>[http://www.statista.com/statistics/157902/global-market-share-of-operating-systems-since-2009/ Global Market Share of Leading Operating Systems Worldwide - Statistics from January 2009 to September 2012], StatCounter, October 2012.</ref> that is pre-installed on all Mac computers, unlike most [[IBM PC compatible]]s, where multiple sellers create and integrate hardware intended to run another company's operating software. Apple exclusively produces Mac hardware, choosing [[Personal computer hardware|internal systems]], [[industrial design|designs]], and prices. Apple uses third party components, however, such as graphics subsystems from [[Nvidia]], [[Intel]], and [[AMD]]. Current Mac [[Central processing unit|CPUs]] use [[Intel]]'s [[X86-64]] architecture. The earliest models (1984–1994) used [[Motorola]]'s [[68k]], and models from 1994 until 2006 used the [[AIM alliance]]'s [[PowerPC]]. Apple also develops the operating system for the Mac, [[OS X]], currently on version [[OS X Mountain Lion|10.8 "Mountain Lion"]]. The modern Mac, like other personal computers, is capable of running alternative operating systems such as [[Linux]], [[FreeBSD]], and, in the case of Intel-based Macs, [[Microsoft Windows]]. However, Apple does not [[Software license agreement|license]] OS X for use on non-Apple computers.


==History==
== History ==
{{See also|History of Apple Inc.}}
{{See also|History of Apple Inc.}}
[[File:Apple Mac Worldwide Quarterly Sales.webp|thumb|right|Mac worldwide quarterly sales]]


=== 1979–1996: "Macintosh" era ===
===Development and introduction===
[[File:Steve Jobs and Macintosh computer, January 1984, by Bernard Gotfryd - edited.jpg|alt=With a red background, Steve Jobs rests his forearms on a Macintosh computer.|thumb|[[Steve Jobs]] debuted the Macintosh in January 1984, photographed by [[Bernard Gotfryd]]. The Mac displays the [[shin-hanga]] ({{langx|ja|髪梳ける女}}; {{lit|hair combing woman}}) ([[:File:Hashiguchi Goyo - Woman in Blue Combing Her Hair - Walters 95880.jpg|original]]) by [[Goyō Hashiguchi]].]]
[[File:Early Macintosh Prototype Computer History Museum Mountain View California 2013-04-11 23-45.jpg|thumb|A prototype of the Macintosh from 1981 (at the [[Computer History Museum]])]]
In the late 1970s, the [[Apple II]] became one of the most popular computers, especially in education. After [[IBM]] introduced the [[IBM Personal Computer|IBM PC]] in 1981, its sales surpassed the Apple II. In response, Apple introduced the [[Apple Lisa|Lisa]] in 1983.{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|pp=67-68}} The Lisa's [[graphical user interface]] was inspired by strategically licensed demonstrations of the [[Xerox Star]]. Lisa surpassed the Star with intuitive [[Direct manipulation interface|direct manipulation]], like the ability to [[drag and drop]] files, double-click to launch applications, and move or resize windows by clicking and dragging instead of going through a menu.{{Sfn|Levy|2000|pp=90-101, 135-138}}{{Sfn|Malone|1999|pp=232-244}} However, hampered by its high price of {{US$|9,995|1981|round=-3|long=no}} and lack of available software, the Lisa was commercially unsuccessful.{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|pp=67-68}}
[[Image:Apple Macintosh Desktop.png|thumb|alt=A screenshot of the original Mac OS. See caption.|The original 1984 [[Mac OS history|Mac OS]] desktop featured a radically new [[graphical user interface]]. Users communicated with the computer, using a [[Desktop metaphor|metaphorical desktop]] that included [[Computer icon|icons]] of [[real life]] items, instead of abstract textual [[Command-line interface|commands]].]]
The Macintosh project began in the late 1970s with [[Jef Raskin]], an Apple employee who envisioned an easy-to-use, low-cost computer for the average consumer. He wanted to name the computer after his favorite type of apple, the [[McIntosh (apple)|McIntosh]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mxmora.best.vwh.net/JefRaskin.html|title=Recollections of the Macintosh project|accessdate=November 27, 2008|first=Jef|last=Raskin|year=1996|work=Articles from Jef Raskin about the history of the Macintosh.}}</ref> but the name had to be changed for legal reasons as it was too close, phonetically, to that of the [[McIntosh Laboratory|McIntosh audio equipment]] manufacturer. [[Steve Jobs]] requested a release of the name so that Apple could use it, but was denied, forcing Apple to eventually buy the rights to use the name.<ref>Apple confidential 2.0: the definitive history of the world's most colorful company, Owen W. Linzmayer, ISBN 978-1-59327-010-0</ref> Raskin was authorized to start hiring for the project in September 1979,<ref name="Father of Mac"/> and he began to look for an engineer who could put together a prototype. [[Bill Atkinson]], a member of Apple's [[Apple Lisa|Lisa]] team (which was developing a similar higher-end computer,) introduced him to [[Burrell Smith]], a self-taught engineer who worked as a service technician and had been hired earlier that year. Over the years, Raskin assembled a large development team that designed and built the original Macintosh hardware and the original version of the Mac OS operating system that the computer ran. Besides Raskin, Atkinson and Smith, the team included [[George Crow]],<ref>{{cite web|last=Crow|first=George|publisher=Folklore.org|authorlink=Jerry Manock|url=http://www.folklore.org/ProjectView.py?project=Macintosh&characters=George%20Crow|title=The Original Macintosh|accessdate=April 28, 2010}}</ref> [[Chris Espinosa]], [[Joanna Hoffman]], [[Bruce Horn]], [[Susan Kare]], [[Andy Hertzfeld]], [[Guy Kawasaki]], [[Daniel Kottke]],<ref>{{cite web|last=Kottke|first=Dan|publisher=Folklore.org|authorlink=Jerry Manock|url=http://www.folklore.org/ProjectView.py?project=Macintosh&characters=Dan%20Kottke|title=The Original Macintosh|accessdate=April 28, 2010}}</ref> and [[Jerry Manock]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Manock|first=Jerry|publisher=Folklore.org|authorlink=Jerry Manock|url=http://folklore.org/ProjectView.py?project=Macintosh&characters=Jerry%20Manock|title=The Original Macintosh|accessdate=April 28, 2010|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070929111006/http://folklore.org/ProjectView.py?project=Macintosh&characters=Jerry%20Manock |archivedate = September 29, 2007|deadurl=yes}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2009/01/twenty-five-yea.html#axzz0mQb8tIS0|title=Macintosh 25th Anniversary Reunion: Where Did Time Go?|date=January 26, 2009|accessdate=April 28, 2010|first=Guy|last=Kawasaki}}</ref><!--Espinosa, Hoffman, Kare, Hertzfeld, Kawasaki-->


Parallel to the Lisa's development, a [[Skunkworks project|skunkworks]] team at Apple was working on the Macintosh project. Conceived in 1979 by [[Jef Raskin]], Macintosh was envisioned as an affordable, easy-to-use computer for the masses. Raskin named the computer after his favorite type of apple, the [[McIntosh (apple)|McIntosh]]. The initial team consisted of Raskin, hardware engineer [[Burrell Smith]], and Apple co-founder [[Steve Wozniak]]. In 1981, [[Steve Jobs]] was removed from the Lisa team and joined Macintosh, and was able to gradually take control of the project due to [[Steve Wozniak#Plane crash and temporary leave from Apple|Wozniak's temporary absence after an airplane crash]]. Under Jobs, the Mac grew to resemble the Lisa, with a mouse and a more intuitive graphical interface, at a quarter of the Lisa's price.{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|pp=85-88, 92-94|ps=. Wozniak plane crash: p. 15.}}
Smith's first Macintosh board was built to Raskin's design specifications: it had 64&nbsp;[[kilobytes]] (kB) of [[Random Access Memory|RAM]], used the [[Motorola]] [[Motorola 6809|6809E]] [[microprocessor]], and was capable of supporting a 256×256-[[pixel]] [[black-and-white]] [[Raster graphics|bitmap]] display. [[Bud Tribble]], a member of the Mac team, was interested in running the Lisa's graphical programs on the Macintosh, and asked Smith whether he could incorporate the Lisa's [[Motorola 68000]] microprocessor into the Mac while still keeping the production cost down. By December 1980, Smith had succeeded in designing a board that not only used the 68000, but increased its speed from 5&nbsp;[[Hertz|MHz]] to 8&nbsp;MHz; this board also had the capacity to support a 384×256-pixel display. Smith's design used fewer RAM chips than the Lisa, which made production of the board significantly more cost-efficient. The final Mac design was self-contained and had the complete [[QuickDraw]] picture language and interpreter in 64 kB of [[read-only memory|ROM]]&nbsp;– far more than most other computers; it had 128&nbsp;kB of RAM, in the form of sixteen 64&nbsp;[[kilobit]] (kb) RAM chips [[solder]]ed to the [[motherboard|logicboard]]. Though there were no memory slots, its RAM was expandable to 512&nbsp;kB by means of soldering sixteen [[Integrated circuit|IC]] sockets to accept 256&nbsp;kb RAM chips in place of the factory-installed chips. The final product's screen was a 9-inch, 512x342 pixel [[monochrome]] display, exceeding the size of the planned screen.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hertzfeld|first=Andy|publisher=Folklore.org|authorlink=Andy Hertzfeld|url=http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Five_Different_Macs.txt|title=Five different Macintoshes|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}</ref><!--This sources the entire paragraph.-->


Upon its January 1984 launch, the [[Macintosh 128K|first Macintosh]] was described as "revolutionary" by ''The New York Times''.{{Sfn|Sandberg-Diment|1984|p=C3}} Sales initially met projections, but dropped due to the machine's low performance, single [[floppy disk]] drive requiring frequent disk swapping, and initial lack of applications. Author [[Douglas Adams]] said of it, "…what I (and I think everybody else who bought the machine in the early days) fell in love with was not the machine itself, which was ridiculously slow and underpowered, but a romantic idea of the machine. And that romantic idea had to sustain me through the realities of actually working on the 128K Mac."{{Sfn|Levy|2000|pp=185-187, 193-196}} Most of the original Macintosh team left Apple, and some followed Jobs to found [[NeXT]] after he was forced out by CEO [[John Sculley]].{{Sfn|Levy|2000|pp=201-203}} The first Macintosh nevertheless generated enthusiasm among buyers and some developers, who rushed to develop entirely new programs for the platform, including [[Adobe PageMaker|PageMaker]], [[MORE (application)|MORE]], and [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]].{{Sfn|Levy|2000|pp=198, 218-220}} Apple soon released the [[Macintosh 512K]] with improved performance and an external floppy drive.{{Sfn|Levy|2000|p=200}} The Macintosh is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface,{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|p=103}} Jobs's fascination with [[typography]] gave it an unprecedented variety of fonts and type styles like italics, bold, shadow, and outline.{{Sfn|Levy|2000|pp=158-159}} It is the first [[WYSIWYG]] computer, and due in large part to PageMaker and Apple's [[LaserWriter]] printer, it ignited the [[desktop publishing]] market, turning the Macintosh from an early let-down into a notable success.{{Sfn|Levy|2000|p=211, 220–222}} Levy called desktop publishing the Mac's "Trojan horse" in the enterprise market, as colleagues and executives tried these Macs and were seduced into requesting one for themselves. [[Adobe PageMaker|PageMaker]] creator Paul Brainerd said: "You would see the pattern. A large corporation would buy PageMaker and a couple of Macs to do the company newsletter. The next year you'd come back and there would be thirty Macintoshes. The year after that, three hundred."{{sfn|Levy|2000|pp=221-222}}
[[Image:Apple-Macintosh.jpg|thumb|alt=A Macintosh sits in a museum exhibit about postmodernism.|The Apple Macintosh Plus at the [[Röhsska Museum|Design Museum]] in [[Gothenburg]], Sweden.]]
Burrel's innovative design, which combined the low production cost of an [[Apple II]] with the computing power of Lisa's CPU, the Motorola 68K, set off shock waves within Apple, capturing the attention of [[Steve Jobs]],<ref>{{cite web|last=Hertzfeld|first=Andy|url=http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macintosh&story=Square_Dots.txt&topic=Hardware%20Design&sortOrder=Sort%20by%20Date|publisher=Folklore.org|title=Square Dots|accessdate=July 24, 2012}}</ref> co-founder of Apple. Realizing that the Macintosh was more marketable than the Lisa, he began to focus his attention on the project. Raskin left the team in 1981 over a personality conflict with Jobs. Team member Andy Hertzfeld said that the final Macintosh design is closer to Jobs' ideas than Raskin's.<ref name="Father of Mac">{{cite web|last=Hertzfeld|first=Andy|authorlink=Andy Hertzfeld|url=http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macintosh&story=The_Father_of_The_Macintosh.txt&showcomments=1#comments|publisher=Folklore.org|title=The father of the Macintosh|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}</ref> After hearing of the pioneering GUI technology being developed at [[Xerox PARC]], Jobs had negotiated a visit to see the [[Xerox Alto]] computer and its [[Smalltalk]] development tools in exchange for Apple stock options. The Lisa and Macintosh user interfaces were influenced by technology seen at Xerox PARC and were combined with the Macintosh group's own ideas.<ref>{{cite web|last=Horn|first=Bruce|url=http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macintosh&story=On_Xerox,_Apple_and_Progress.txt|publisher=Folklore.org|title=On Xerox, Apple and Progress|accessdate=February 3, 2007}}</ref> Jobs also commissioned industrial designer [[Hartmut Esslinger]] to work on the Macintosh line, resulting in the [[Snow White design language|"Snow White" design language]]; although it came too late for the earliest Macs, it was implemented in most other mid- to late-1980s Apple computers.<ref>{{cite web|last=Tracy|first=Ed|url=http://www.landsnail.com/apple/local/design/design2.html|title=History of computer design: Snow White|publisher=Landsnail.com|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}</ref> However, Jobs' leadership at the Macintosh project did not last; after an internal power struggle with new CEO [[John Sculley]], Jobs resigned from Apple in 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macintosh&story=The_End_Of_An_Era.txt|title=The End Of An Era|first=Andy|last=Hertzfeld|authorlink=Andy Hertzfeld|work=folklore.org}}</ref> He went on to found [[NeXT]], another computer company targeting the education market,<ref>{{cite news|last=Spector|first=G|title=Apple's Jobs Starts New Firm, Targets Education Market|work=[[eWeek|PCWeek]]|page=109|date=September 24, 1985}}</ref> and did not return until 1997, when Apple acquired NeXT.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://product.info.apple.com/pr/press.releases/1997/q2/970207.pr.rel.next.html |title=Apple Computer, Inc. Finalizes Acquisition of NeXT Software Inc.|date=February 7, 1997|publisher=Apple|accessdate=April 27, 2010 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/19990117075346/http://product.info.apple.com/pr/press.releases/1997/q2/970207.pr.rel.next.html |archivedate = January 17, 1999}}</ref> The Macintosh 128K was manufactured at an Apple plant in [[Fremont, California]].<ref name=argus>{{cite news|first=Rob |last=Dennis |title=Fremont mayor Bob Wasserman dead at 77 |url=http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_19641994 |work=[[The Argus (Fremont)]] |publisher=|date=2011-12-30 |accessdate=2012-01-21}}</ref>


In late 1985, Bill Atkinson, one of the few remaining employees to have been on the original Macintosh team, proposed that Apple create a [[Dynabook]], Alan Kay's concept for a tablet computer that stores and organizes knowledge. Sculley rebuffed him, so he adapted the idea into a Mac program, [[HyperCard]], whose cards store any information—text, image, audio, video—with the [[memex]]-like ability to [[Semantic network|semantically link]] cards together. HyperCard was released in 1987 and bundled with every Macintosh.{{Sfn|Levy|2000|pp=239-247}}
The [[Macintosh 128K]] was announced to the press in October 1983, followed by an 18-page brochure included with various magazines in December.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digibarn.com/collections/ads/apple-mac/index.htm|title=Apple Macintosh 18 Page Brochure|publisher=DigiBarn Computer Museum|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}</ref> The Macintosh was introduced by the now-famous US$1.5&nbsp;million [[Ridley Scott]] television commercial, "[[1984 (advertisement)|1984]]".<ref name="appleconfidential2">{{Cite book|last=Linzmayer|first=Owen W.|title=Apple Confidential 2.0|publisher=No Starch Press|year=2004|page=113|url=http://www.owenink.com|isbn=1-59327-010-0}}</ref> It most notably aired during the third quarter of [[Super Bowl XVIII]] on January 22, 1984, and is now considered a "watershed event"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kevinmaney/2004-01-28-maney_x.htm|title=Apple's '1984' Super Bowl commercial still stands as watershed event|accessdate=April 11, 2010|last=Maney|first=Kevin|date=January 28, 2004|work=USA Today}}</ref> and a "masterpiece."<ref name="masterpiece">{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/02/02/eye.ent.commercials/|title=Why 2006 isn't like '1984'|accessdate=May 10, 2008|last=Leopold|first=Todd|date=February 3, 2006|publisher=CNN}}</ref> "1984" used an unnamed heroine to represent the coming of the Macintosh (indicated by a [[Pablo Picasso|Picasso]]-style picture of the computer on her white [[sleeveless shirt|tank top]]) as a means of saving humanity from the "conformity" of IBM's attempts to dominate the computer industry. The ad [[allusion|alludes]] to [[George Orwell]]'s novel, ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]'', which described a [[dystopia|dystopian future]] ruled by a televised "[[Big Brother (1984)|Big Brother]]."<ref name="cellini">{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb197/is_200401/ai_n5556112|title=The Story Behind Apple's '1984' TV commercial: Big Brother at 20|accessdate=May 9, 2008|last=Cellini|first=Adelia|month=January|year=2004|work=[[MacWorld]] 21.1, page 18 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080626112220/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb197/is_200401/ai_n5556112 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = June 26, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/01/72496|title=Jan. 22, 1984: Dawn of the Mac|accessdate=April 11, 2010|last=Long|first=Tony|date=January 22, 2007|publisher=[[Wired News|Wired]]}}</ref>


[[File:Macintosh Portable-IMG 7541.jpg|thumb|Macintosh Portable]]
[[File:Ad apple 1984.jpg|thumb|alt=A young woman carrying a sledge hammer and wearing a white tank top with a drawing of a Macintosh runs from black figures in the background.|[[1984 (advertisement)|This television commercial]], first aired during [[Super Bowl XVIII]], launched the original Macintosh.]]
In the late 1980s, [[Jean-Louis Gassée]], a Sculley protégé who had succeeded Jobs as head of the Macintosh division, made the Mac more expandable and powerful to appeal to tech enthusiasts and enterprise customers.{{Sfn|Levy|2000|pp=226-234}} This strategy led to the successful 1989 release of the [[Macintosh II]], which appealed to [[power user]]s and gave the lineup momentum. However, Gassée's "no-compromise" approach foiled Apple's first [[laptop]], the [[Macintosh Portable]], which has many uncommon power user features, but is almost as heavy as the original Macintosh at twice its price. Soon after its launch, Gassée was fired.{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|pp=159-160}}
Two days after "1984" aired, the Macintosh went on sale, and came bundled with two applications designed to show off its interface: [[MacWrite]] and [[MacPaint]]. It was first demonstrated by Steve Jobs in the first of his famous Mac keynote speeches, and though the Mac garnered an immediate, enthusiastic following, some labeled it a mere "toy."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/gadgets/mac/news/2004/01/61730|title=We're All Mac Users Now|accessdate=April 11, 2010|last=Kahney|first=Leander|date=January 6, 2004|publisher=[[Wired News|Wired]]}}</ref> Because the operating system was designed largely around the GUI, existing text-mode and [[command line interface|command-driven applications]] had to be redesigned and the programming code rewritten. This was a time-consuming task that many [[software developer]]s chose not to undertake, and could be regarded as a reason for an initial lack of software for the new system. In April 1984, [[Microsoft]]'s [[MultiPlan]] migrated over from [[MS-DOS]], with [[Microsoft Word]] following in January 1985.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/applehis/appl1984.htm|title=Chronology of Apple Computer Personal Computers|author=Polsson, Ken|accessdate=November 18, 2007}}</ref> In 1985, [[Lotus Software]] introduced [[Lotus Jazz]] for the Macintosh platform after the success of [[Lotus 1-2-3]] for the [[IBM PC]], although it was largely a flop.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-11721498/lotus-third-time-charm.html|title=For Lotus, third time's the charm|author=Beamer, Scott|accessdate=June 23, 2010|date=January 13, 1992|publisher=MacWEEK}}</ref> Apple introduced the [[Macintosh Office]] suite the same year with the [[Lemmings (television commercial)|"Lemmings" ad]]. Infamous for insulting its own potential customers, the ad was not successful.<ref name="Worst Business"/>


Since the Mac's debut, Sculley had opposed lowering the company's profit margins, and Macintoshes were priced far above entry-level [[MS-DOS]] compatible computers. Steven Levy said that though Macintoshes were superior, the cheapest Mac cost almost twice as much as the cheapest IBM PC compatible.{{Sfn|Levy|2000}}{{page needed|date=November 2023}} Sculley also resisted licensing the Mac OS to competing hardware vendors, who could have undercut Apple on pricing and jeopardized its hardware sales, as [[IBM PC compatible]]s had done to IBM. These early strategic steps caused the Macintosh to lose its chance at becoming the dominant personal computer platform.{{Sfn|Levy|2000|pp=222-225}}{{Sfn|Malone|1999|p=416}} Though senior management demanded high-margin products, a few employees disobeyed and set out to create a computer that would live up to the original Macintosh's slogan, "[a] computer for the rest of us", which the market clamored for. In a pattern typical of Apple's early era, of skunkworks projects like Macintosh and Macintosh II lacking adoption by upper management who were late to realize the projects' merit, this once-renegade project was actually endorsed by senior management following market pressures. In 1990 came the [[Macintosh LC]] and the more affordable [[Macintosh Classic]], the first model under {{US$|1,000|1990|round=-2|long=no}}. Between 1984 and 1989, Apple had sold one million Macs, and another 10 million over the following five years.{{Sfn|Levy|2000|pp=227-234}}
Apple spent upwards of $2.5 million purchasing all 39 advertising pages in a special, post-election issue of ''[[Newsweek]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guidebookgallery.org/ads/magazines/macos/macos10-newsweek|title=1984 ''Newsweek'' Macintosh ads|publisher=GUIdebook, [[Newsweek]]|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}</ref> Apple also ran a "Test Drive a Macintosh" promotion, in which potential buyers with a credit card could take home a Macintosh for 24 hours and return it to a dealer afterwards. While 200,000 people participated, dealers disliked the promotion, the supply of computers was insufficient for demand, and many were returned in such a bad condition that they could no longer be sold. This marketing campaign caused CEO John Sculley to raise the price from US$1,995 to US$2,495 (about $5,200 when adjusted for inflation in 2010).<ref name="Worst Business">{{cite web|url=http://www.osnews.com/story/16036/Apples-Worst-Business-Decisions/|title=Apple's Worst Business Decisions|author=Hormby, Thomas|publisher=OS News|accessdate=December 24, 2007|date=October 2, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl|title=Inflation Calculator|publisher=[[Bureau of Labor Statistics]]|accessdate=May 14, 2010}}</ref>


[[File:Powerbook 100 pose.jpg|thumb|PowerBook 100]]
===Desktop publishing===
In 1991, the Macintosh Portable was replaced with the smaller and lighter [[PowerBook 100]], the first laptop with a palm rest and [[trackball]] in front of the keyboard. The PowerBook brought {{US$|1 billion|long=no}} of revenue within one year, and became a status symbol.{{Sfn|Levy|2000|pp=258-259}} By then, the Macintosh represented 10% to 15% of the personal computer market.{{Sfn|Levy|2000|pp=281, 298}} Fearing a decline in market share, Sculley co-founded the [[AIM alliance]] with IBM and Motorola to create a new standardized computing platform, which led to the creation of the [[PowerPC]] processor architecture, and the [[Taligent]] operating system.{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|pp=233-234}} In 1992, Apple introduced the [[Macintosh Performa]] line, which "grew like ivy" into a disorienting number of barely differentiated models in an attempt to gain market share. This backfired by confusing customers, but the same strategy soon afflicted the PowerBook line.{{Sfn|Malone|1999|pp=439-440}} [[Michael Spindler]] continued this approach when he succeeded Sculley as CEO in 1993.{{Sfn|Schlender|Tetzeli|2015|pp=90, 190}} He oversaw the Mac's transition from [[Motorola 68000 series]] to PowerPC and the release of Apple's first PowerPC machine, the well-received [[Power Macintosh]].{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|pp=233-237}}
[[Image:MacII.jpg|thumb|alt=A Macintosh II with a separate monitor and CPU.|The [[Macintosh II]], one of the first expandable Macintosh models.]]
In 1985, the combination of the Mac, Apple's [[LaserWriter]] printer, and Mac-specific software like Boston Software's [[MacPublisher]] and [[Adobe PageMaker|Aldus PageMaker]] enabled users to design, preview, and print page layouts complete with text and graphics—an activity to become known as [[desktop publishing]]. Initially, desktop publishing was unique to the Macintosh, but eventually became available for other platforms.<ref>{{Cite book| last = Spring | first = Michael B. | title = Electronic printing and publishing: the document processing revolution | publisher=CRC Press | year = 1991 | pages = 125–126 | url = http://books.google.com/?id=_MV46vFUrI4C&pg=PA125 | isbn = 9780824785444}}</ref> Later, applications such as Macromedia FreeHand, [[QuarkXPress]], and [[Adobe Systems|Adobe]]'s [[Photoshop]] and [[Adobe Illustrator|Illustrator]] strengthened the Mac's position as a graphics computer and helped to expand the emerging desktop publishing market.


Many new Macintoshes suffered from inventory and [[quality control]] problems. The 1995 [[PowerBook 5300]] was plagued with quality problems, with several recalls as some units even caught fire. Pessimistic about Apple's future, Spindler repeatedly attempted to sell Apple to other companies, including IBM, Kodak, AT&T, Sun, and Philips. In a last-ditch attempt to fend off Windows, Apple yielded and started a [[Macintosh clone]] program, which allowed other manufacturers to make [[System 7]] computers.{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|pp=233-237}} However, this only cannibalized the sales of Apple's higher-margin machines.<ref name="Phin 2015">{{Cite web |last=Phin |first=Christopher |date=October 26, 2015 |title=Clone wars: When the licensed copies were better than Apple's own Macs |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/226666/clone-wars-when-the-licensed-copies-were-better-than-apples-own-macs.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211129061321/https://www.macworld.com/article/226666/clone-wars-when-the-licensed-copies-were-better-than-apples-own-macs.html |archive-date=November 29, 2021 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=[[Macworld]] |language=en}}</ref> Meanwhile, [[Windows 95]] was an instant hit with customers. Apple was struggling financially as its attempts to produce a System 7 successor had all failed with Taligent, [[Star Trek project|Star Trek]], and [[Copland (operating system)|Copland]], and its hardware was stagnant. The Mac was no longer competitive, and its sales entered a tailspin.{{Sfn|Schlender|Tetzeli|2015|pp=190-197}} Corporations abandoned Macintosh in droves, replacing it with cheaper and more technically sophisticated [[Windows NT]] machines for which far more applications and peripherals existed. Even some Apple loyalists saw no future for the Macintosh.{{Sfn|Malone|1999|pp=523-527}} Once the world's second largest computer vendor after IBM, Apple's market share declined precipitously from 9.4% in 1993 to 3.1% in 1997.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 25, 1995 |title=Compaq takes lead in world PC market |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1995/01/25/compaq-takes-lead-in-world-pc-market/ed967146-ceb8-4c6c-aff1-60faba471c59/ |access-date=December 1, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 24, 1998 |title=Apple's Share of Market Falls |language=en-US |page=D2 |work=The New York Times |agency=Reuters |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/24/business/apple-s-share-of-market-falls.html |access-date=December 1, 2022 |archive-date=December 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203224155/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/24/business/apple-s-share-of-market-falls.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Bill Gates]] was ready to abandon [[Microsoft Office]] for Mac, which would have slashed any remaining business appeal the Mac had. [[Gil Amelio]], Spindler's successor, failed to negotiate a deal with Gates.{{Sfn|Schlender|Tetzeli|2015|pp=210-211}}
The Macintosh's minimal memory became apparent, even compared with other personal computers in 1984, and could not be expanded easily. It also lacked a [[hard disk drive]] or the means to easily attach one. Many small companies sprang up to address the memory issue. Suggestions revolved around either upgrading the memory to 512 KB or removing the computer's 16 memory chips and replacing them with larger-capacity chips, a tedious operation that was not always successful. In October 1985, Apple introduced the [[Macintosh 512K]], with quadruple the memory of the original, at a price of US$3,195.<ref name="512_specs">{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh 512K]]|appleNumber=SP187|everyURL=mac_classic/stats/mac_512k.html|accessdate=June 23, 2010}}</ref> It also offered an upgrade for 128k Macs that involved replacing the logicboard. In an attempt to improve connectivity, Apple released the [[Macintosh Plus]] on January 10, 1986, for a price of US$2,600. It offered one [[megabyte]] of RAM, easily expandable to four megabytes by the use of [[SIMM|socketed RAM boards]]. It also featured a [[SCSI]] parallel interface, allowing up to seven peripherals—such as hard drives and scanners—to be attached to the machine. Its [[Macintosh External Disk Drive|floppy drive]] was increased to an 800&nbsp;[[Kilobyte|kB]] capacity. The Mac Plus was an immediate success and remained in production, unchanged, until October 15, 1990; on sale for just over four years and ten months, it was the longest-lived Macintosh in Apple's history.<ref>{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh Plus]]|appleNumber=SP190|everyURL=mac_classic/stats/mac_plus.html|accessdate=June 23, 2010}}</ref> In September 1986, Apple introduced the Macintosh Programmer's Workshop, or [[Macintosh Programmer's Workshop|MPW]], an application that allowed software developers to create software for Macintosh on Macintosh, rather than [[cross compiling]] from a Lisa. In August 1987, Apple unveiled [[HyperCard]] and [[MultiFinder]], which added cooperative multitasking to the Macintosh. Apple began bundling both with every Macintosh.


In 1996, Spindler was succeeded by Amelio, who searched for an established operating system to acquire or license for the foundation of a new Macintosh operating system. He considered [[BeOS]], Solaris, Windows NT, and NeXT's [[NeXTSTEP]], eventually choosing the last. Apple acquired NeXT on December 20, 1996, returning its co-founder, Steve Jobs.{{Sfn|Schlender|Tetzeli|2015|pp=190-197}}{{Sfn|Malone|1999|p=518}}
Updated Motorola CPUs made a faster machine possible, and in 1987 Apple took advantage of the new Motorola technology and introduced the [[Macintosh II]], powered by a {{nowrap|16&nbsp;MHz}} [[Motorola 68020]] processor.<ref>{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh II]]|appleNumber=SP193|everyURL=mac_ii/stats/mac_ii.html|accessdate=June 23, 2010}}</ref> The primary improvement in the Macintosh II was Color [[QuickDraw]] in ROM, a color version of the graphics language which was the heart of the machine. Among the many innovations in Color QuickDraw were the ability to handle any display size, any color depth, and multiple monitors. The Macintosh II marked the start of a new direction for the Macintosh, as now for the first time it had an [[open architecture]] with several [[NuBus]] expansion slots, support for color graphics and external monitors, and a modular design similar to that of the IBM PC. It had an internal hard drive and a power supply with a fan, which was initially fairly loud.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=160|title=Apple Macintosh II|accessdate=December 23, 2007|publisher=Old Computers On-line Museum}}</ref> One third-party developer sold a device to regulate fan speed based on a heat sensor, but it voided the warranty.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://support.apple.com/kb/TA40560 |title=Macintosh II Family: Fan Regulator Voids Warranty|accessdate=December 23, 2007|publisher=Apple|date=July 2, 1992}}</ref> Later Macintosh computers had quieter power supplies and hard drives. The [[Macintosh SE]] was released at the same time as the Macintosh II, as the first [[Compact Macintosh|compact Mac]] with a 20&nbsp;MB internal hard drive and an expansion slot.<ref>{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh SE]]|appleNumber=SP191|everyURL=mac_classic/stats/mac_se.html|accessdate=June 23, 2010}}</ref> The SE's expansion slot was located inside the case along with the CRT, potentially exposing an upgrader to high voltage. For this reason, Apple recommended users bring their SE to an authorized Apple dealer to have upgrades performed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Apple Service Source: Apple SE/30|accessdate=November 16, 2010|url=http://www.apple-collection.com/CarPos/macse30.pdf}}</ref> The SE also updated [[Jerry Manock]] and Terry Oyama's original design and shared the Macintosh II's ''[[Snow White design language|Snow White]]'' design language, as well as the new [[Apple Desktop Bus]] (ADB) [[Apple Mouse#Apple Desktop Bus Mouse (G5431/A9M0331)|mouse]] and [[Apple Keyboard#Apple Keyboard (M0116)|keyboard]] that had first appeared on the [[Apple IIGS|Apple II<small>GS</small>]] some months earlier.


=== 1997–2011: Steve Jobs era ===
In 1987, Apple spun off its software business as [[Claris]]. It was given the code and rights to several applications that had been written within Apple, most notably MacWrite, MacPaint, and [[MacProject]]. In the late 1980s, Claris released a number of revamped software titles; the result was the "Pro" series, including MacDraw Pro, MacWrite Pro, and FileMaker Pro. To provide a complete office suite, Claris purchased the rights to the [[Informix Wingz]] [[spreadsheet]] program on the Mac, renaming it [[Claris Resolve]], and added the new presentation software [[Claris Impact]]. By the early 1990s, Claris applications were shipping with the majority of consumer-level Macintoshes and were extremely popular. In 1991, Claris released [[AppleWorks|ClarisWorks]], which soon became their second best-selling application. When Claris was reincorporated back into Apple in 1998, ClarisWorks was renamed AppleWorks beginning with version 5.0.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=MIT Project on Mathematics and Computation|url=http://www-swiss.ai.mit.edu/~bob/clarisworks.php|title=A Brief History of ClarisWorks|accessdate=December 24, 2007|year=2003|author=Hearm, Bob}}</ref>
NeXT had developed the mature [[NeXTSTEP]] operating system with strong multimedia and Internet capabilities.{{Sfn|Malone|1999|p=521}} NeXTSTEP was also popular among programmers, financial firms, and academia for its [[object-oriented programming]] tools for [[rapid application development]].<ref name="computerhistory.org">{{Cite web |last=Hsu |first=Hansen |date=March 15, 2016 |title=The Deep History of Your Apps: Steve Jobs, NeXTSTEP, and Early Object-Oriented Programming |url=https://computerhistory.org/blog/the-deep-history-of-your-apps-steve-jobs-nextstep-and-early-object-oriented-programming/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116061910/https://computerhistory.org/blog/the-deep-history-of-your-apps-steve-jobs-nextstep-and-early-object-oriented-programming/ |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=[[Computer History Museum]] |language=en}}</ref>{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|pp=207-213}} In an eagerly anticipated speech at the January 1997 [[Macworld/iWorld|Macworld]] trade show, Steve Jobs previewed [[Rhapsody (operating system)|Rhapsody]], a merger of NeXTSTEP and Mac OS as the foundation of Apple's new operating system strategy.{{Sfn|Malone|1999|pp=529, 554}} At the time, Jobs only served as advisor, and Amelio was released in July 1997. Jobs was formally appointed interim CEO in September, and permanent CEO in January 2000.{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|pp=289-298}} To continue turning the company around, Jobs streamlined Apple's operations and began layoffs.{{Sfn|Isaacson|2011|p=336-339, 359}} He negotiated a deal with [[Bill Gates]] in which Microsoft committed to releasing new versions of Office for Mac for five years, investing $150 million in Apple, and settling an ongoing lawsuit in which Apple alleged that Windows had copied the Mac's interface. In exchange, Apple made [[Internet Explorer]] the default Mac browser. The deal was closed hours before Jobs announced it at the August 1997 Macworld.{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|pp=288-291}}


Jobs returned focus to Apple. The Mac lineup had been incomprehensible, with dozens of hard-to-distinguish models. He streamlined it into four quadrants, a laptop and a desktop each for consumers and professionals. Apple also discontinued several Mac accessories, including the [[StyleWriter]] printer and the [[Apple Newton|Newton]] PDA.{{Sfn|Isaacson|2011|p=336-339}} These changes were meant to refocus Apple's engineering, marketing, and manufacturing efforts so that more care could be dedicated to each product.{{Sfn|Schlender|Tetzeli|pp=224-225|2015}} Jobs also stopped licensing Mac OS to clone manufacturers, which had cost Apple ten times more in lost sales than it received in licensing fees.{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|p=254-256, 291-292}} Jobs made a deal with the largest computer reseller, [[CompUSA]], to carry a [[store-within-a-store]] that would better showcase Macs and their software and peripherals. According to Apple, the Mac's share of computer sales in those stores went from 3% to 14%. In November, the online Apple Store launched with built-to-order Mac configurations without a middleman.{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|pp=289-298}} When [[Tim Cook]] was hired as chief operations officer in March 1998, he closed Apple's inefficient factories and outsourced Mac production to Taiwan. Within months, he rolled out a new [[Enterprise resource planning|ERP]] system and implemented [[Just-in-Time Manufacturing|just-in-time]] manufacturing principles. This practically eliminated Apple's costly unsold inventory, and within one year, Apple had the industry's most efficient inventory turnover.{{Sfn|Mickle|2022|pp=93-99}}
[[Image:Macintosh portable.jpg|thumb|The [[Macintosh Portable]] was Apple's first battery-powered Macintosh. It was available from 1989 to 1991 and could run [[System 6]] and [[System 7]].]]<!--Placed above mention in text for formatting.-->
In 1988, Apple [[Apple Computer, Inc. v. Microsoft Corp.|sued]] Microsoft and [[Hewlett-Packard]] on the grounds that they infringed Apple's copyrighted GUI, citing (among other things) the use of rectangular, overlapping, and resizable windows. After four years, the case was decided against Apple, as were later [[United States court of appeals|appeals]]. Apple's actions were criticized by some in the software community, including the [[Free Software Foundation]] (FSF), who felt Apple was trying to monopolize on GUIs in general, and boycotted GNU software for the Macintosh platform for seven years.<ref>{{cite journal|author=[[Free Software Foundation]]|title=Special Report: Apple's New Look and Feel|url=http://www.gnu.org/bulletins/bull5.html#SEC9|journal=GNU's Bulletin|volume=1|issue=5|date= June 11, 1988 |accessdate=April 25, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=[[Free Software Foundation]]|title=End of Apple Boycott|url=http://www.gnu.org/bulletins/bull18.html#SEC13|journal=GNU's Bulletin|volume=1|issue=18|date=1995-01|accessdate=April 25, 2006}}</ref>


[[File:IMac colorful internet lowres.png|thumb|The iMac G3's marketing heavily emphasizes its design and Internet capabilities for consumers.]]
With the new [[Motorola 68030]] processor came the [[Macintosh IIx]] in 1988, which had benefited from internal improvements, including an on-board [[memory management unit|MMU]].<ref>{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh IIx]]|appleNumber=SP194|everyURL=mac_ii/stats/mac_iix.html|accessdate=June 23, 2010}}</ref> It was followed in 1989 by the [[Macintosh IIcx]], a more compact version with fewer slots <ref>{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh IIcx]]|everyURL=apple/mac_ii/stats/mac_iicx.html|accessdate=June 23, 2010}}</ref> and a version of the Mac SE powered by the {{nowrap|16&nbsp;MHz}} 68030, the [[Macintosh SE/30]].<ref>{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh SE/30]]|appleNumber=SP195|everyURL=mac_classic/stats/mac_se30.html|accessdate=June 23, 2010}}</ref> Later that year, the [[Macintosh IIci]], running at {{nowrap|25&nbsp;MHz}}, was the first Mac to be "[[32-bit clean]]." This allowed it to natively support more than 8&nbsp;MB of RAM,<ref>{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh IIci]]|appleNumber=SP197|everyURL=mac_ii/stats/mac_iici.html|accessdate=June 23, 2010}}</ref> unlike its predecessors, which had "32-bit dirty" ROMs (8 of the 32&nbsp;bits available for addressing were used for OS-level [[Flag (computing)|flags]]). [[System 7 (Macintosh)|System 7]] was the first Macintosh operating system to support 32-bit addressing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lowendmac.com/trouble/32bit.shtml|title=32-bit Addressing on Older Macs|accessdate=December 24, 2007|date=2001-01|publisher=Low End Mac|author=Knight, Dan}}</ref> The following year, the [[Macintosh IIfx]], starting at US$9,900, was unveiled. Apart from its fast {{nowrap|40&nbsp;MHz}} [[Motorola 68030|68030]] processor, it had significant internal architectural improvements, including faster memory and two [[MOS Technology 6502|Apple II CPUs]] dedicated to [[Input/output|I/O]] processing.<ref>{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh IIfx]]|appleNumber=SP203|everyURL=mac_ii/stats/mac_iifx.html|accessdate=June 23, 2010}}</ref>
[[File:Power mac g4 cube.png|thumb|The [[Power Mac G4 Cube]] advanced Apple's industrial design culture and manufacturing processes.]]
Jobs's top priority was "to ship a great new product".{{Sfn|Schlender|Tetzeli|2015|pp=224}} The first is the [[iMac G3]], an all-in-one computer that was meant to make the [[Internet]] intuitive and easy to access. While PCs came in functional beige boxes, [[Jony Ive]] gave the iMac a radical and futuristic design, meant to make the product less intimidating. Its oblong case is made of translucent plastic in [[Bondi blue]], later revised with many colors. Ive added a handle on the back to make the computer more approachable. Jobs declared the iMac would be "legacy-free", succeeding [[Apple Desktop Bus|ADB]] and [[SCSI]] with an infrared port and cutting-edge [[USB]] ports. Though USB had industry backing, it was still absent from most PCs and USB 1.1 was only standardized one month after the iMac's release.{{Sfn|Kahney|2013|pp=113-134, 140-141}} He also controversially removed the [[floppy disk]] drive and replaced it with a [[CD-ROM|CD]] drive. The iMac was unveiled in May 1998, and released in August. It was an immediate commercial success and became the fastest-selling computer in Apple's history, with 800,000 units sold before the year ended. Vindicating Jobs on the Internet's appeal to consumers, 32% of iMac buyers had never used a computer before, and 12% were switching from PCs.{{Sfn|Kahney|2013|pp=113-134}} The iMac reestablished the Mac's reputation as a trendsetter: for the next few years, translucent plastic became the dominant design trend in numerous consumer products.{{Sfn|Kahney|2013|p=149}}


Apple knew it had lost its chance to compete in the Windows-dominated enterprise market, so it prioritized design and ease of use to make the Mac more appealing to average consumers, and even teens. The "Apple New Product Process" was launched as a more collaborative product development process for the Mac, with [[concurrent engineering]] principles. From then, product development was no longer driven primarily by engineering and with design as an afterthought. Instead, Ive and Jobs first defined a new product's "soul", before it was jointly developed by the marketing, engineering, and operations teams.{{Sfn|Kahney|2013|pp=135-143}} The engineering team was led by the product design group, and Ive's design studio was the dominant voice throughout the development process.{{Sfn|Kahney|2013|p=149, 200}}
===Decline===
[[Image:Macintosh classic.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Macintosh Classic]].]]
[[Image:Powerbook 100 pose.jpg|thumb|right|The [[PowerBook 100]].]]
[[Windows 3.0|Microsoft Windows 3.0]] was released in May 1990 as a less expensive alternative to the Macintosh platform, which began to approach the Macintosh operating system in both performance and feature set.{{citation needed|date=November 2010}} In response, Apple introduced a range of relatively inexpensive Macs in October 1990. The [[Macintosh Classic]], essentially a less expensive version of the Macintosh SE, was the least expensive Mac offered until early 2001.<ref name="lesscostlyMacClassic">{{cite news|title=Less-Costly Apple Line To Be Presented Today|first=Lawrence M.|last=Fisher |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFD9163CF936A25753C1A966958260|newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 15, 1990|accessdate=January 16, 2008}}</ref> The 68020-powered [[Macintosh LC]], in its distinctive "[[Pizza box form factor|pizza box]]" case, offered color graphics and was accompanied by a new, low-cost 512×384 pixel monitor.<ref>{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh LC]]|appleNumber=SP205|everyURL=mac_lc/stats/mac_lc.html|accessdate=June 24, 2010}}</ref> The [[Macintosh IIsi]] was essentially a {{nowrap|20&nbsp;MHz}} IIci with only one expansion slot.<ref>{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh IIsi]]|appleNumber=SP199|everyURL=mac_ii/stats/mac_iisi.html|accessdate=June 24, 2010}}</ref> All three machines sold well,<ref>{{cite news|title=I.B.M. Surprises Wall Street With Strong Quarterly Net; Apple Posts 20.6% Rise|first=Lawrence M. |last=Fisher|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE2DA163BF93BA25752C0A967958260 |work=The New York Times |date=January 18, 1991|accessdate= January 16, 2008}}</ref> although Apple's profit margin on them was considerably lower than that on earlier models.<ref name=lesscostlyMacClassic />


The next two Mac products in 1999, the [[Power Macintosh G3#Blue and White|Power Mac G3]] (nicknamed "Blue and White") and the [[IBook#iBook G3 ("Clamshell")|iBook]], introduced industrial designs influenced by the iMac, incorporating colorful translucent plastic and carrying handles. The iBook introduced several innovations: a strengthened hinge instead of a mechanical latch to keep it closed, ports on the sides rather than on the back, and the first laptop with built-in [[Wi-Fi]].{{Sfn|Kahney|2013|pp=143-149}} It became the best selling laptop in the U.S. during the fourth quarter of 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Tony |date=November 23, 1999 |title=iBook takes top slot in US retail sales |url=https://www.theregister.com/1999/11/23/ibook_takes_top_slot/ |access-date=December 13, 2022 |website=[[The Register]] |language=en |archive-date=December 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213223748/https://www.theregister.com/1999/11/23/ibook_takes_top_slot/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The professional-oriented [[PowerBook G4#1st generation: Titanium|Titanium PowerBook G4]] was released in 2001, becoming the lightest and thinnest laptop in its class, and the first laptop with a wide-screen display; it also debuted a magnetic latch that secures the lid elegantly.{{Sfn|Kahney|2013|pp=150-153}}
[[Image:Macintosh System 7.5.3 screenshot.png|thumb|left|[[System 7 (Macintosh)|System 7]], the first major upgrade to the Macintosh operating system.]]
[[File:MacOS81 screenshot.png|thumb|left|[[Mac OS 8|OS 8]], the second major upgrade.]]
Apple improved Macintosh computers by introducing models equipped with newly available processors from the 68k lineup. The [[Macintosh Classic II]]<ref>{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh Classic II]]|appleNumber=SP204|everyURL=mac_classic/stats/mac_classic_ii.html|accessdate=June 24, 2010}}</ref> and [[Macintosh LC II]], which used a {{nowrap|16&nbsp;MHz}} 68030 CPU,<ref>{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh LC II]]|appleNumber=SP206|everyURL=mac_lc/stats/mac_lc_ii.html|accessdate=June 24, 2010}}</ref> were joined in 1991 by the [[Macintosh Quadra]] 700<ref>{{cite mac|model=[[Macintosh Quadra]] 700|appleNumber=SP235|everyURL=mac_quadra/stats/mac_quadra_700.html|accessdate=June 24, 2010}}</ref> and 900,<ref>{{cite mac|model=Macintosh Quadra 900|appleNumber=mac_quadra/stats/mac_quadra_900.html|everyURL=mac_quadra/stats/mac_quadra_900.html|accessdate=June 24, 2010}}</ref> the first Macs to employ the faster [[Motorola 68040]] processor. In 1994, Apple abandoned Motorola CPUs for the [[Reduced instruction set computer|RISC]] PowerPC architecture developed by the [[AIM alliance]] of Apple Computer, IBM, and Motorola.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kaomso.com/FullStory.php?TheStory=78|title=Apple's Transition to PowerPC put in perspective|author=Hormby, Thomas|publisher=Kaomso|accessdate=December 24, 2007|date=January 3, 2005}}</ref> The [[Power Macintosh]] line, the first to use the new chips, proved to be highly successful, with over a million PowerPC units sold in nine months.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/applehis/appl1994.htm|title=Chronology of Apple Computer Personal Computers|author=Polsson, Ken|accessdate=December 24, 2007|date=December 16, 2007}}</ref>


[[File:IBook G3 M6497 J.jpg|thumb|The [[IBook#iBook G3 Dual USB ("Snow")|Dual USB "Ice" iBook]] represents a design shift away from color, toward white polycarbonate.]]
It wasn't long until Apple released their first portable computers, beginning with the [[Macintosh Portable]] released in 1990. Although due to considerable design issues, it was soon replaced in 1991 with the first of the [[PowerBook]] line: the [[PowerBook 100]], a miniaturized Portable; the {{nowrap|16&nbsp;MHz}} 68030 [[PowerBook 140]]; and the {{nowrap|25&nbsp;MHz}} 68030 [[PowerBook 170]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/applehis/appl1990.htm|title=Chronology of Apple Computer Personal Computers|author=Polsson, Ken|accessdate=November 18, 2007}}</ref> They were the first portable computers with the keyboard behind a palm rest and a built-in pointing device (a [[trackball]]) in front of the keyboard.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/02/16/apple_to_re_enter_the_sub_notebook_market.html|title=Apple to re-enter the sub-notebook market|author=Jade, Kasper|publisher=AppleInsider|accessdate=December 24, 2007|date=February 16, 2007}}</ref> The 1993 [[PowerBook 165c]] was Apple's first portable computer to feature a color screen, displaying 256 colors with {{nowrap|640 x 400}}-pixel resolution.<ref>{{cite mac|model=PowerBook 165c|appleNumber=SP148|everyURL=powerbook/stats/mac_powerbook165c.html|accessdate=June 24, 2010}}</ref> The second generation of PowerBooks, the 68040-equipped [[PowerBook 500 series|500 series]], introduced [[trackpad]]s, integrated stereo speakers, and built-in [[Ethernet]] to the laptop form factor in 1994.<ref>{{cite mac|model=PowerBook 520|appleNumber=SP160|everyURL=powerbook/stats/mac_powerbook520.html|accessdate=November 12, 2010}}</ref>
The design language of consumer Macs shifted again from colored plastics to white polycarbonate with the introduction of the 2001 [[IBook#iBook G3 Dual USB ("Snow")|Dual USB "Ice" iBook]]. To increase the iBook's durability, it eliminated doors and handles, and gained a more minimalistic exterior. Ive attempted to go beyond the quadrant with [[Power Mac G4 Cube]], an innovation beyond the [[computer tower]] in a professional desktop far smaller than the Power Mac. The Cube failed in the market and was withdrawn from sale after one year. However, Ive considered it beneficial, because it helped Apple gain experience in complex [[machining]] and miniaturization.{{Sfn|Kahney|2013|pp=153-158}}


The development of a successor to the old Mac OS was well underway. Rhapsody had been previewed at [[Worldwide Developers Conference|WWDC]] 1997, featuring a [[Mach (kernel)|Mach]] kernel and [[Berkeley Software Distribution|BSD]] foundations, a virtualization layer for old Mac OS apps (codenamed Blue Box), and an implementation of NeXTSTEP [[API]]s called [[OpenStep]] (codenamed Yellow Box). Apple open-sourced the core of Rhapsody as the [[Darwin (operating system)|Darwin]] operating system. After several developer previews, Apple also introduced the [[Carbon (API)|Carbon]] API, which provided a way for developers to more easily make their apps native to Mac OS X without rewriting them in Yellow Box. Mac OS X was publicly unveiled in January 2000, introducing the modern [[Aqua (user interface)|Aqua]] graphical user interface, and a far more stable [[Unix]] foundation, with [[memory protection]] and [[Preemption (computing)|preemptive multitasking]]. Blue Box became the [[Classic environment]], and Yellow Box was renamed [[Cocoa (API)|Cocoa]]. Following a [[Mac OS X Public Beta|public beta]], the first version of Mac OS X, version [[Mac OS X 10.0|10.0 Cheetah]], was released in March 2001.{{Sfn|Singh|2006|pp=10-15, 27-36}}
As for [[Mac OS]], [[System 7 (Macintosh)|System 7]] was a [[32-bit]] rewrite from [[Pascal (programming language)|Pascal]] to [[C++]] that introduced [[virtual memory]] and improved the handling of color graphics, as well as memory addressing, networking, and [[co-operative multitasking]]. Also during this time, the Macintosh began to shed the "Snow White" design language, along with the expensive consulting fees they were paying to [[Frogdesign]]. Apple instead brought the design work in-house by establishing the [[Apple Industrial Design Group]], becoming responsible for crafting a new look for all Apple products.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kunkel|first=Paul|others=Rick English (photographs)|title=AppleDesign: The work of the Apple Industrial Design Group|date= October 1, 1997 |publisher=[[Graphis Inc.]]|location=New York City|isbn=1888001259}}</ref>


[[File:IMac G4 and keyboard.jpg|thumb|The "Sunflower" iMac G4 is an industrial design innovation.]]
Despite these technical and commercial successes, [[Microsoft]] and [[Intel]] began to rapidly lower Apple's [[market share]] with the introduction of the [[Windows 95]] operating system and [[Pentium (brand)|Pentium]] processors. These significantly enhanced the multimedia capability and performance of [[IBM PC compatible]] computers, and brought Windows closer to the Mac [[GUI]]. Furthermore, Apple had created too many similar models that confused potential buyers. At one point, its product lineup was subdivided into Classic, LC, II, Quadra, [[Macintosh Performa|Performa]], and [[Macintosh Centris|Centris]] models, with essentially the same computer being sold under a number of different names.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=12707 |title=Macintosh Centris, Quadra 660AV: Description (Discontinued)|author=Apple Computer|accessdate=December 24, 2007|date=June 19, 1995}}</ref> These models competed against [[Macintosh clone]]s, hardware manufactured by third-parties that ran Apple's System 7. This succeeded in increasing the Macintosh's market share somewhat, and provided cheaper hardware for consumers, but hurt Apple financially as existing Apple customers began to buy cheaper clones while Apple shouldered the burden of developing the platform.
In 1999, Apple launched its new "digital lifestyle" strategy of which the Mac became a "digital hub" and centerpiece with several new applications. In October 1999, the [[iMac DV]] gained [[IEEE 1394|FireWire]] ports, allowing users to connect camcorders and easily create movies with [[iMovie]]; the iMac gained a CD burner and [[iTunes]], allowing users to rip CDs, make playlists, and burn them to blank discs. Other applications include [[iPhoto]] for organizing and editing photos, and [[GarageBand]] for creating and mixing music and other audio. The digital lifestyle strategy entered other markets, with the [[iTunes Store]], [[iPod]], [[iPhone]], [[iPad]], and the 2007 renaming from Apple Computer Inc. to Apple Inc. By January 2007, the iPod was half of Apple's revenues.{{Sfn|Isaacson|2011|pp=378-410}}


New Macs include the white [[IMac G4|"Sunflower" iMac G4]]. Ive designed a display to swivel with one finger, so that it "appear[ed] to defy gravity".{{Sfn|Kahney|2013|pp=187-191}} In 2003, Apple released the aluminum 12-inch and 17-inch [[PowerBook G4#2nd generation: Aluminum|PowerBook G4]], proclaiming the "Year of the Notebook". With the Microsoft deal expiring, Apple also replaced Internet Explorer with its new browser, [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]].{{Sfn|Linzmayer|2004|pp=301-302}} The first [[Mac Mini#First generation (G4 Polycarbonate)|Mac Mini]] was intended to be assembled in the U.S., but domestic manufacturers were slow and had insufficient quality processes, leading Apple to Taiwanese manufacturer [[Foxconn]].{{Sfn|Kahney|2013|pp=203-210}} The affordably priced Mac Mini desktop was introduced at Macworld 2005, alongside the introduction of the [[iWork]] office suite.{{Sfn|Kahney|2013|pp=187-191, 203-210}}
When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 following the company's purchase of NeXT, he ordered that the OS that had been previewed as version 7.7 be branded [[Mac OS 8]] (in place of the never-to-appear [[Copland (operating system)|Copland OS]]). Since Apple had licensed only System 7 to third-parties, this move effectively ended the clone line. The decision caused significant financial losses for companies like [[Motorola]], who produced the [[Motorola StarMax|StarMax]]; Umax, who produced the SuperMac;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.everymac.com/systems/umax/index-umax-supermac-mac-clones.html|title=Umax Mac Clones (MacOS-Compatible Systems)|author=EveryMac.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009|date=October 27, 2009}}</ref> and [[Power Computing Corporation|Power Computing]], who offered several lines Mac clones, including the PowerWave, PowerTower, and PowerTower Pro.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.everymac.com/systems/powercc/index-power-computing-mac-clones.html|title=PowerComputing Mac Clones (MacOS-Compatible Systems)|author=EveryMac.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009|date=October 27, 2009}}</ref> These companies had invested substantial resources in creating their own Mac-compatible hardware.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lowendmac.com/musings/mm07/0830.html|title=1997: Apple Squeezes Mac Clones Out of the Market|author=Knight, Dan|publisher=Low End Mac|accessdate=December 24, 2007|date=August 30, 2007}}</ref> Apple bought out Power Computing's license, but allowed Umax to continue selling Mac clones until their license expired, as they had a sizeable presence in the lower-end segment that Apple did not.{{citation needed|date=November 2010}}


[[Bertrand Serlet|Serlet]] and [[Avie Tevanian|Tevanian]] were both initiating the secret project asked by [[Steve Jobs]] to propose to [[Sony]] executives, in 2001, to sell [[Mac OS X]] on [[Vaio]] laptops.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Souppouris |first=Aaron |date=2014-02-05 |title=Steve Jobs wanted Sony VAIOs to run OS X |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/5/5380832/sony-vaio-apple-os-x-steve-jobs-meeting-report |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref> They showed them a demonstration at a golf party in [[Hawaii]], with the most expensive [[Vaio]] laptop they could have acquired.<ref>{{Cite web |title=sony-turned-down-offer-from-steve-jobs-to-run-mac-os-on-vaio-laptops-says-ex-president/ |url=https://9to5mac.com/2014/02/05/sony-turned-down-offer-from-steve-jobs-to-run-mac-os-on-vaio-laptops-says-ex-president/}}</ref> But due to bad timing, [[Sony]] refused, arguing their [[Vaio]] sales just started to grow after years of difficulties.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-02-05 |title=The tales of Steve Jobs & Japan #02: casual friendship with Sony {{!}} Steve Jobs and Japan {{!}} nobi.com (EN) |url=https://nobi.com/en/Steve%20Jobs%20and%20Japan/entry-1212.html |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=nobi.com |language=ja}}</ref>
===Revival===
[[Image:IMac Bondi Blue.jpg|thumb|The [[iMac G3]], introduced in 1998. While it led Apple's return to profitability, the [[Apple USB Mouse|associated mouse]] was one of consumers' least favorite products.<ref>{{cite web|last=Engst|first=Adam|title=The six worst Apple products of all time|url=http://www.macworld.com/article/138404/2009/01/macat25_worstproducts.html|publisher=Macworld|accessdate=May 14, 2010|date=January 23, 2009}}</ref>]]
In 1998, Apple introduced its new [[iMac]] which, like the original 128K Mac, was an all-in-one computer. Its translucent plastic case, originally [[Bondi blue]] and later various additional colors, is considered an [[industrial design]] landmark of the late 1990s. The iMac did away with most of Apple's standard (and usually proprietary) connections, such as [[SCSI]] and [[Apple Desktop Bus|ADB]], in favor of two [[Universal Serial Bus|USB]] ports.<ref>{{cite web|last=Spooner|first=John|title=Compaq hopes to follow iMac|url=http://www.zdnet.com/news/compaq-hopes-to-follow-the-imac/104658|publisher=ZDNet|accessdate=May 10, 2012|date=January 23, 1999}}</ref> It replaced a [[floppy disk]] drive with a [[CD-ROM]] drive for installing software,<ref name="eight ways" /><ref>{{cite mac|model=[[iMac G3]]|appleNumber=SP136|everyURL=imac/stats/imac_ab.html|accessdate=June 24, 2010}}</ref> but was incapable of writing to CDs or other media without external third-party hardware. The iMac proved to be phenomenally successful, with 800,000 units sold in 139 days.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apple.com/ca/press/1999/01/iMac_Sales.html|title=800,000 iMacs Sold in First 139 Days|publisher=Apple|date=January 5, 1999|accessdate=December 23, 2007}}</ref> It made the company an annual profit of US$309&nbsp;million, Apple's first profitable year since [[Michael Spindler]] took over as CEO in 1995.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE6D8123AF936A25753C1A96E958260 |title=COMPANY REPORTS; Apple's First Annual Profit Since 1995|author=Markoff, John | authorlink = John Markoff |date=October 15, 1998|work=The New York Times |accessdate=December 23, 2007}}</ref> This aesthetic was applied to the [[Power Macintosh G3 (Blue & White)|Power Macintosh]] and later the [[iBook]], Apple's first consumer-level laptop computer, filling the missing quadrant of Apple's "four-square product matrix" (''desktop'' and ''portable'' products for both ''consumers'' and ''professionals'').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://db.tidbits.com/article/5487?print_version=1|title=iBook: An iMac to Go}}</ref> More than 140,000 pre-orders were placed before it started shipping in September,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.macobserver.com/news/99/august/990831/140000ibooks.html|title=Apple Averages Three Thousand iBooks Per Day In Pre-orders!|date=August 31, 1999|publisher=The Mac Observer|accessdate=December 24, 2007}}</ref> and by October proved to be a large success.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2000/jan/25ibook.html|title=PC Data Ranks iBook Number One Portable in U.S.|date=January 25, 2000|publisher=Apple|accessdate=December 18, 2007}}</ref>


==== Intel transition and "back to the Mac" ====
In early 2001, Apple began shipping computers with [[CD-RW]] drives and emphasized the Mac's ability to play DVDs by including [[DVD-ROM]] and [[DVD-RAM]] drives as standard.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pcworld.about.com/news/Jan092001id37951.htm|title=Speed, Song Highlight Apple Product Announcements}}</ref> Steve Jobs admitted that Apple had been "late to the party" on writable CD technology, but felt that Macs could become a "digital hub" that linked and enabled an "emerging digital lifestyle".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/Apple-picks-up-the-beat-with-CD-RW-drives/2100-1040_3-249578.html|title=Apple picks up the beat with CD-RW drives}}</ref> Apple would later introduce an update to its [[iTunes]] music player software that enabled it to burn CDs, along with a controversial "Rip, Mix, Burn" advertising campaign that some<ref><http://www.macworld.com/article/3744/2002/03/eisner2.html></ref> felt encouraged [[media piracy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maclife.com/article/feature/complete_itunes_history_soundjam_mp_itunes_9|title=The Complete iTunes History – SoundJam MP to iTunes 9}}</ref> This accompanied the release of the [[iPod]], Apple's first successful [[Mobile device|handheld device]]. Apple continued to launch products, such as the unsuccessful [[Power Mac G4 Cube]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/PowerMacG4_CubeAbout.PDF|format=PDF|title=About the Macintosh Cube|year=2000|publisher=Apple|accessdate=October 9, 2008}}</ref> the education-oriented [[eMac]], and the titanium (and later aluminium) [[PowerBook G4]] laptop for professionals.
With PowerPC chips falling behind in performance, price, and efficiency, Steve Jobs announced in 2005 the [[Mac transition to Intel processors]], because the operating system had been developed for both architectures since the beginning.{{Sfn|Schlender|Tetzeli|pp=373-374|2015}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Snell |first=Jason |date=January 11, 2006 |title=Chip Story: The Intel Mac FAQ, 2006 edition |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/178446/intelfaq2006.html |access-date=December 15, 2022 |website=Macworld |language=en |archive-date=February 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230219193806/https://www.macworld.com/article/178446/intelfaq2006.html |url-status=live }}</ref> PowerPC apps run using transparent [[Rosetta (software)|Rosetta]] emulation,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Siracusa |first=John |date=July 20, 2011 |title=Mac OS X 10.7 Lion: the Ars Technica review |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2011/07/mac-os-x-10-7/ |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=February 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230219193808/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2011/07/mac-os-x-10-7/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and Windows boots natively using [[Boot Camp (software)|Boot Camp]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ecker |first=Clint |date=April 5, 2006 |title=Apple unveils official support for booting Windows |url=https://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2006/04/6524-2/ |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref> This transition helped contribute to a few years of growth in Mac sales.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cheng |first=Jacqui |date=February 24, 2009 |title=Making sense of Mac market share figures |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2009/02/mac-market-share/ |access-date=December 15, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=December 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215234108/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2009/02/mac-market-share/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


[[File:Steve Jobs with MacBook Air 2.jpg|thumb|Steve Jobs unveiled the first [[MacBook Air (Intel-based)|MacBook Air]] at [[Macworld 2008]].]]
The [[iMac G3|original iMac]] used a [[PowerPC G3|PowerPC G3 processor]], but [[iMac G4|G4]] and [[iMac G5|G5]] chips were soon added, both accompanied by complete case redesigns that dropped the array of colors in favor of white plastic. As of 2007, all iMacs use aluminium cases. On January 11, 2005, Apple announced the [[Mac Mini]], priced at US$499, making it the cheapest Mac.<ref>{{cite news|title=Apple Changes Course With Low-Priced Mac|first1=John|last1=Markoff|first2=Saul|last2=Hansell| authorlink = John Markoff | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/12/technology/12apple.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 12, 2005|accessdate=January 16, 2006}}</ref><ref name=BBCunveil>{{Cite journal|title=Apple unveils low-cost 'Mac mini'|publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4162009.stm|accessdate=April 28, 2010 | date=January 11, 2005|postscript=<!--None-->}}</ref>
After the [[iPhone]]'s 2007 release, Apple began a multi-year effort to bring many iPhone innovations "back to the Mac", including [[multi-touch]] gesture support, instant wake from sleep, and fast [[Flash memory|flash storage]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Chen |first=Brian X. |title=Mobile-Inspired Upgrades Define Apple's PC Strategy |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2010/10/apple-software/ |access-date=December 4, 2022 |issn=1059-1028 |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205010707/https://www.wired.com/2010/10/apple-software/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Helft |first=Miguel |date=October 21, 2010 |title=Apple Flips the Playbook, Putting Mobile Tech in PCs |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/21/technology/21apple.html |access-date=December 5, 2022 |issn= |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205010706/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/21/technology/21apple.html |url-status=live }}</ref> At Macworld 2008, Jobs introduced the [[MacBook Air#First generation (Unibody)|first MacBook Air]] by taking it out of a manila envelope, touting it as the "world's thinnest notebook".<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Flynn |first=Laurie J. |date=January 15, 2008 |title=Apple Unveils Movie Rentals and Thin Notebook |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/technology/15cnd-apple.html |access-date=December 4, 2022 |issn= |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205010706/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/technology/15cnd-apple.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The MacBook Air favors wireless technologies over physical ports, and lacks [[IEEE 1394|FireWire]], an [[Optical disc drive|optical drive]], or a replaceable battery. The Remote Disc feature accesses discs in other networked computers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cheng |first=Jacqui |date=February 4, 2008 |title=Thin is in: Ars Technica reviews the MacBook Air |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2008/02/macbook-air-review/ |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205010707/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2008/02/macbook-air-review/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A decade after its launch, journalist Tom Warren wrote that the MacBook Air had "immediately changed the future of laptops", starting the [[ultrabook]] trend.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=January 15, 2018 |title=Steve Jobs changed the future of laptops 10 years ago today |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/15/16892792/apple-macbook-air-steve-jobs-anniversary |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205010706/https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/15/16892792/apple-macbook-air-steve-jobs-anniversary |url-status=live }}</ref> [[OS X Lion]] added new software features first introduced with the [[iPad]], such as [[FaceTime]], full-screen apps, document autosaving and versioning, and a bundled [[Mac App Store]] to replace software install discs with online downloads. It gained support for [[Retina display]]s, which had been introduced earlier with the [[iPhone 4]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trenholm |first=Richard |date=February 24, 2011 |title=Mac OS X Lion gets lion's share of new features from the iPad |url=https://www.cnet.com/pictures/mac-os-x-lion-gets-lions-share-of-new-features-from-the-ipad/ |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=CNET |language=en |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205012208/https://www.cnet.com/pictures/mac-os-x-lion-gets-lions-share-of-new-features-from-the-ipad/ |url-status=live }}</ref> iPhone-like multi-touch technology was progressively added to all MacBook trackpads, and to desktop Macs through the [[Magic Mouse]], and [[Magic Trackpad]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Chen |first=Brian X. |title=Review: Apple Magic Mouse |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2009/11/pr-magicmouse/ |access-date=December 15, 2022 |issn=1059-1028 |archive-date=December 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215235615/https://www.wired.com/2009/11/pr-magicmouse/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Sorrel |first=Charlie |title=Apple's Magic Trackpad Brings Multi-Touch to the Desktop |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2010/07/apples-magic-trackpad-brings-multi-touch-to-the-desktop/ |access-date=December 15, 2022 |issn=1059-1028 |archive-date=December 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215234108/https://www.wired.com/2010/07/apples-magic-trackpad-brings-multi-touch-to-the-desktop/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The 2010 MacBook Air added an iPad-inspired standby mode, "instant-on" wake from sleep, and [[flash memory]] storage.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mingis |first=Ken |date=October 28, 2010 |title=Apple's new 11.6-in. MacBook Air: Don't call it a netbook |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2513758/apple-s-new-11-6-in--macbook-air--don-t-call-it-a-netbook.html |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=Computerworld |language=en |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205010706/https://www.computerworld.com/article/2513758/apple-s-new-11-6-in--macbook-air--don-t-call-it-a-netbook.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Foresman |first=Chris |date=November 3, 2010 |title=The future of notebooks: Ars reviews the 11" MacBook Air |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2010/11/the-future-of-notebooks-ars-reviews-the-11-macbook-air/ |access-date=December 4, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=February 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230219193810/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2010/11/the-future-of-notebooks-ars-reviews-the-11-macbook-air/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


After criticism by Greenpeace, Apple improved the ecological performance of its products.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lombardi |first=Candace |title=How Apple and Greenpeace made peace |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/how-apple-and-greenpeace-made-peace/ |access-date=February 10, 2023 |website=CNET |language=en |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210020409/https://www.cnet.com/culture/how-apple-and-greenpeace-made-peace/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The 2008 MacBook Air is free of toxic chemicals like [[Mercury (element)|mercury]], [[bromide]], and [[Polyvinyl chloride|PVC]], and with smaller packaging.<ref name=":5" /> The enclosures of the [[IMac (Intel-based)#Unibody|iMac]] and [[MacBook Pro (2nd generation)|unibody MacBook Pro]] were redesigned with the more recyclable aluminum and glass.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hutsko |first=Joe |date=November 17, 2008 |title=The New MacBook's Green Credentials |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/green.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/17/the-new-macbooks-green-credentials/ |access-date=December 1, 2022 |website=The New York Times |language=en |archive-date=February 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230219193809/https://archive.nytimes.com/green.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/17/the-new-macbooks-green-credentials/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Jonny |date=May 25, 2022 |title=Why you should pay more attention to Apple's green slide |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3661702/why-you-should-pay-more-attention-to-apples-green-slide.html |access-date=December 1, 2022 |website=Computerworld |language=en}}</ref>
Mac OS continued to evolve up to version 9.2.2, including retrofits such as the addition of a [[nanokernel]] and support for [[Multi-core (computing)|Multiprocessing Services]] 2.0 in [[Mac OS 8.6]], though its dated architecture made replacement necessary.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://developer.apple.com/documentation/mac/PPCSoftware/PPCSoftware-12.html#HEADING12-0|title=Apple Developer Connection&nbsp;– Overview of the PowerPC System Software|publisher=Apple|accessdate=May 11, 2009}}</ref> Initially developed in the [[Pascal (programming language)|Pascal]] programming language, it was substantially rewritten in [[C++]] for System 7. From its beginnings on an 8&nbsp;MHz machine with 128 KB of RAM, it had grown to support Apple's latest 1&nbsp;GHz G4-equipped Macs. Since its architecture was laid down, features that were already common on Apple's competition, like [[preemptive multitasking]] and [[protected memory]], had become feasible on the kind of hardware Apple manufactured. As such, Apple introduced [[OS X|Mac OS X]], a fully overhauled [[Unix]]-based successor to [[Mac OS 9]]. OS X uses [[Darwin (operating system)|Darwin]], [[XNU]], and [[Mach kernel|Mach]] as [[Architecture of Mac OS X|foundations]], and is based on [[NeXTSTEP]]. It was released to the public in September 2000, as the [[Mac OS X Public Beta]], featuring a revamped [[user interface]] called "[[Aqua (user interface)|Aqua]]". At US$29.99, it allowed adventurous Mac users to sample Apple's new operating system and provide feedback for the actual release.<ref>{{cite news|title=Apple Breaks The Mold|first=J.D.|last=Biersdorfer|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F01E2DD1538F937A2575AC0A9669C8B63 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 14, 2000|accessdate=January 16, 2008}}</ref> The initial version of Mac OS X, [[Mac OS X v10.0|10.0]] "Cheetah", was released on March 24, 2001. Older Mac OS applications could still run under early Mac OS X versions, using an environment called "[[Classic (Mac OS X)|Classic]]". Subsequent releases of Mac OS X included [[Mac OS X v10.1|10.1 "Puma"]] (September 25, 2001), [[Mac OS X v10.2|10.2 "Jaguar"]] (August 24, 2002), [[Mac OS X v10.3|10.3 "Panther"]] (October 24, 2003) and [[Mac OS X v10.4|10.4 "Tiger"]] (April 29, 2005).


On February 24, 2011, the MacBook Pro became the first computer to support Intel's new [[Thunderbolt (interface)|Thunderbolt]] connector, with two-way transfer speeds of 10&nbsp;Gbit/s, and backward compatibility with [[Mini DisplayPort]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Frakes |first1=Dan |last2=Moren |first2=Dan |date=February 24, 2011 |title=What you need to know about Thunderbolt |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/210898/thunderbolt_what_you_need_to_know.html |access-date=December 15, 2022 |website=Macworld |language=en |archive-date=December 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215234106/https://www.macworld.com/article/210898/thunderbolt_what_you_need_to_know.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
===Transition to Intel===
[[Image:MacBook Pro situated on a wooden table.jpg|thumb|The [[MacBook Pro]], the first Mac notebook to use an Intel processor, released in 2006.<ref>{{cite mac|model=[[MacBook Pro]]|appleNumber=SP36|everyURL=macbook_pro/stats/macbook_pro_1.83.html|accessdate=June 24, 2010}}</ref>]]
Apple [[Apple–Intel transition|discontinued]] the use of [[PowerPC]] microprocessors in 2006. At [[Apple Worldwide Developers Conference|WWDC]] 2005, Steve Jobs revealed this transition, also noting that Mac OS X was always developed to run on both the Intel and PowerPC architectures.<ref name="Intel transition">{{cite web|title=Apple to Use Intel Microprocessors Beginning in 2006|url=http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jun/06intel.html|publisher=Apple|accessdate=May 14, 2010|date=June 6, 2005}}</ref> All new Macs now use [[x86 architecture|x86 processors]] made by [[Intel Corporation|Intel]], and some were renamed as a result.<ref name="Macworld 10 significant">{{cite web|title=Apple's most significant products of the decade|url=http://www.macworld.com/article/145380/2010/01/10significantapplemoves.html|publisher=Macworld|last=Michaels|first=Philip|accessdate=May 14, 2010|date=January 2, 2010}}</ref> Intel-based Macs running OS X 10.6 and below (support has been discontinued since 10.7) can run pre-existing software developed for PowerPC using an [[emulator]] called [[Rosetta (software)|Rosetta]],<ref>{{cite web|title=WWDC 2005 Keynote Live Update|url=http://www.macworld.com/article/45157/2005/06/liveupdate.html|publisher=Macworld|accessdate=May 14, 2010|date=June 6, 2005}}</ref> although at noticeably slower speeds than native programs. The [[Classic (Mac OS X)|Classic]] environment is unavailable on the Intel architecture, though. Intel chips introduced the potential to run the [[Microsoft Windows]] [[operating system]] natively on Apple hardware, without emulation software such as [[Microsoft Virtual PC|Virtual PC]]. In March 2006, a group of hackers announced that they were able to run [[Windows XP]] on an Intel-based Mac. The group released their software as open source and has posted it for download on their website.<ref>{{cite web|date= March 17, 2006 |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11885495/|title=Hackers get Windows XP to run on a Mac|publisher=[[MSNBC]] (AP)|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}</ref> On April 5, 2006, Apple announced the availability of the public beta of [[Boot Camp (software)|Boot Camp]], software that allows owners of Intel-based Macs to install Windows XP on their machines; later versions added support for [[Windows Vista]] and [[Windows 7]]. Classic was discontinued in Mac OS X 10.5, and Boot Camp became a standard feature on Intel-based Macs.<ref name="apple bcamp">{{cite web|title=Boot Camp|url=http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/|publisher=Apple|accessdate=May 17, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Dalrymple|first=Jim|title=New Apple software lets Intel Macs boot Windows|url=http://www.macworld.com/article/50204/2006/04/bootcamp.html|publisher=Macworld|accessdate=May 14, 2010|date=March 5, 2006}}</ref>


=== 2012–present: Tim Cook era ===
Starting in 2006, Apple's [[industrial design]] shifted to favor aluminum, which was used in the construction of the first [[MacBook Pro]]. Glass was added in 2008 with the introduction of the unibody MacBook Pro. These materials are billed as environmentally friendly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apple.com/environment/|title=The story behind Apple's environmental footprint.|publisher=Apple|accessdate=January 24, 2011}}</ref> The iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac Mini lines currently all use aluminum enclosures, and are now made of a single [[Monocoque|unibody]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Camen|first=Kroc|title=Apple Updates Mac Mini. Aluminium, HDMI, SD card slot|url=http://www.osnews.com/story/23449/Apple_Updates_Mac_Mini_Aluminium_HDMI_SD_Card_Slot|publisher=OSNews|accessdate=13 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2008/10/14macbook.html|title=New MacBook Family Redefines Notebook Design|date=October 14, 2008|publisher=Apple|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://gizmodo.com/5385841/apple-imac-hands-on|title=Apple iMac Hands On|author=Lam, Brian|work=Gizmodo|date=October 20, 2009|accessdate=August 18, 2010}}</ref> Chief designer [[Jonathan Ive]] continues to guide products towards a minimalist and simple feel,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/culture/design/news/2003/06/59381?currentPage=all|title=Design According to Ive|date=June 25, 2003|first=Leander|last=Kahney|publisher=Wired|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://gizmodo.com/5399420/watch-jonathan-ives-segment-in-objectified|title=Watch Jonathan Ive's Segment in ''Objectified''|first=Dan|last=Nosowitz|date=November 7, 2009|publisher=Gizmodo|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref> including eliminating of replaceable batteries in notebooks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/06/08mbp.html|title=Apple Updates MacBook Pro Family with New Models & Innovative Built-in Battery for Up to 40% Longer Battery Life|date=June 8, 2009|publisher=Apple|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref> [[Multi-touch]] [[Gesture recognition|gestures]] from the [[iPhone]]'s [[IOS (Apple)|interface]] have been applied to the Mac line in the form of touch pads on notebooks and the [[Magic Mouse]] and [[Magic Trackpad]] for desktops.
[[File:New Mac Pro (12093123884).jpg|thumb|The [[2013 Mac Pro]] was controversial among professional users. One of the reasons was the lack of internal expandibility due to the absence of expansion slots or the like, which was a side-effect of the exotic and compact design (height c. 25&nbsp;cm).]]
Due to deteriorating health, Steve Jobs resigned as CEO on August 24, 2011, and [[Tim Cook]] was named as his successor.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 24, 2011 |title=Steve Jobs resigns from Apple, Cook becomes CEO |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-idUSTRE77N82K20110824 |access-date=October 9, 2022 |archive-date=August 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120827040000/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/24/us-apple-idUSTRE77N82K20110824 |url-status=live }}</ref> Cook's first [[List of Apple Inc. media events#Apple Special Event (October 4, 2011)|keynote address]] launched [[iCloud]], moving the digital hub from the Mac to the cloud.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Honan |first=Mat |date=October 12, 2011 |title=iCloud Is a Bigger Deal Than You Think: It's the Future of Computing |url=https://gizmodo.com/icloud-is-a-bigger-deal-than-you-think-its-the-future-5848834 |access-date=February 10, 2023 |website=Gizmodo |language=en |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210044249/https://gizmodo.com/icloud-is-a-bigger-deal-than-you-think-its-the-future-5848834 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Sfn|Mickle|2022|pp=5-11}} In 2012, the [[MacBook Pro (3rd generation)|MacBook Pro was refreshed]] with a Retina display, and the [[IMac (Intel-based)#4th generation: Slim Unibody iMac|iMac]] was slimmed and lost its [[SuperDrive]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Jonny |date=June 11, 2012 |title=WWDC 2012: Retina Display reaches MacBook Pro |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2471870/wwdc-2012--retina-display-reaches-macbook-pro.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004123516/https://www.computerworld.com/article/2471870/wwdc-2012--retina-display-reaches-macbook-pro.html |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=Computerworld |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Etherington |first=Darrell |date=November 30, 2012 |title=A First Look at the 2012 21.5-inch iMac, And How It Compares To Generations Past |url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/11/30/a-first-look-at-the-2012-21-5-inch-imac-and-how-it-compares-to-generations-past |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930120827/https://techcrunch.com/2012/11/30/a-first-look-at-the-2012-21-5-inch-imac-and-how-it-compares-to-generations-past |archive-date=September 30, 2022 |access-date=September 30, 2022 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref>


During Cook's first few years as CEO, Apple fought media criticisms that it could no longer innovate without Jobs.{{Sfn|Mickle|2022|pp=10-11, 144-148}} In 2013, Apple introduced a new [[2013 Mac Pro|cylindrical Mac Pro]], with marketing chief [[Phil Schiller]] exclaiming "Can't innovate anymore, my ass!". The new model had a miniaturized design with a glossy dark gray cylindrical body and internal components organized around a central cooling system. Tech reviewers praised the 2013 Mac Pro for its power and futuristic design;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wood |first=Molly |date=December 24, 2013 |title=Futuristic Mac Pro Has Power to Spare |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/26/technology/personaltech/review-apples-new-mac-pro-computer.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930121713/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/26/technology/personaltech/review-apples-new-mac-pro-computer.html |archive-date=September 30, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Girard |first=Dave |date=January 28, 2014 |title=A pro with serious workstation needs reviews Apple's 2013 Mac Pro |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/01/two-steps-forward-a-review-of-the-2013-mac-pro/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221007202251/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/01/two-steps-forward-a-review-of-the-2013-mac-pro/ |archive-date=October 7, 2022 |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> however, it was poorly received by professional users, who criticized its lack of upgradability and the removal of expansion slots.{{Sfn|Mickle|2022|p=163|loc="When [the Mac Pro] launched months later, customer interest fell short of what Apple had hoped [...] orders plummeted, and the company wound up slashing production. It became known inside the company as "the failed trash can."}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Huang |first=Michelle Yan |title=Why Apple's Mac Pro 'trash can' was a colossal failure |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-failure-2013-mac-pro-trash-can-2019-7 |access-date=November 21, 2022 |website=[[Business Insider]] |language=en-US |archive-date=January 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111153029/https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-failure-2013-mac-pro-trash-can-2019-7 |url-status=live }}</ref>
In recent years, Apple has seen a significant boost in sales of Macs.<ref>[http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/apple-macintosh/black-friday-unusual-apple-deals/240142480 Black Friday: Unusual Apple Deals], InformationWeek, November 23, 2012.</ref> This has been attributed, in part, to the success of the [[iPod]] and the [[iPhone]], a [[halo effect]] whereby satisfied iPod or iPhone owners purchase more Apple equipment,<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/technology/10apple.html Apple Aims for the Masses With a Cheaper iPhone]</ref> as well as the use of Intel microprocessors.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9506EED81030F935A35757C0A9609C8B63&pagewanted=all Windows or Mac? Apple Says Both]</ref> From 2001 to 2008, Mac sales increased continuously on an annual basis. Apple reported worldwide sales of 3.36&nbsp;million Macs during the 2009 holiday season.<ref name="2010_Q1_PR">{{cite web|url=http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2010/01/25results.html|title=Apple Reports First Quarter Results|publisher=Apple|date=January 25, 2009}}</ref> As of Mid-2011, the Macintosh continues to enjoy rapid market share increase in the US, growing from 7.3% of all computer shipments in 2010 to 9.3% in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.loopinsight.com/2011/04/13/apples-mac-market-share-grows-18-9-in-first-quarter/ |title=Apple’s Mac market share grows 18.9% in first quarter |publisher=Loopinsight.com |date=April 13, 2011 |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> On February 24, 2011, Apple became the first company to bring to market a computer that utilized Intel's new [[Thunderbolt (interface)|Thunderbolt]] (codename Light Peak) I/O interface. Using the same physical interface as a [[Mini DisplayPort]], and backwards compatible with that standard, Thunderbolt boasts two-way transfer speeds of 10&nbsp;Gbit/s.<ref name="Intel Thunderbolt Technology press release">{{cite web|url=http://newsroom.intel.com/community/intel_newsroom/blog/2011/02/24/thunderbolt-technology-the-fastest-data-connection-to-your-pc-just-arrived | title = Thunderbolt Technology: The Fastest Data Connection to Your PC Just Arrived}}</ref>


The iMac [[IMac (Intel-based)#5th generation: Retina iMac|was refreshed]] with a [[5K resolution|5K]] Retina display in 2014, making it the highest-resolution all-in-one desktop computer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=iMac with Retina display review: best in class, but not everybody needs one |url=https://www.engadget.com/2014-10-22-imac-with-retina-display-review.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412003643/https://www.engadget.com/2014-10-22-imac-with-retina-display-review.html |archive-date=April 12, 2022 |access-date=September 29, 2022 |website=Engadget|date=October 22, 2014 }}</ref> The MacBook [[MacBook (2015–2019)|was reintroduced]] in 2015, with a completely redesigned aluminum unibody chassis, a 12-inch Retina display, a fanless low-power [[Intel Core M]] processor, a much smaller logic board, a new Butterfly keyboard, a single [[USB-C]] port, and a solid-state [[Force Touch]] trackpad with pressure sensitivity. It was praised for its portability, but criticized for its lack of performance, the need to use adapters to use most USB peripherals, and a high starting price of {{US$|1,299|2015|round=-2|long=no}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bohn |first=Dieter |date=April 9, 2015 |title=12-inch MacBook review |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/4/9/8372335/12-inch-macbook-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813101817/https://www.theverge.com/2015/4/9/8372335/12-inch-macbook-review |archive-date=August 13, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2015, Apple started a service program to address a widespread GPU defect in the [[MacBook Pro (Intel-based)#Second generation (Unibody), 2008–2012|15-inch 2011 MacBook Pro]], which could cause graphical artifacts or prevent the machine from functioning entirely.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Centers |first=Josh |date=December 19, 2013 |title=Users Reporting Widespread GPU Issues with 2011 MacBook Pros |url=https://tidbits.com/2013/12/19/users-reporting-widespread-gpu-issues-with-2011-macbook-pros |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614223534/https://tidbits.com/2013/12/19/users-reporting-widespread-gpu-issues-with-2011-macbook-pros |archive-date=June 14, 2021 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=TidBITS |language=en}}</ref>
{{Timeline of Macintosh models|headerextension==}}


==== Neglect of professional users ====
==Product line==
[[File:MacBook Pro Retina 001.jpg|thumb|The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros (2016–19) were criticized for its keyboard's unreliability, and the USB-C-only port configuration.]]
{{Main|Comparison of Macintosh models}}
The [[MacBook Pro (4th generation)|Touch Bar MacBook Pro]] was released in October 2016. It was the thinnest MacBook Pro ever made, replaced all ports with four [[Thunderbolt (interface)|Thunderbolt 3]] (USB-C) ports, gained a thinner "Butterfly" keyboard, and replaced [[function key]]s with the [[Touch Bar]]. The Touch Bar was criticized for making it harder to use the function keys by feel, as it offered no tactile feedback. Many users were also frustrated by the need to buy [[dongle]]s, particularly professional users who relied on traditional USB-A devices, [[SD card]]s, and HDMI for video output.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nielsen |first=Miranda |date=November 14, 2016 |title=MacBook Pro with Touch Bar review: a touch of the future |url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/11/14/13616404/apple-macbook-pro-touch-bar-review-2016-13-inch-15-inch-laptop |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308225649/https://www.theverge.com/2016/11/14/13616404/apple-macbook-pro-touch-bar-review-2016-13-inch-15-inch-laptop |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |access-date=March 16, 2021 |website=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Wollman |first=Dana |date=November 14, 2016 |title=MacBook Pro review (2016): A step forward and a step back |url=https://www.engadget.com/2016-11-14-macbook-pro-review-2016.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209202145/https://www.engadget.com/2016-11-14-macbook-pro-review-2016.html |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |access-date=March 16, 2021 |publisher=Engadget}}</ref> A few months after its release, users reported a problem with stuck keys and letters being skipped or repeated. [[iFixit]] attributed this to the ingress of dust or food crumbs under the keys, jamming them. Since the Butterfly keyboard was riveted into the laptop's case, it could only be serviced at an [[Apple Store]] or [[Apple Authorized Service Provider|authorized service center]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 4, 2022 |title=Anatomy of a Butterfly (Keyboard)—Teardown Style {{!}} iFixit News |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/10319/butterfly-keyboard-teardown |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927151028/https://www.ifixit.com/News/10319/butterfly-keyboard-teardown |archive-date=September 27, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=[[iFixit]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Stern |first=Joanna |date=March 27, 2019 |title={{Not a typo|Appl}} Still Hasn't {{Not a typo|Fixd}} Its MacBook {{Not a typo|Kyboad}} {{Not a typo|Problm}}|url=https://www.wsj.com/graphics/apple-still-hasnt-fixed-its-macbook-keyboard-problem |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318095840/https://www.wsj.com/graphics/apple-still-hasnt-fixed-its-macbook-keyboard-problem |archive-date=March 18, 2021 |access-date=March 16, 2021 |website=[[The Wall Street Journal]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 4, 2022 |title=Apple Engineers Its Own Downfall With the Macbook Pro Keyboard |url=https://www.ifixit.com/News/10229/macbook-pro-keyboard |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220914182233/https://www.ifixit.com/News/10229/macbook-pro-keyboard |archive-date=September 14, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=iFixit |language=en}}</ref> Apple settled a $50m class-action lawsuit over these keyboards in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Price |first=David |date=November 30, 2022 |title=Judge approves Apple's massive MacBook keyboard lawsuit payout |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/1418084/judge-approves-macbook-keyboard-lawsuit-payout.html |access-date=December 20, 2022 |website=Macworld |language=en |archive-date=December 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220061528/https://www.macworld.com/article/1418084/judge-approves-macbook-keyboard-lawsuit-payout.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Cunningham |first=Andrew |date=November 30, 2022 |title=Apple will pay up to $395 to people with broken MacBook butterfly keyboards |language=en-us |work=Ars Technica |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/11/judge-approves-50-million-settlement-over-broken-macbook-butterfly-keyboards/ |access-date=December 20, 2022 |archive-date=January 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111153018/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/11/judge-approves-50-million-settlement-over-broken-macbook-butterfly-keyboards/ |url-status=live }}</ref> These same models were afflicted by "flexgate": when users closed and opened the machine, they would risk progressively damaging the cable responsible for the display [[backlight]], which was too short. The $6 cable was soldered to the screen, requiring a $700 repair.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gartenberg |first=Chaim |date=January 22, 2019 |title="Flexgate" might be Apple's next MacBook Pro problem |url=https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2019/1/22/18193120/apple-macbook-pro-lighting-screen-flexgate |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216023122/https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2019/1/22/18193120/apple-macbook-pro-lighting-screen-flexgate |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Porter |first=Jon |date=March 5, 2019 |title=Apple quietly addressed 'Flexgate' issue with MacBook Pro redesign |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/5/18251264/macbook-pro-2018-flexgate-fix-display-cable-2mm-longer |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=February 24, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224184549/https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/5/18251264/macbook-pro-2018-flexgate-fix-display-cable-2mm-longer |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{Table of current Macintosh models}}


Senior Vice President of Industrial Design Jony Ive continued to guide product designs towards simplicity and minimalism.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Kahney |first=Leander |date=June 25, 2003 |title=Design According to Ive |url=https://www.wired.com/culture/design/news/2003/06/59381?currentPage=all |url-status=live |magazine=Wired |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209110504/http://www.wired.com/culture/design/news/2003/06/59381?currentPage=all |archive-date=February 9, 2013 |access-date=December 23, 2009}}</ref> Critics argued that he had begun to prioritize form over function, and was excessively focused on product thinness. His role in the decisions to switch to fragile Butterfly keyboards, to make the Mac Pro non-expandable, and to remove USB-A, HDMI and the SD card slot from the MacBook Pro were criticized.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Webb |first=Alex |date=October 19, 2021 |title=Apple's Product Design Has Improved Since Jony Ive Left |language=en |work=[[Bloomberg News]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-19/apple-s-product-design-has-improved-since-jony-ive-left |access-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-date=February 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202081952/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-19/apple-s-product-design-has-improved-since-jony-ive-left |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Villas-Boas |first=Antonio |date=July 18, 2014 |title=One of Apple's most controversial product designs in years may have been the result of Jony Ive's obsession with making devices thinner |language=en-US |work=Business Insider |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/jony-ives-thinness-obsession-apple-butterfly-keyboard-issues-2019-7 |access-date=November 18, 2021 |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205051243/https://www.businessinsider.com/jony-ives-thinness-obsession-apple-butterfly-keyboard-issues-2019-7 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Huang |first=Michelle Yan |title=Why Apple's Mac Pro 'trash can' was a colossal failure |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-failure-2013-mac-pro-trash-can-2019-7 |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US |archive-date=November 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221121070613/https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-failure-2013-mac-pro-trash-can-2019-7 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Hardware and software==


The long-standing keyboard issue on MacBook Pros, Apple's abandonment of the [[Aperture (software)|Aperture]] professional photography app, and the lack of Mac Pro upgrades led to declining sales and a widespread belief that Apple was no longer committed to professional users.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lovejoy |first=Ben |date=August 1, 2018 |title=Mac sales are down 13% year-on-year, though things may be better than they seem |url=https://9to5mac.com/2018/08/01/mac-sales-q3-2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930001027/https://9to5mac.com/2018/08/01/mac-sales-q3-2018 |archive-date=September 30, 2022 |access-date=September 30, 2022 |website=9to5Mac |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Savov |first=Vlad |date=November 7, 2016 |title=The MacBook Pro is a lie |url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/11/7/13548052/the-macbook-pro-lie |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216023123/https://www.theverge.com/2016/11/7/13548052/the-macbook-pro-lie |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Simon |first=Michael |date=November 1, 2016 |title=The new MacBook Pro isn't just a laptop, it's a strategy shift |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/229071/the-new-macbook-pro-isnt-just-a-laptop-its-a-strategy-shift.html |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=Macworld |language=en |archive-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216023132/https://www.macworld.com/article/229071/the-new-macbook-pro-isnt-just-a-laptop-its-a-strategy-shift.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Snell |first=Jason |date=November 2, 2016 |title=Why 2016 is such a terrible year for the Mac |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/229079/why-2016-is-such-a-terrible-year-for-the-mac.html |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=Macworld |language=en |archive-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216023121/https://www.macworld.com/article/229079/why-2016-is-such-a-terrible-year-for-the-mac.html |url-status=live }}</ref> After several years without any significant updates to the Mac Pro, Apple executives admitted in 2017 that the 2013 Mac Pro had not met expectations, and said that the company had designed themselves into a "thermal corner", preventing them from releasing a planned dual-GPU successor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kastrenakes |first=Jacob |date=April 4, 2017 |title=Apple admits the Mac Pro was a mess |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/4/15175994/apple-mac-pro-failure-admission |access-date=December 13, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en |archive-date=October 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007151550/https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/4/15175994/apple-mac-pro-failure-admission |url-status=live }}</ref> Apple also unveiled their future product roadmap for professional products, including plans for an [[iMac Pro]] as a stopgap and an expandable Mac Pro to be released later.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paczkowski |first=John |title=Apple Says It Is "Completely Rethinking" The Mac Pro |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/johnpaczkowski/apple-says-it-is-completely-rethinking-the-mac-pro |access-date=October 9, 2022 |website=[[BuzzFeed News]] |date=April 4, 2017 |language=en |archive-date=January 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129085324/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/johnpaczkowski/apple-says-it-is-completely-rethinking-the-mac-pro |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kastrenakes |first=Jacob |date=April 4, 2017 |title=Apple admits the Mac Pro was a mess |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/4/15175994/apple-mac-pro-failure-admission |access-date=October 9, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en |archive-date=October 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007151550/https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/4/15175994/apple-mac-pro-failure-admission |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[iMac Pro]] was revealed at WWDC 2017, featuring updated [[Xeon|Intel Xeon W]] processors and [[Radeon Pro]] Vega graphics.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Statt |first=Nick |date=June 5, 2017 |title=Apple announces new iMac Pro with up to 18-core processor, 5K display |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/5/15741540/apple-imac-pro-announced-price-specs-release-date-wwdc-2017 |access-date=December 13, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=January 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111153018/https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/5/15741540/apple-imac-pro-announced-price-specs-release-date-wwdc-2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
===Hardware===
[[Image:IMacG5guts.png|thumb|An [[iMac G5]] with its back panel removed]]
{{Main|Macintosh hardware}}
Apple directly sub-contracts hardware production to Asian [[original equipment manufacturer]]s such as [[Asus]], maintaining a high degree of control over the end product. By contrast, most other companies (including [[Microsoft]]) create software that can be run on hardware produced by a variety of [[Third-party developer|third-parties]] such as [[Dell]], [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]]/[[Compaq]], and [[Lenovo]]. Consequently, the Macintosh buyer has comparably fewer options.


In 2018, Apple released a redesigned MacBook Air with a Retina display, Butterfly keyboard, Force Touch trackpad, and Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Apple's Newest MacBook Pro Is Fast But Flawed |url=https://www.wired.com/review/apple-macbook-pro-2018 |url-status=live |magazine=WIRED |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003074611/https://www.wired.com/review/apple-macbook-pro-2018 |archive-date=October 3, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wolfe |first=Sean |date=July 18, 2018 |title=The first reviews of Apple's new MacBook Pro are out – here's what critics had to say |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-macbook-pro-2018-review-roundup-2018-7 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004123517/https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-macbook-pro-2018-review-roundup-2018-7 |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=[[Business Insider]] |language=en-US}}</ref> The Butterfly keyboard went through three revisions, incorporating silicone gaskets in the key mechanism to prevent keys from being jammed by dust or other particles. However, many users continued to experience reliability issues with these keyboards,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bohn |first=Dieter |date=May 24, 2019 |title=Apple's keyboard 'material' changes on the new MacBook Pro are minor at best |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/24/18636762/macbook-pro-2019-keyboard-membrane-metal-fatigue-materials-ifixit-teardown |access-date=December 16, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=December 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221216023121/https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/24/18636762/macbook-pro-2019-keyboard-membrane-metal-fatigue-materials-ifixit-teardown |url-status=live }}</ref> leading Apple to launch a program to repair affected keyboards free of charge.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dignan |first=Larry |date=May 29, 2019 |title=Apple offers free keyboard replacement program for MacBook, MacBook Pro, refreshes MacBook Pro lineup |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-offers-free-keyboard-replacement-program-for-macbook-macbook-pro-refreshes-macbook-pro-lineup/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004123518/https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-offers-free-keyboard-replacement-program-for-macbook-macbook-pro-refreshes-macbook-pro-lineup |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |access-date=September 30, 2022 |website=ZDNet |language=en}}</ref> Higher-end models of the 15-inch 2018 MacBook Pro faced another issue where the Core i9 processor reached unusually high temperatures, resulting in reduced CPU performance from thermal throttling. Apple issued a patch to address this issue via a macOS supplemental update, blaming a "missing digital key" in the thermal management firmware.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bohn |first=Dieter |date=July 25, 2018 |title=New MacBook Pro review: the heat is on |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/25/17611266/apple-macbook-pro-review-2018-core-i9-15-inch |access-date=February 10, 2023 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210020409/https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/25/17611266/apple-macbook-pro-review-2018-core-i9-15-inch |url-status=live }}</ref>
The current Mac product family uses [[Intel Corporation|Intel]] [[x86-64]] [[Central processing unit|processors]]. Apple introduced an emulator during the transition from [[PowerPC]] chips (called [[Rosetta (binary translation software)|Rosetta]]), much as it did during the transition from [[Motorola 68000]] architecture a decade earlier. The Macintosh is the only mainstream computer platform to have successfully transitioned to a new CPU architecture,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,933453,00.asp|title=Apple Switch | work=PC Magazine | first=John C.|last=Dvorak|date=March 18, 2003}}</ref> and has done so twice. All current Mac models ship with at least 2&nbsp;[[Gigabyte|GB]] of [[RAM]] as standard. Current Mac computers use [[Radeon|ATI Radeon]] or [[GeForce|nVidia GeForce]] [[graphics card]]s as well as Intel graphics built into the main CPU. All current Macs (except for the [[MacBook Air]], [[Mac Mini]], and MacBook Pro with Retina Display) ship with an optical media drive that includes a dual-function DVD/CD burner. Apple refers to this as a [[SuperDrive]]. Current Macs include two standard data transfer ports: [[USB 2.0|USB]] and [[FireWire]] (except for the [[MacBook Air]], which does not include FireWire). MacBook Pro, iMac, MacBook Air, and Mac Mini computers now also feature the "Thunderbolt" port, which Apple says can transfer data at speeds up to 10 gigabits per second.<ref>{{cite web|last=Micheals|first=Phillip|title=New Mac minis add Thunderbolt, lose optical drive|url=http://www.macworld.com/article/1161242/mac_mini.html|publisher=Macworld|accessdate=13 May 2012}}</ref> USB was introduced in the 1998 [[iMac G3]] and is ubiquitous today,<ref name="eight ways" /> while FireWire is mainly reserved for high-performance devices such as hard drives or video cameras. Starting with the then-new iMac G5, released in October 2005, Apple started to include built-in [[iSight]] cameras on appropriate models, and a media center interface called [[Front Row (software)|Front Row]] that can be operated by an [[Apple Remote]] or keyboard for accessing media stored on the computer. Front Row has been discontinued as of 2011, however, and the Apple Remote is no longer bundled with new Macs.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Apple|date=October 12, 2005|url=http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/oct/12imac.html|title=Apple Introduces the New iMac G5|accessdate=July 12, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Breen|first=Christopher|title=Farewell Front Row|url=http://www.macworld.com/article/1161284/farewell_frontrow.html|publisher=Macworld|accessdate=13 May 2012}}</ref>


The 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro and 2020 MacBook Air replaced the unreliable Butterfly keyboard with a redesigned scissor-switch Magic Keyboard. On the MacBook Pros, the Touch Bar and Touch ID were made standard, and the Esc key was detached from the Touch Bar and returned to being a physical key.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Chokkatu |first=Julian |title=Apple's 16-Inch MacBook Pro Is a Return to Form |url=https://www.wired.com/review/apple-macbook-pro-16-inch-2019/ |access-date=November 16, 2022 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116061910/https://www.wired.com/review/apple-macbook-pro-16-inch-2019/ |url-status=live }}</ref> At WWDC 2019, Apple unveiled a [[Mac Pro#3rd generation (lattice tower or rack)|new Mac Pro]] with a larger case design that allows for hardware expandability, and introduced a new expansion module system (MPX) for modules such as the Afterburner card for faster video encoding.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Savov |first=Vlad |date=June 3, 2019 |title=Apple announces all-new redesigned Mac Pro, starting at $5,999 |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/3/18646424/apple-mac-pro-redesign-new-specs-features-photos-wwdc-2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004123518/https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/3/18646424/apple-mac-pro-redesign-new-specs-features-photos-wwdc-2019 |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 10, 2019 |title=The Thermodynamics Behind the Mac Pro, the Hypercar of Computers |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/a30170910/apple-mac-pro |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408113734/https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/a30170910/apple-mac-pro |archive-date=April 8, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=[[Popular Mechanics]] |language=en-us}}</ref> Almost every part of the new Mac Pro is user-replaceable, with iFixit praising its high user-repairability.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 17, 2019 |title=iFixit Mac Pro teardown |url=https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Mac+Pro+2019+Teardown/128922 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330130004/https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Mac+Pro+2019+Teardown/128922 |archive-date=March 30, 2021 |access-date=March 16, 2021 |website=iFixit}}</ref> It received positive reviews, with reviewers praising its power, modularity, quiet cooling, and Apple's increased focus on professional workflows.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patel |first=Nilay |date=March 2, 2020 |title=Mac Pro review: power, if you can use it |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/2/21161358/mac-pro-review-apple-display-xdr-adobe-hardware-software-price-video |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple Mac Pro (2019): Premium hardware for serious professionals |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-mac-pro-2019-a-hands-off-review/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331145856/https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-mac-pro-2019-a-hands-off-review |archive-date=March 31, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=ZDNet |language=en}}</ref>
Apple was initially reluctant to embrace [[mouse (computing)|mice]] with multiple buttons and [[scroll wheel]]s.<!--Source: Implied by next ref--> Macs did not natively support pointing devices that featured multiple buttons, even from third parties, until Mac OS X arrived in 2001.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=Wired|date=October 30, 2000|url=http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2000/10/39773|title=Eek! A Two-Button Mac Mouse?|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref> Apple continued to offer only single button mice, in both wired and [[Bluetooth]] wireless versions, until August 2005, when it introduced the [[Apple Mighty Mouse|Mighty Mouse]]. While it looked like a traditional one-button mouse, it actually had four buttons and a scroll ball, capable of independent ''x''- and ''y''-[[Cartesian coordinate system|axis]] movement.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Apple|date=August 2, 2005|url=http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/aug/02mightymouse.html|title=Apple Introduces Mighty Mouse|accessdate=July 12, 2006}}</ref> A Bluetooth version followed in July 2006.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Apple|date=July 25, 2006|url=http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2006/jul/25mightymouse.html|title=Apple Debuts Wireless Mighty Mouse|accessdate=November 30, 2007}}</ref> In October 2009, Apple introduced the [[Apple Magic Mouse|Magic Mouse]], which uses [[multi-touch]] [[gesture recognition]] (similar to that of the [[iPhone]]) instead of a physical scroll wheel or ball.<ref name="Magic Mouse">{{cite web|url=http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/10/20magicmouse.html|title=Apple Introduces Magic Mouse—The World's First Multi-Touch Mouse|date=October 20, 2009|publisher=Apple|accessdate=December 24, 2009}}</ref> It is available only in a wireless configuration, but the wired Mighty Mouse (re-branded as "Apple Mouse") is still available as an alternative. Since 2010, Apple has also offered the [[Magic Trackpad]] as a means to control Macintosh desktop computers in a way similar to laptops.


==== Apple silicon transition ====
===Software===
[[File:M1 iMac Green model.jpg|thumb|The 2021 iMac was praised for its colorful and slim design.]]
{{Main|Mac OS|History of Mac OS|OS X}}
[[File:Touch ID and SD card reader of Macbook Pro 16 inti model (cropped).jpg|thumb|The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros (2021-present) received widespread acclaim for its significantly improved port selection (pictured) and thermals.]]
The original Macintosh was the first successful personal computer to use a [[graphical user interface]] devoid of a [[command line]]. It used a [[desktop metaphor]], depicting real-world objects like documents and a trashcan as [[icon (computing)|icons]] onscreen. The ''[[Mac OS history#Release|System]]'' software was introduced in 1984 with the first Macintosh and renamed ''[[System 7#Mac OS 7.6|Mac OS]]'' in 1997. It continued to evolve until version [[Mac OS 9|9.2.2]]. In 2001, Apple introduced Mac OS X, based on [[Darwin (operating system)|Darwin]] and [[NEXTSTEP]]; its new features included the [[Dock (computing)|Dock]] and the [[Aqua (user interface)|Aqua]] user interface. During the transition, Apple included an emulator known as [[Classic (Mac OS X)|Classic]], allowing users to run Mac OS 9 applications under Mac OS X 10.4 and earlier on PowerPC machines. The most recent version is [[Mac OS X v10.7]] "Lion." In addition to Lion, all new Macs are bundled with assorted Apple-produced applications, including [[iLife]], the [[Safari (web browser)|Safari]] [[web browser]] and the [[iTunes]] media player. Apple introduced Mac OS X 10.7 in 2010, and it was made available in the summer of 2011. Lion includes many new features, such as Mission Control, the Mac App Store (available to [[Mac OS X v10.6.6]] "Snow Leopard." users by software update), Launchpad, an application viewer and launcher akin to the iOS Home Screen, and Resume, a feature similar to the hibernate function found in Microsoft Windows.
In April 2018, [[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]] reported Apple's plan to replace Intel chips with [[ARM architecture|ARM]] processors similar to those in its phones, causing Intel's shares to drop by 9.2%.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=King |first1=Ian |last2=Gurman |first2=Mark |date=April 2, 2018 |title=Apple Plans to Use Its Own Chips in Macs From 2020, Replacing Intel |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-02/apple-is-said-to-plan-move-from-intel-to-own-mac-chips-from-2020 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]] |archive-date=November 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128125747/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-02/apple-is-said-to-plan-move-from-intel-to-own-mac-chips-from-2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[The Verge]] commented on the rumors, that such a decision made sense, as Intel was failing to make significant improvements to its processors, and could not compete with ARM chips on battery life.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 3, 2018 |title=Chips are down: Apple to stop using Intel processors in Macs, reports say |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/03/apple-stop-using-intel-chips-processors-mac-computers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622140238/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/03/apple-stop-using-intel-chips-processors-mac-computers |archive-date=June 22, 2018 |access-date=March 26, 2021 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Apple is moving on from Intel because Intel isn't moving anywhere |work=[[The Verge]] |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/3/17191986/apple-intel-cpu-processor-design-competition |url-status=live |access-date=November 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107185556/https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/3/17191986/apple-intel-cpu-processor-design-competition |archive-date=November 7, 2018}}</ref>


At WWDC 2020, Tim Cook announced that the Mac would be [[Mac transition to Apple silicon|transitioning to Apple silicon]] chips, built upon an [[ARM architecture family|ARM]] architecture, over a two-year timeline.<ref name="arm-transition">{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=June 22, 2020 |title=Apple is switching Macs to its own processors starting later this year |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/22/21295475/apple-mac-processors-arm-silicon-chips-wwdc-2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117014341/https://www.theverge.com/2020/6/22/21295475/apple-mac-processors-arm-silicon-chips-wwdc-2020 |archive-date=November 17, 2021 |access-date=June 23, 2020 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref> The [[Rosetta (software)|Rosetta 2]] translation layer was also introduced, enabling Apple silicon Macs to run Intel apps.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple Silicon at WWDC 2020: Everything you need to know |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-silicon-explained-everything-you-need-to-know/ |access-date=November 7, 2022 |website=ZDNet |language=en |archive-date=November 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107202012/https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-silicon-explained-everything-you-need-to-know/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On November 10, 2020, Apple announced their first system-on-a-chip designed for the Mac, the [[Apple M1]], and a series of Macs that would ship with the M1: the [[MacBook Air (Apple silicon)|MacBook Air]], [[Mac Mini#Apple silicon (2020–present)|Mac Mini]], and the 13-inch [[MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)|MacBook Pro]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Iyengar |first=Rishi |date=November 10, 2020 |title=Apple details new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac Mini, all powered by in-house silicon chips |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/10/tech/apple-silicon-chips-mac |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116184959/https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/10/tech/apple-silicon-chips-mac |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |access-date=November 13, 2020 |website=[[CNN]]}}</ref> These new Macs received highly positive reviews, with reviewers highlighting significant improvements in battery life, performance, and heat management compared to previous generations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patel |first=Nilay |date=November 17, 2020 |title=The Verge M1 MBP review |url=https://www.theverge.com/21570497/apple-macbook-pro-2020-m1-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313170319/https://www.theverge.com/21570497/apple-macbook-pro-2020-m1-review |archive-date=March 13, 2021 |access-date=March 16, 2021 |website=The Verge}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Spoonauer |first1=Mark |date=November 9, 2021 |title=Tom's Guide M1 MBP review |url=https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/macbook-pro-m1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228082208/https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/macbook-pro-m1 |archive-date=February 28, 2021 |access-date=March 16, 2021 |website=[[Tom's Hardware|Tom's Guide]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=updated |first=Matt Hanson last |date=November 18, 2021 |title=Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020) review |url=https://www.techradar.com/reviews/apple-macbook-air-m12020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929155722/https://www.techradar.com/reviews/apple-macbook-air-m12020 |archive-date=September 29, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=[[TechRadar]] |language=en}}</ref>
Historically, Mac OS X enjoyed a near-absence of the types of [[malware]] and [[spyware]] that affect [[Microsoft Windows]] users.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=196800670&pgno=4 |first=John|last=Welch|title=Review: Mac OS X Shines In Comparison With Windows Vista|publisher=Information Week|date=January 6, 2007|accessdate=February 5, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/10/06/linux_vs_windows_viruses/|first=Scott|last=Granneman|title=Linux vs. Windows Viruses|publisher=The Register|date=October 6, 2003|accessdate=February 5, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Gruber|first=John|authorlink=John Gruber|date=June 4, 2004|url=http://daringfireball.net/2004/06/broken_windows|title=Broken Windows|publisher=[[Daring Fireball]]|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}</ref> Mac OS X has a smaller [[usage share of operating systems|usage share]] compared to Microsoft Windows (roughly 5% and 92%, respectively),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://marketshare.hitslink.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=8|title=Operating System Market Share|accessdate=April 10, 2009|date=September 2009}}</ref> but it also has secure [[UNIX]] roots. Worms, as well as potential vulnerabilities were noted in February 2006, which led some industry analysts and anti-virus companies to issue warnings that Apple's Mac OS X is not immune to malware.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1929342,00.asp|title=New Safari Flaw, Worms Turn Spotlight on Apple Security|publisher=[[eWeek]]|author=Roberts, Paul|date=February 21, 2006|accessdate=November 23, 2007}}</ref> Increasing market share coincided with additional reports of a variety of attacks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.betanews.com/article/Macs-dont-get-viruses-myth-dissolves-before-publics-eyes/1251493625 |title='Macs don't get viruses' myth dissolves before public's eyes|first= Tim |last=Conneally |date=August 28, 2009 |publisher=BetaNews.com}}</ref> Apple releases security updates for its software.<ref>{{cite web|title=Apple security updates|publisher=Apple|date=January 21, 2009|url=http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222|accessdate=January 29, 2009}}</ref> In early 2011, Mac OS X experienced a large increase in malware attacks,<ref>{{cite web|last=Grimes |first=Roger A. |url=http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/7-questions-about-the-mac-malware-scare-811 |title=7 questions about the Mac malware scare &#124; Security |publisher=InfoWorld |date=May 23, 2011 |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> and malware such as [[Mac Defender]], MacProtector, and MacGuard were seen as an increasing problem for Mac users. At first, the malware installer required the user to enter the administrative password, but later versions were able to install without user input<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/152612/20110526/mac-security-boasts-threatened-by-malware-surge.htm |title=Mac Security Boasts Threatened by Malware Surge – International Business Times |publisher=Ibtimes.com |date=May 26, 2011 |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref> Initially, Apple support staff were instructed not to assist in the removal of the malware or admit the existence of the malware issue, but as the malware spread, a support document was issued. Apple announced an OS X update to fix the problem. An estimated 100,000 users were affected.<ref>{{cite web|last=Trenholm |first=Rich |url=http://crave.cnet.co.uk/software/apple-tells-support-staff-not-to-confirm-mac-defender-infections-50003832/ |title=Apple tells support staff not to confirm Mac Defender infections|publisher=Crave. |location=UK|date=May 20, 2011 |accessdate=July 5, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.pcmag.com/securitywatch/2011/05/mac_defender_20_released.php |title=Mac Defender 2.0 Released – Security Watch |work=PC Mag |date=May 25, 2011 |accessdate=July 5, 2011 |first=Larry |last=Seltzer}}</ref>


The iMac Pro was discontinued on March 6, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Markander |first=Mikael |date=March 8, 2021 |title=Apple discontinues the iMac Pro |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/676413/apple-discontinues-the-imac-pro.html |access-date=December 13, 2022 |website=Macworld |language=en |archive-date=January 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111153043/https://www.macworld.com/article/676413/apple-discontinues-the-imac-pro.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On April 20, 2021, a new [[iMac (Apple silicon)|24-inch iMac]] was revealed, featuring the M1 chip, seven new colors, thinner white bezels, a higher-resolution 1080p webcam, and an enclosure made entirely from recycled aluminum.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chin |first=Monica |date=May 18, 2021 |title=Apple's new iMac is fun and functional |url=https://www.theverge.com/22440059/apple-imac-m1-2021-24-review |access-date=November 7, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=November 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107200009/https://www.theverge.com/22440059/apple-imac-m1-2021-24-review |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Chokkatu |first1=Julian |title=Apple's Colorful New iMac Pairs Beauty With Brawn |url=https://www.wired.com/review/apple-imac-24-inch-2021/ |magazine=WIRED |access-date=30 March 2024 |date=21 May 2021}}</ref>
Originally, the hardware architecture was so closely tied to the Mac OS operating system that it was impossible to boot an alternative operating system. The most common workaround, used even by Apple for [[A/UX]], was to boot into Mac OS and then to hand over control to a program that took over the system and acted as a bootloader. This technique was no longer necessary with the introduction of Open Firmware-based PCI Macs, though it was formerly used for convenience on many [[Old World ROM]] systems due to bugs in the firmware implementation.{{Citation needed|date=December 2009}} Now, Mac hardware boots directly from [[Open Firmware]] (most PowerPC-based Macs) or [[Extensible Firmware Interface|EFI]] (all Intel-based Macs), and Macs are no longer limited to running just Mac OS X.


On October 18, 2021, Apple announced new [[MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)#Fifth generation (Liquid Retina XDR), 2021–present|14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros]], featuring the more powerful M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, a bezel-less [[LED-backlit LCD|mini-LED]] 120&nbsp;Hz ProMotion display, and the return of [[MagSafe]] and [[HDMI]] ports, and the [[SD card]] slot.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Mitchell |date=October 18, 2021 |title=Apple announces new 14-inch MacBook Pro with a notch |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/18/22724738/apple-macbook-pro-14-inch-features-price-release-date |access-date=December 13, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en |archive-date=December 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213222003/https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/18/22724738/apple-macbook-pro-14-inch-features-price-release-date |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Casey |first1=Henry |title=Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) review |url=https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/macbook-pro-2021-14-inch |website=Tom's Guide |access-date=30 March 2024 |language=en |date=30 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Larsen |first1=Luke |title=Apple MacBook Pro (M1 Pro) In-Depth Review: Perfect Pro Laptop |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/apple-macbook-pro-m1-pro-review/ |website=Digital Trends |access-date=30 March 2024 |language=en |date=11 November 2021}}</ref>
Following the release of Intel-based Macs, third-party [[platform virtualization]] software such as [[Parallels Desktop]], [[VMware Fusion]], and [[VirtualBox]] began to emerge. These programs allow users to run [[Microsoft Windows]] or previously Windows-only software on Macs at near native speed. Apple also released [[Boot Camp (software)|Boot Camp]] and Mac-specific Windows [[Device driver|drivers]] that help users to install [[Windows XP]] or [[Windows Vista|Vista]] and natively [[dual boot]] between Mac OS X and Windows. Though not condoned by Apple, it is possible to run the [[Linux]] operating system using Boot camp or other virtualization [[workaround]]s.<ref>{{cite web|title=Paul J. Lucas's Mac Mini running Linux|first=Paul|last=Lucas|url=http://homepage.mac.com/pauljlucas/personal/macmini/index.html|date=June 4, 2005|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Virtualization Makes Running Linux a Snap|first=Lisa|last=Hoover|url=http://ostatic.com/blog/virtualization-makes-running-linux-a-snap|date=April 11, 2008|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref>


On March 8, 2022, the [[Mac Studio]] was unveiled, also featuring the M1 Max chip and the new M1 Ultra chip in a similar form factor to the Mac Mini. It drew highly positive reviews for its flexibility and wide range of available ports.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Porter |first=Jon |date=March 9, 2022 |title=Apple's new strategy is to give – not tell – users what they want |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/9/22968839/apple-mac-studio-display-m1-ultra-strategy-users |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530214311/https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/9/22968839/apple-mac-studio-display-m1-ultra-strategy-users |archive-date=May 30, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref> Its performance was deemed "impressive", beating the highest-end Mac Pro with a 28-core Intel Xeon chip, while being significantly more power efficient and compact.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cunningham |first=Andrew |date=March 17, 2022 |title=Review: The Mac Studio shows us exactly why Apple left Intel behind |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/03/mac-studio-review-a-nearly-perfect-workhorse-mac |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002184718/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/03/mac-studio-review-a-nearly-perfect-workhorse-mac |archive-date=October 2, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=[[Ars Technica]] |language=en-us}}</ref> It was introduced alongside the [[Apple Studio Display|Studio Display]], and was meant to replace the 27-inch iMac, which was discontinued on the same day.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Song |first=Victoria |date=March 8, 2022 |title=The 27-inch iMac has been discontinued |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/8/22967616/apple-27-inch-imac-studio-desktop |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530214301/https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/8/22967616/apple-27-inch-imac-studio-desktop |archive-date=May 30, 2022 |access-date=March 22, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref>
Because Mac OS X is a [[UNIX]]-like operating system, borrowing heavily from [[FreeBSD]], many applications written for [[Linux kernel|Linux]]<!--do not fix--> or [[Berkeley Software Distribution|BSD]] run on Mac OS X, often using [[X Window System|X11]]. Apple's smaller market share than Microsoft's means that a smaller range of [[shareware]] is available, but many popular [[commercial software]] applications from large developers, such as [[Microsoft Office|Microsoft's Office]] and [[Adobe Photoshop|Adobe's Photoshop]] are ported to both Mac OS and Windows. A large amount of [[open-source software]] applications, like the [[Firefox]] [[web browser]] and the [[OpenOffice.org]] [[office suite]], are [[cross-platform]], and thereby also run natively on the Mac.


==== Post-Apple silicon transition ====
==Advertising==
At [[WWDC 2022]], Apple announced an [[MacBook Air (Apple silicon)#Fourth generation (flat unibody)|updated MacBook Air]] based on a new [[Apple M2|M2]] chip. It incorporates several changes from the 14-inch MacBook Pro, such as a flat, slab-shaped design, full-sized function keys, [[MagSafe]] charging, and a [[Retina display|Liquid Retina]] display, with rounded corners and a display cutout incorporating a 1080p webcam.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Seifert |first=Dan |date=July 14, 2022 |title=Apple MacBook Air M2 (2022) review: all-new Air |url=https://www.theverge.com/laptop-review/23207440/apple-macbook-air-m2-2022-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721001839/https://www.theverge.com/laptop-review/23207440/apple-macbook-air-m2-2022-review |archive-date=July 21, 2022 |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=[[The Verge]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
{{Main|Apple Inc. advertising}}
Apple hyped the introduction of the original Mac with their "[[1984 (television commercial)|1984]]" commercial that aired during that year's [[Super Bowl XVIII|Super Bowl]].<ref>{{cite book| last = Pogue| first = David| coauthors = Joseph Schorr| title = Macworld Macintosh SECRETS| publisher=IDG Books Worldwide, Inc.| location = San Mateo| year = 1993| isbn = 1-56884-025-X| page = 251 }}</ref> It was supplemented by a number of printed pamphlets and other TV ads demonstrating the new interface and emphasizing the mouse. Many more brochures for new models like the [[Macintosh Plus]] and the [[Macintosh Performa|Performa]] followed. In the 1990s, Apple started the "What's on your PowerBook?" campaign, with print ads and television commercials featuring celebrities describing how the PowerBook helps them in their businesses and everyday lives. In 1995, Apple responded to the introduction of [[Windows 95]] with several print ads and a television commercial demonstrating its disadvantages and lack of innovation. In 1997, the [[Think Different]] campaign introduced Apple's new slogan, and in 2002 the [[Apple Switch ad campaign|Switch campaign]] followed. The most recent advertising strategy by Apple is the [[Get a Mac]] campaign, with North American, UK, and Japanese variants.<ref>{{cite web|url=frgtretyreterterterterterthttp://www.apple.com/uk/getamac/|title=Get a Mac advertisements|publisher=Apple|accessdate=January 29, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apple.com/jp/getamac/|title=Get a Mac|publisher=Apple|accessdate=February 3, 2007}}</ref>


The Mac Studio with [[Apple M2 Max|M2 Max]] and [[M2 Ultra]] chips and the Mac Pro with [[Apple M2|M2 Ultra]] chip was unveiled at WWDC 2023, and the Intel-based Mac Pro was discontinued on the same day, completing the Mac transition to Apple silicon chips.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Chin |first=Monica |date=June 27, 2023 |title=Which professionals is the Mac Pro for? We couldn't find them |url=https://www.theverge.com/23770770/apple-mac-pro-m2-ultra-2023-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823172901/https://www.theverge.com/23770770/apple-mac-pro-m2-ultra-2023-review |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |access-date=July 18, 2023 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref> The Mac Studio was received positively as a modest upgrade over the previous generation, albeit similarly priced PCs could be equipped with faster GPUs.<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Joel Burgess |date=2023-10-04 |title=Apple Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) review: Pro Performance in a compact package |url=https://www.techradar.com/reviews/apple-mac-studio-m2-ultra |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=TechRadar |language=en |archive-date=January 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240102153330/https://www.techradar.com/reviews/apple-mac-studio-m2-ultra |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the Apple silicon-based Mac Pro was criticized for several regressions, including memory capacity and a complete lack of CPU or GPU expansion options.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mac renaissance: How Apple's chip transition yielded such an oddly configured Mac Pro |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/mac-renaissance-how-apples-processor-transition-yielded-such-an-oddly-configured-mac-pro/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823172926/https://www.zdnet.com/article/mac-renaissance-how-apples-processor-transition-yielded-such-an-oddly-configured-mac-pro/ |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |access-date=July 18, 2023 |website=ZDNET |language=en}}</ref> A 15-inch MacBook Air was also introduced, and is the largest display included on a consumer-level Apple laptop.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-12 |title=Apple MacBook Air 15-inch review: A bigger screen makes a surprising difference |url=https://www.engadget.com/apple-macbook-air-15-inch-review-a-bigger-screen-makes-a-surprising-difference-130033172.html |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=Engadget |language=en-US |archive-date=March 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240310054538/https://www.engadget.com/apple-macbook-air-15-inch-review-a-bigger-screen-makes-a-surprising-difference-130033172.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
Apple introduces new products at "special events" hosted at the Apple Town Hall auditorium, and at [[Stevenote|keynotes]] at the [[Apple Worldwide Developers Conference]]. Formerly, it also announced new products at [[trade shows]] like the [[Apple Expo]] and the [[Macworld Conference & Expo|Macworld Expo]]. The events typically draw a large gathering of media representatives and spectators, and are preceded by [[Apple community|speculation]] about possible new products. In the past, special events have been used to unveil Apple's desktop and notebook computers, such as the iMac and MacBook, and other consumer electronic devices like the [[iPod]], [[Apple TV]], and [[iPhone]]. The keynotes as well as provide updates on sales and market share statistics. Apple has begun to focus its advertising on its [[Apple store|retail stores]] instead of these trade shows; the company's last Macworld keynote was in 2009.<ref name="Last year at Macworld">{{cite web|url=http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2008/12/16macworld.html|title=Apple Announces Its Last Year at Macworld|date=December 16, 2008|publisher=Apple|accessdate=March 30, 2009}}</ref>


The [[MacBook Pro]] was updated on October 30, 2023, with updated [[Apple M3|M3 Pro]] and [[Apple M3|M3 Max]] chips using a [[3 nm process|3 nm]] process node, as well as the standard [[Apple M3|M3]] chip in a refreshed iMac and a new base model MacBook Pro.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Benedetto |first=Antonio G. Di |date=2023-10-31 |title=Here's where you can preorder Apple's new M3-powered Macs |url=https://www.theverge.com/23938865/apple-imac-macbook-pro-m3-max-preorder-how-to-buy-release-date-price |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=The Verge |language=en |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117055305/https://www.theverge.com/23938865/apple-imac-macbook-pro-m3-max-preorder-how-to-buy-release-date-price |url-status=live }}</ref> Reviewers lamented the base memory configuration of 8&nbsp;GB on the standard M3 MacBook Pro.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Song |first=Victoria |date=2023-11-06 |title=Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) review: entry-level enigma |url=https://www.theverge.com/23944344/apple-macbook-pro-14-2023-review-m3-specs-battery-ports |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=The Verge |language=en |archive-date=January 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240102153331/https://www.theverge.com/23944344/apple-macbook-pro-14-2023-review-m3-specs-battery-ports |url-status=live }}</ref> In March 2024, the MacBook Air was also updated to include the M3 chip.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cunningham |first=Andrew |date=2024-03-07 |title=Review: Apple's efficient M3 MacBook Airs are just about as good as laptops get |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/03/review-apples-efficient-m3-macbook-airs-are-just-about-as-good-as-laptops-get/ |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=March 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324015240/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/03/review-apples-efficient-m3-macbook-airs-are-just-about-as-good-as-laptops-get/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2024, several Macs were announced with the [[Apple M4|M4]] series of chips, including the iMac, a redesigned Mac Mini, and the MacBook Pro; all of which included 16&nbsp;GB of memory as standard. The MacBook Air was also upgraded with 16&nbsp;GB for the same price.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cadenas|first=Cesar|date=2024-08-30 |title=The MacBook Air's free RAM upgrade was sneakily the best announcement during Apple's Mac event
==Market share and user demographics==
|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-macbook-airs-free-ram-upgrade-was-sneakily-the-best-announcement-during-apples-mac-event/ |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=ZDNet |language=en-us}}</ref>
Since the introduction of the Macintosh, Apple has struggled to gain a significant [[market share|share]] of the personal computer market. At first, the Macintosh 128K suffered from a dearth of available software compared to IBM's PC, resulting in disappointing sales in 1984 and 1985. It took 74&nbsp;days for 50,000&nbsp;units to sell.<ref>{{cite web|last=Polsson|first=Ken|url=http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/applehis/appl1984.htm|title=Chronology of Apple Computer Personal Computers|date=July 29, 2009|accessdate=August 27, 2009}} See April 7, 1984.</ref> Market share is measured by browser hits, sales and installed base. If using the browser metric, Mac market share has increased substantially in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Ars Technica|date=April 5, 2009|url=http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2007/04/05/trends-in-mac-market-share|title=Trends in Mac market share|accessdate=August 27, 2009}}</ref> If measuring market share by installed base, there were more than 20&nbsp;million Mac users by 1997, compared to an installed base of around 340&nbsp;million [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] PCs.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Apple Computer]]|date= December 19, 1997 |url=http://developer.apple.com/adcnews/pastissues/devnews121997.html#stats|title=Apple Developer News, No. 87|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}{{dead link|date=August 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=Computer Industry Almanac Inc|date= November 3, 1998|url=http://www.c-i-a.com/pr1198.htm|title=Nearly 600 Million Computers-in-Use in Year 2000|accessdate=June 1, 2006}}</ref> Statistics from late 2003 indicate that Apple had 2.06&nbsp;percent of the desktop share in the United States that had increased to 2.88&nbsp;percent by Q4&nbsp;2004.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dalrymple|first=Jim|date= April 20, 2005 |url=http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/03/20/marketshare/index.php|title=Apple desktop market share on the rise; will the Mac mini, iPod help?|publisher=[[Macworld]]|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}</ref> As of October 2006, research firms IDC and Gartner reported that Apple's market share in the U.S. had increased to about 6&nbsp;percent.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dalrymple|first=Jim|date= October 19, 2006|url=http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/10/19/marketshare/index.php|title=Apple's Mac market share tops 5% with over 30% growth|publisher=[[Macworld]]|accessdate=December 22, 2006}}</ref> Figures from December 2006, showing a market share around 6&nbsp;percent (IDC) and 6.1&nbsp;percent (Gartner) are based on a more than 30&nbsp;percent increase in unit sale from 2005 to 2006. The [[installed base]] of Mac computers is hard to determine, with numbers ranging from 5% (estimated in 2009)<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Hitslink|year=July 2009|url=http://marketshare.hitslink.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=8|title=Operating System Market Share|accessdate=August 27, 2009}}</ref> to 16% (estimated in 2005).<ref>{{cite web|author=MacDailyNews|date=June 15, 2005|url=http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/5933/|title=16% of computer users are unaffected by viruses, malware because they use Apple Macs|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}</ref> Mac OS X's share of the OS market increased from 7.31% in December 2007 to 9.63% in December 2008, which is a 32% increase in market share during 2008, compared with a 22% increase during 2007.


== Current Mac models ==
By March 2011, OS X market share in North America had increased to slightly over 14%.<ref>[http://9to5mac.com/2011/03/17/top-10-mac-countries-by-market-share-united-states-is-3/]</ref> Whether the size of the Mac's market share and installed base is relevant, and to whom, is a hotly debated issue. Industry pundits have often called attention to the Mac's relatively small market share to predict Apple's impending doom, particularly in the early and mid-1990s when the company's future seemed bleakest. Others argue that market share is the wrong way to judge the Mac's success. Apple has positioned the Mac as a higher-end personal computer, and so it may be misleading to compare it to a budget PC.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gruber|first=John|authorlink=John Gruber|date=July 23, 2003|url=http://daringfireball.net/2003/07/market_share|title=Market Share|publisher=[[Daring Fireball]]|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}</ref> Because the overall market for personal computers has grown rapidly, the Mac's increasing sales numbers are effectively swamped by the industry's expanding sales volume as a whole. Apple's small market share, then, gives the impression that fewer people are using Macs than did ten years ago, when exactly the opposite is true.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brockmeier|first=Joe|date=May 13, 2003|url=http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/21499.html|title=What Will It Take To Put Apple Back on Top?|publisher=NewsFactor Magazine online|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}{{dead link|date=August 2010}}</ref> Soaring sales of the iPhone and iPad mean that the portion of Apple's profits represented by the Macintosh has declined in 2010, dropping to 24% from 46% two years earlier.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/10/21/1390638/despite-growing-sales-macs-share.html|title=Despite growing sales, Mac's share of Apple profits wanes}}</ref> Others try to de-emphasize market share, citing that it is rarely brought up in other industries.<ref>{{cite web|last=Toporek|first=Chuck|date=August 22, 2001 |url=http://www.oreillynet.com/mac/blog/2001/08/apple_market_share_and_who_car.html|title=Apple, Market Share, and Who Cares?|publisher=O'Reilly macdevcenter.com|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}</ref> Regardless of the Mac's market share, Apple has remained profitable since Steve Jobs' return and the company's subsequent reorganization.<ref>{{cite web|last=Spero|first=Ricky|date=July 14, 2004|url=http://www.macobserver.com/stockwatch/2004/07/14.1.shtml|title=Apple Posts Profit of $61&nbsp;million; Revenue Jumps 30%|publisher=The Mac Observer|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}</ref> Notably, a report published in the first quarter of 2008 found that Apple had a 14% market share in the personal computer market in the US, including 66% of all computers over $1,000.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wilcox|first=Joe|url=http://blogs.eweek.com/applewatch/content/channel/macs_defy_windows-gravity.html|title=Macs Defy Windows' Gravity|publisher=Apple Watch|accessdate=May 19, 2008}}</ref> [[Market research]] indicates that Apple draws its customer base from a higher-income demographic than the mainstream personal computer market.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fried|first=Ian|authorlink=Ian Fried (writer)|date=July 12, 2002|url=http://news.com.com/2100-1040-943519.html|title=Are Mac users smarter?|publisher=[[news.com]]|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}</ref>
{{See also|List of Mac models}}
{{Gallery|title=Overview of current Mac lineup
|File:M2 Macbook Air Starlight model.jpg
|[[MacBook Air]], entry-level lightweight laptop
|File:A 2021 14-inch Silver MacBook Pro (cropped).jpg
|[[MacBook Pro]], high-performance workstation laptop
|File:M1 iMac vector.svg
|[[iMac]], [[All-in-one computer|all-in-one]] desktop
|File:Mac mini 2024 (cropped).jpg
|[[Mac Mini]], entry-level desktop
|File:Mac Studio (2022) front.jpg
|[[Mac Studio]], compact workstation desktop
|File:Mac Pro Mockup.svg
|[[Mac Pro]], expandable workstation tower
}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:75%; text-align: center;"
|+ Mac models currently in production<ref>{{cite web |title=Apple – Support – Technical Specifications |url=https://support.apple.com/specs/maclaptops |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116165229/https://support.apple.com/specs/maclaptops |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=support.apple.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Apple – Support – Technical Specifications |url=https://support.apple.com/specs/macdesktops |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112031825/https://support.apple.com/specs/macdesktops |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=support.apple.com}}</ref>
! Release date
! Model
! Processor
|-
| July 15, 2022
| [[MacBook Air (Apple silicon)#M2 and M3 (2022–present)|MacBook Air (M2, 2022)]]
| [[Apple M2]]
|-
| rowspan="2"|June 13, 2023
| [[Mac Studio]] (2023)
| Apple M2 Max or M2 Ultra
|-
| [[Mac Pro#Apple silicon (2023)|Mac Pro (2023)]]
| Apple M2 Ultra
|-
| rowspan="2"|March 8, 2024
| [[MacBook Air (Apple silicon)#M2 and M3 (2022–present)|MacBook Air (13-inch, M3, 2024)]]
| rowspan="2"|[[Apple M3]]
|-
| [[MacBook Air (Apple silicon)#M2 and M3 (2022–present)|MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024)]]
|-
| rowspan="4"|November 8, 2024
| [[iMac (Apple silicon)|iMac (24-inch, 2024)]]
| [[Apple M4]]
|-
| [[Mac Mini]] (2024)
| Apple M4 or M4 Pro
|-
| [[MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)#14-inch and 16-inch (2021–present)|MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2024)]]
| Apple M4, M4 Pro or M4 Max
|-
| [[MacBook Pro (Apple silicon)#14-inch and 16-inch (2021–present)|MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2024)]]
| Apple M4 Pro or M4 Max
|}


== Marketing ==
According to a recent Gartner report, Apple devices (Mac & iOS combined) are expected to outsell all Windows devices for the first time in 2013.<ref>http://bgr.com/2013/04/05/apple-sales-windows-sales-2013-gartner-416934/</ref>
[[File:Ad apple 1984.jpg|thumb|The "[[1984 (advertisement)|1984]]" advertisement debuted during [[Super Bowl XVIII]].]]
The original Macintosh was marketed at [[Super Bowl XVIII]] with the highly acclaimed [[1984 (advertisement)|"1984"]] ad, directed by [[Ridley Scott]]. The ad alluded to [[George Orwell]]'s novel ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four]],'' and symbolized Apple's desire to "rescue" humanity from the conformity of computer industry giant [[IBM]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cellini |first=Adelia |date=January 2004 |title=The Story Behind Apple's '1984' TV commercial: Big Brother at 20 |work=[[MacWorld]] 21.1, page 18 |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb197/is_200401/ai_n5556112 |url-status=dead |access-date=May 9, 2008 |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090628133757/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb197/is_200401/ai_n5556112 |archive-date=June 28, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Long |first=Tony |date=January 22, 2007 |title=Jan. 22, 1984: Dawn of the Mac |url=https://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/01/72496 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |magazine=Wired |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100416033051/http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/01/72496 |archive-date=April 16, 2010 |access-date=April 11, 2010}}</ref>{{Sfn|Hertzfeld|2004|pp=181–183}} The ad is now considered a "watershed event" and a "masterpiece."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Maney |first=Kevin |date=January 28, 2004 |title=Apple's '1984' Super Bowl commercial still stands as watershed event |work=[[USA Today]] |url=http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kevinmaney/2004-01-28-maney_x.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=April 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120423195612/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kevinmaney/2004-01-28-maney_x.htm |archive-date=April 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Leopold |first=Todd |date=February 3, 2006 |title=Why 2006 isn't like '1984' |work=[[CNN]] |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/02/02/eye.ent.commercials |url-status=dead |access-date=May 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140405133016/http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/02/02/eye.ent.commercials |archive-date=April 5, 2014}}</ref> Before the Macintosh, high-tech marketing catered to industry insiders rather than consumers, so journalists covered technology like the "steel or automobiles" industries, with articles written for a highly technical audience.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marinaccio |first=Wendy |date=June 22, 2000 |title=Evelyn Richards on Apple's Influence on Technology Journalism and PR |url=https://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUL/sites/mac/primary/interviews/richards/apple.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513023142/https://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUL/sites/mac/primary/interviews/richards/apple.html |archive-date=May 13, 2020 |access-date=September 29, 2022 |website=Making the Macintosh: Technology and Culture in Silicon Valley |publisher=[[Stanford University]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Marinaccio |first=Wendy |date=June 22, 2000 |title=Evelyn Richards on High-Tech Journalism in the 1980s |url=https://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUL/sites/mac/primary/interviews/richards/journalism.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513081533/https://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUL/sites/mac/primary/interviews/richards/journalism.html |archive-date=May 13, 2020 |access-date=September 29, 2022 |work=Making the Macintosh: Technology and Culture in Silicon Valley |publisher=[[Stanford University]]}}</ref> The Macintosh launch event pioneered event marketing techniques that have since become "widely emulated" in [[Silicon Valley]], by creating a mystique about the product and giving an inside look into its creation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Soojung-Kim Pang |first=Alex |date=July 14, 2000 |title=The Macintosh Marketing Campaign |url=https://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUL/sites/mac/market.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220606170827/https://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUL/sites/mac/market.html |archive-date=June 6, 2022 |access-date=September 29, 2022 |website=Making the Macintosh: Technology and Culture in Silicon Valley |publisher=[[Stanford University]]}}</ref> Apple took a new "multiple exclusives" approach regarding the press, giving "over one hundred interviews to journalists that lasted over six hours apiece", and introduced a new "Test Drive a Macintosh" campaign.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marinaccio |first=Wendy |title=Andy Cunningham on the Influence of the Macintosh Launch |date=14 July 2000 |url=https://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUL/library/mac/primary/interviews/cunningham/influence.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419212244/http://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUL/library/mac/primary/interviews/cunningham/influence.html |archive-date=April 19, 2015 |access-date=April 19, 2015 |website=Making the Macintosh: Technology and Culture in Silicon Valley |publisher=[[Stanford University]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Marinaccio |first=Wendy |title=Andy Cunningham on the Macintosh Introduction |url=http://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUL/library/mac/primary/interviews/cunningham/macintro.html |date=14 July 2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419205004/http://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUL/library/mac/primary/interviews/cunningham/macintro.html |archive-date=April 19, 2015 |access-date=September 29, 2022 |work=Making the Macintosh: Technology and Culture in Silicon Valley |publisher=[[Stanford University]]}}</ref>


Apple's brand, which established a "heartfelt connection with consumers", is cited as one of the keys to the Mac's success.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Kahney |first=Leander |title=Apple: It's All About the Brand |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/2002/12/apple-its-all-about-the-brand |date=Dec 4, 2002 |url-status=live |access-date=September 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140314085608/http://www.wired.com/gadgets/mac/commentary/cultofmac/2002/12/56677 |archive-date=March 14, 2014 |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> After Steve Jobs's return to the company, he launched the [[Think different]] ad campaign, positioning the Mac as the best computer for "creative people who believe that one person can change the world".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Elliott |first=Stuart |date=August 3, 1998 |title=The Media Business: Advertising; Apple Endorses Some Achievers Who 'Think Different' |url-access=subscription |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/03/business/the-media-business-advertising-apple-endorses-some-achievers-who-think-different.html |access-date=December 3, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=December 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203205602/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/03/business/the-media-business-advertising-apple-endorses-some-achievers-who-think-different.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The campaign featured black-and-white photographs of luminaries like [[Albert Einstein]], [[Mahatma Gandhi|Gandhi]], and [[Martin Luther King Jr.]], with Jobs saying: "if they ever used a computer, it would have been a Mac".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paczkowski |first=John |date=August 28, 2010 |title=Einstein would have used a Mac. Lennon, too. |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/einstein-would-have-used-a-mac-lennon-too |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=CNET |language=en |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004171303/https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/einstein-would-have-used-a-mac-lennon-too/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Siltanen |first=Rob |date=December 14, 2011 |title=The Real Story Behind Apple's 'Think Different' Campaign |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/onmarketing/2011/12/14/the-real-story-behind-apples-think-different-campaign |access-date=September 29, 2022 |website=[[Forbes]] |language=en |archive-date=August 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220823113136/https://www.forbes.com/sites/onmarketing/2011/12/14/the-real-story-behind-apples-think-different-campaign |url-status=live }}</ref> The ad campaign was critically acclaimed and won several awards, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial|Primetime Emmy]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 1, 1998 |title=TBWA Think Different Ad wins Emmy |url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/tbwa-think-different-ad-wins-emmy/46888 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004121427/https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/tbwa-think-different-ad-wins-emmy/46888 |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=[[Campaign (magazine)|Campaign]] |language=en}}</ref> In the 2000s, Apple continued to use successful marketing campaigns to promote the Mac line, including the [[Switch (ad campaign)|Switch]] and [[Get a Mac]] campaigns.<ref>{{Cite web |author1=Luke Filipowicz |date=February 7, 2020 |title=The 'Get a Mac' campaign was instrumental in shaping Apple's reputation with consumers |url=https://www.imore.com/get-mac-campaign-was-instrumental-shaping-apples-reputation-consumers |access-date=October 15, 2022 |website=iMore |language=en |archive-date=October 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015111540/https://www.imore.com/get-mac-campaign-was-instrumental-shaping-apples-reputation-consumers |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=May 7, 2018 |first1= Jen |last1=Atalla |first2=Noah |last2=Friedman |title=Steve Jobs made 3 AM phone calls to argue about Apple ads |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/errol-morris-steve-jobs-making-of-apple-switch-ad-campaign-2018-5 |access-date=February 10, 2023 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US |archive-date=February 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210044248/https://www.businessinsider.com/errol-morris-steve-jobs-making-of-apple-switch-ad-campaign-2018-5 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==See also==
{{Wikipedia books|Apple Inc.}}
* [[Apple Inc. litigation]]
* [[Apple community]]
* [[History of computing hardware (1960s-present)]]
* [[List of Macintosh models by case type]]
* [[List of Macintosh models grouped by CPU type]]
* [[List of Macintosh software]]
* [[List of Macintosh software published by Microsoft]]
* [[Macintosh User Groups]]
* [[Mac gaming]]
* [[Reality distortion field]]
* [[Lilith (computer)]]


Apple's focus on design and build quality has helped establish the Mac as a high-end, premium brand. The company's emphasis on creating iconic and visually appealing designs for its computers has given them a "human face" and made them stand out in a crowded market.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lashinsky |first=Adam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JUI5AQAAQBAJ&q=Inside+Apple%3A+How+America%27s+Most+Admired--and+Secretive--Company+Really+Works |title=Inside Apple: How America's Most Admired--and Secretive--Company Really Works |date=January 25, 2012 |publisher=Grand Central Publishing |isbn=978-1-4555-1217-1 |language=en |access-date=September 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929152253/https://books.google.com/books?id=JUI5AQAAQBAJ&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=Inside+Apple%3A+How+America%27s+Most+Admired--and+Secretive--Company+Really+Works&hl=en |archive-date=September 29, 2022 |url-status=live}}; {{Cite book |last=Kahney |first=Leander |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CRZuAAAAQBAJ&q=JonyIve%3A+The+Genius+Behind+Apple%27s+Greatest+Products |title=Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple's Greatest Products |date=November 18, 2013 |publisher=Penguin Books Limited |isbn=978-0-670-92325-0 |language=en |access-date=September 29, 2022 |archive-date=September 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929152253/https://books.google.com/books?id=CRZuAAAAQBAJ&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=JonyIve%3A+The+Genius+Behind+Apple%27s+Greatest+Products&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref> Apple has long made [[product placement]]s in high-profile movies and television shows to showcase Mac computers, like ''[[Mission: Impossible]]'', ''[[Legally Blonde]]'', and ''[[Sex and the City]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stampler |first=Laura |title=12 Excellent Examples Of How Apple Product Placements Rule Hollywood |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-product-placements-in-tv-and-movies-2012-8 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510160958/https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-product-placements-in-tv-and-movies-2012-8 |archive-date=May 10, 2021 |access-date=September 29, 2022 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> Apple is known for not allowing producers to show villains using Apple products.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=February 26, 2020 |title=Apple tells moviemakers that villains can't use iPhones, Rian Johnson says |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/02/apple-wont-let-filmmakers-put-iphones-in-villains-hands-rian-johnson-says |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815112059/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/02/apple-wont-let-filmmakers-put-iphones-in-villains-hands-rian-johnson-says |archive-date=August 15, 2022 |access-date=September 29, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> Its own shows produced for the [[Apple TV+]] streaming service feature prominent use of MacBooks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hundreds of iPhones Are in 'Ted Lasso.' They're More Strategic Than You Think. |url=https://www.wsj.com/video/series/in-depth-features/hundreds-of-iphones-are-in-ted-lasso-theyre-more-strategic-than-you-think/BF83B882-AA90-46B2-9703-9D9689778D8D |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928003318/https://www.wsj.com/video/series/in-depth-features/hundreds-of-iphones-are-in-ted-lasso-theyre-more-strategic-than-you-think/BF83B882-AA90-46B2-9703-9D9689778D8D |archive-date=September 28, 2022 |access-date=September 29, 2022 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en}}</ref>
==References==

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
The Mac is known for its highly [[brand loyalty|loyal]] customer base. In 2022, the American Customer Satisfaction Index gave the Mac the highest customer satisfaction score of any personal computer, at 82 out of 100.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple tops the PC satisfaction index again. But Samsung has narrowed the gap |url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/kitchen-household/consumers-crave-macs-and-lg-appliances-says-american-customer-satisfaction-index/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928055131/https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/kitchen-household/consumers-crave-macs-and-lg-appliances-says-american-customer-satisfaction-index |archive-date=September 28, 2022 |access-date=September 29, 2022 |website=ZDNet |language=en}}</ref> In that year, Apple was the fourth largest vendor of personal computers, with a market share of 8.9%.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adorno |first=José |date=April 11, 2022 |title=Mac market bucks trend with continued growth while PC shipments slow |url=https://9to5mac.com/2022/04/11/mac-market-bucks-trend-with-continued-growth-while-pc-shipments-slow |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220412084552/https://9to5mac.com/2022/04/11/mac-market-bucks-trend-with-continued-growth-while-pc-shipments-slow |archive-date=April 12, 2022 |access-date=September 29, 2022 |website=9to5Mac |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Hardware ==
[[File:Mac Pro 2019 on wheels.jpg|thumb|A [[Mac Pro]] from 2019 being used for [[color grading]].]]
Apple outsources the production of its hardware to Asian [[original equipment manufacturer|manufacturers]] like [[Foxconn]] and [[Pegatron]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lovejoy |first=Ben |date=July 5, 2016 |title=Foxconn, Pegatron & other Apple suppliers reportedly under pressure as Apple squeezes margins |url=https://9to5mac.com/2016/07/05/foxconn-pegatron-apple-margins |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206054114/https://9to5mac.com/2016/07/05/foxconn-pegatron-apple-margins |archive-date=February 6, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=9to5Mac |language=en-US}}</ref>{{Sfn|Mickle|2022|loc=pages 97-99, 237-239}} As a highly vertically integrated company developing its own operating system and chips, it has tight control over all aspects of its products and deep integration between hardware and software.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Keeping it under your hat |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/business/2016/04/16/keeping-it-under-your-hat |url-status=live |access-date=October 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423195300/https://www.economist.com/business/2016/04/16/keeping-it-under-your-hat |archive-date=April 23, 2022 |issn=0013-0613}}</ref>

All Macs in production use [[ARM architecture family|ARM]]-based [[Apple silicon]] processors and have been praised for their performance and power efficiency.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple Silicon: The Complete Guide |url=https://www.macrumors.com/guide/apple-silicon/ |access-date=November 18, 2022 |website=MacRumors |language=en |archive-date=October 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003115240/https://www.macrumors.com/guide/apple-silicon/ |url-status=live }}</ref> They can run Intel apps through the [[Rosetta (software)|Rosetta 2]] translation layer, and [[iOS]] and [[iPadOS]] apps distributed via the [[App Store (iOS/iPadOS)|App Store]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Axon |first=Samuel |date=November 19, 2020 |title=Mac Mini and Apple Silicon M1 review: Not so crazy after all |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/11/mac-mini-and-apple-silicon-m1-review-not-so-crazy-after-all/ |access-date=November 18, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=October 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221007013538/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/11/mac-mini-and-apple-silicon-m1-review-not-so-crazy-after-all/ |url-status=live }}</ref> These Mac models come equipped with high-speed [[Thunderbolt (interface)|Thunderbolt 4]] or [[USB4|USB 4]] connectivity, with speeds up to 40&nbsp;Gbit/s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shankland |first=Stephen |title=Apple brings USB 4 to its Mac line as it unveils computers with its own M1 chips |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/apple-brings-usb-4-to-its-mac-line-as-it-unveils-computers-with-its-own-m1-chips/ |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=CNET |language=en |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205042700/https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/apple-brings-usb-4-to-its-mac-line-as-it-unveils-computers-with-its-own-m1-chips/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Ryan |title=Apple Intros First Three 'Apple Silicon' Macs: Late 2020 MacBook Air, 13-Inch MacBook Pro, & Mac Mini |url=https://www.anandtech.com/show/16235/apple-intros-first-three-apple-silicon-macs-late-2020-macbook-air-13inch-macbook-pro-mac-mini |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115205756/https://www.anandtech.com/show/16235/apple-intros-first-three-apple-silicon-macs-late-2020-macbook-air-13inch-macbook-pro-mac-mini |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=[[AnandTech]]}}</ref> Apple silicon Macs have custom [[integrated graphics]] rather than graphics cards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Jonny |date=July 7, 2020 |title=Apple has built its own Mac graphics processors |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3564527/apple-has-built-its-own-mac-graphics-processors.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119225919/https://www.computerworld.com/article/3564527/apple-has-built-its-own-mac-graphics-processors.html |archive-date=January 19, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=Computerworld |language=en}}</ref> MacBooks are recharged with either USB-C or [[MagSafe]] connectors, depending on the model.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lawler |first=Richard |date=October 18, 2021 |title=Apple brings MagSafe 3 to the new MacBook Pro |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/18/22733119/apple-new-macbook-pro-magsafe-back |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=January 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111153027/https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/18/22733119/apple-new-macbook-pro-magsafe-back |url-status=live }}</ref>

Apple sells accessories for the Mac, including the [[Apple Studio Display|Studio Display]] and [[Pro Display XDR]] external monitors,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grunin |first=Lori |title=Apple Studio Display vs. Pro Display XDR: The Same, Yet Not |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/apple-studio-display-vs-pro-display-xdr-the-same-yet-not/ |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=CNET |language=en |archive-date=January 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111153038/https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/apple-studio-display-vs-pro-display-xdr-the-same-yet-not/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the [[AirPods]] line of wireless headphones,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vasani |first=Sheena |date=September 10, 2022 |title=Here's how the new AirPods Pro compare to the rest of Apple's AirPods lineup |url=https://www.theverge.com/23320893/apple-airpods-2-3-pro-max-which-to-buy-price-specs |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205042658/https://www.theverge.com/23320893/apple-airpods-2-3-pro-max-which-to-buy-price-specs |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Apple keyboards|keyboards]] and [[Apple pointing devices|mice]] such as the [[Magic Keyboard (Mac)|Magic Keyboard]], [[Magic Trackpad]], and [[Magic Mouse]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=DiPane |first=Jared |title=Apple's New Two-Toned Magic Keyboard With Touch ID, Trackpad and Mouse Are Now Available |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/apples-new-two-toned-magic-keyboard-with-touch-id-trackpad-and-mouse-are-now-available/ |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=CNET |language=en |archive-date=February 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230219193811/https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/apples-new-two-toned-magic-keyboard-with-touch-id-trackpad-and-mouse-are-now-available/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Software ==
[[File:Screenshot of macOS Sequoia.png|thumb|The latest release of macOS, [[MacOS Sequoia|Sequoia]], was released in 2024.]]
{{Main|macOS}}
{{See also|Architecture of macOS|Mac operating systems}}
{{macOS sidebar}}
Macs run the macOS operating system, which is the [[Usage share of operating systems#Desktop and laptop computers|second most widely used desktop OS]] according to [[StatCounter]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Desktop Operating System Market Share Worldwide |url=https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/desktop/worldwide#monthly-200901-202303 |website=StatCounter Global Stats |access-date=May 6, 2023 |language=en |archive-date=January 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170124113625/https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/desktop/worldwide#monthly-200901-202303 |url-status=live }}</ref> Macs can also run [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Linux]], or other operating systems through [[virtualization]], emulation, or [[multi-booting]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Markoff |first1=John |title=Windows or Mac? Apple Says Both |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/06/technology/windows-or-mac-apple-says-both.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=May 6, 2023 |date=April 6, 2006 |archive-date=May 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507000029/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/06/technology/windows-or-mac-apple-says-both.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Hattersley |first1=Lucy |title=How to install Linux and breathe new life into an older Mac |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/672021/how-to-install-set-up-linux-on-a-mac.html |website=Macworld |access-date=May 6, 2023 |language=en |archive-date=May 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506232750/https://www.macworld.com/article/672021/how-to-install-set-up-linux-on-a-mac.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Joseph |first1=Cliff |title=Best virtual machine software for Mac 2023 |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/668848/best-virtual-machine-software-for-mac.html |website=Macworld |access-date=May 6, 2023 |language=en |archive-date=May 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506232751/https://www.macworld.com/article/668848/best-virtual-machine-software-for-mac.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

macOS is the successor of the [[classic Mac OS]], which had nine releases between 1984 and 1999. The last version of classic Mac OS, [[Mac OS 9]], was introduced in 1999. Mac OS 9 was succeeded by [[MacOS|Mac OS X]] in 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=James |date=January 24, 2014 |title=Looking back at the Mac OS (pictures) |url=https://www.cnet.com/pictures/looking-back-at-the-mac-os-pictures/7/ |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=CNET |language=en |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205042701/https://www.cnet.com/pictures/looking-back-at-the-mac-os-pictures/7/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Over the years, Mac OS X was rebranded first to OS X and later to macOS.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Axon |first=Samuel |date=March 24, 2021 |title=It's been 20 years since the launch of Mac OS X |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/03/its-been-20-years-since-the-launch-of-mac-os-x/ |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205042702/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/03/its-been-20-years-since-the-launch-of-mac-os-x/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

macOS is a derivative of NextSTEP and [[FreeBSD]]. It uses the [[XNU]] kernel, and the core of macOS has been open-sourced as the [[Darwin (operating system)|Darwin]] operating system.{{Sfn|Singh|2006|pp=34-36}} macOS features the [[Aqua (user interface)|Aqua]] user interface, the [[Cocoa (API)|Cocoa]] set of frameworks, and the [[Objective-C]] and [[Swift (programming language)|Swift]] programming languages.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Potter |first1=Bruce |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K_3Vyi4bMaAC&dq=macos+intuitive+-wikipedia&pg=PA54 |title=OS X for Hackers at Heart |last2=Hurley |first2=Chris |last3=Long |first3=Johnny |last4=Owad |first4=Tom |last5=Rogers |first5=Russ |date=December 12, 2005 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-0-08-048948-3 |language=en |access-date=September 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929152753/https://books.google.com/books?id=K_3Vyi4bMaAC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA54&dq=macos+intuitive+-wikipedia&hl=en |archive-date=September 29, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> Macs are deeply integrated with other Apple devices, including the iPhone and iPad, through [[OS X Yosemite#Continuity|Continuity]] features like [[OS X Yosemite#Continuity|Handoff]], [[MacOS Catalina#Sidecar|Sidecar]], [[MacOS Monterey#Changes|Universal Control]], and [[MacOS Sierra#Auto Unlock and Universal Clipboard|Universal Clipboard]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bohn |first=Dieter |date=June 8, 2021 |title=How Universal Control on macOS Monterey works |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/8/22523613/macos-monterey-wwdc-apple-ipad |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220907021826/https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/8/22523613/macos-monterey-wwdc-apple-ipad |archive-date=September 7, 2022 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref>

The first version of Mac OS X, version [[Mac OS X 10.0|10.0]], was released in March 2001.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=Siracusa |first=John |date=April 2, 2001 |title=Mac OS X 10.0 |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2001/04/macos-x/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115214228/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2001/04/macos-x/ |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}</ref> Subsequent releases introduced major changes and features to the operating system. [[Mac OS X Tiger|10.4 Tiger]] added [[Spotlight (Apple)|Spotlight]] search;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siracusa |first=John |date=April 28, 2005 |title=Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2005/04/macosx-10-4/ |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205055214/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2005/04/macosx-10-4/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Mac OS X Snow Leopard|10.6 Snow Leopard]] brought refinements, stability, and full [[64-bit computing|64-bit]] support;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siracusa |first=John |date=September 1, 2009 |title=Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard: the Ars Technica review |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2009/08/mac-os-x-10-6/ |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205055212/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2009/08/mac-os-x-10-6/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[OS X Lion|10.7 Lion]] introduced many [[IPad (1st generation)|iPad]]-inspired features;<ref name=":1" /> [[OS X Yosemite|10.10 Yosemite]] introduced a complete user interface revamp, replacing [[skeuomorph]]ic designs with [[iOS 7]]-esque [[Flat design|flat]] designs;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chester |first=Brandon |date=October 27, 2014 |title=A Look At OS X Yosemite And iOS 8.1 |url=https://www.anandtech.com/show/8629/looking-at-os-x-yosemite-and-ios-81 |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=AnandTech |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205060033/https://www.anandtech.com/show/8629/looking-at-os-x-yosemite-and-ios-81 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[macOS Sierra|10.12 Sierra]] added the [[Siri]] voice assistant and [[Apple File System]] (APFS) support;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cunningham |first=Andrew |date=September 20, 2016 |title=macOS 10.12 Sierra: The Ars Technica review |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/09/macos-10-12-sierra-the-ars-technica-review/ |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205060023/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/09/macos-10-12-sierra-the-ars-technica-review/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[macOS Mojave|10.14 Mojave]] added a dark user interface mode;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cunningham |first=Andrew |date=September 24, 2018 |title=macOS 10.14 Mojave: The Ars Technica review |url=https://arstechnica.com/features/2018/09/macos-10-14-mojave-the-ars-technica-review/ |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921225821/https://arstechnica.com/features/2018/09/macos-10-14-mojave-the-ars-technica-review/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[macOS Catalina|10.15 Catalina]] dropped support for 32-bit apps;<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cunningham |first1=Andrew |title=macOS 10.15 Catalina: The Ars Technica review |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/10/macos-10-15-catalina-the-ars-technica-review/ |website=Ars Technica |access-date=May 7, 2023 |language=en-us |date=October 7, 2019 |archive-date=April 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415133817/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/10/macos-10-15-catalina-the-ars-technica-review/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[macOS Big Sur|11 Big Sur]] introduced an iOS-inspired redesign of the user interface,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cunningham |first=Andrew |date=November 12, 2020 |title=macOS 11.0 Big Sur: The Ars Technica review |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/11/macos-11-0-big-sur-the-ars-technica-review/ |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607133944/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/11/macos-11-0-big-sur-the-ars-technica-review/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[macOS Monterey|12 Monterey]] added the [[Shortcuts (app)|Shortcuts]] app, Low Power Mode, and AirPlay to Mac;<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cunningham |first1=Andrew |title=macOS 12 Monterey: The Ars Technica review |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/10/macos-12-monterey-the-ars-technica-review/ |website=Ars Technica |access-date=May 6, 2023 |language=en-us |date=October 25, 2021 |archive-date=August 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220823105001/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/10/macos-12-monterey-the-ars-technica-review/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[macOS Ventura|13 Ventura]] added Stage Manager, Continuity Camera, and [[Passkey (authentication)|passkeys]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cunningham |first1=Andrew |title=macOS 13 Ventura: The Ars Technica review |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/10/macos-13-ventura-the-ars-technica-review/ |website=Ars Technica |access-date=May 6, 2023 |language=en-us |date=October 26, 2022 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204233336/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/10/macos-13-ventura-the-ars-technica-review/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Mac has a [[List of Mac software|variety of apps]] available, including cross-platform apps like [[Google Chrome]], [[Microsoft Office]], [[Adobe Creative Cloud]], [[Wolfram Mathematica|Mathematica]], [[Visual Studio Code]], [[Ableton Live]], and [[Cinema 4D]].<ref>{{unbulleted list citebundle
|{{Cite web |last=Furno |first=Nicolas |date=September 3, 2021 |title=Apple M1 : les apps optimisées et celles qui ne le sont pas encore |url=https://www.macg.co/logiciels/2020/11/apple-m1-les-apps-pretes-et-celles-qui-ne-le-sont-pas-encore-117707 |access-date=May 6, 2023 |website=MacGeneration |language=fr |ref=none |archive-date=May 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506235550/https://www.macg.co/logiciels/2020/11/apple-m1-les-apps-pretes-et-celles-qui-ne-le-sont-pas-encore-117707 |url-status=live }}
|{{Cite web |last=Berka |first=Justin |date=May 3, 2007 |title=Mathematica 6.0 for Mac brings easy interface creation |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2007/05/mathematica-6-0-for-mac-brings-easy-interface-creation/ |access-date=May 6, 2023 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |ref=none |archive-date=May 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506235539/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2007/05/mathematica-6-0-for-mac-brings-easy-interface-creation/ |url-status=live }}}}</ref> Apple has also developed several apps for the Mac, including [[Final Cut Pro]], [[Logic Pro]], [[iWork]], [[GarageBand]], and [[iMovie]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Haslam |first=Oliver |date=November 13, 2020 |title=Apple Updates iWork, iMovie, GarageBand, Final Cut Pro And Logic Pro To Support macOS Big Sur And Apple M1 Macs |url=https://www.redmondpie.com/apple-updates-iwork-imovie-garageband-final-cut-pro-and-logic-pro-to-support-macos-big-sur-and-apple-m1-macs/ |access-date=May 6, 2023 |language=en-US |website=RedmondPie |archive-date=May 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507001338/https://www.redmondpie.com/apple-updates-iwork-imovie-garageband-final-cut-pro-and-logic-pro-to-support-macos-big-sur-and-apple-m1-macs/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A large amount of [[open-source software]] applications run natively on macOS, such as [[LibreOffice]], [[VLC media player|VLC]], and [[GIMP]],<ref>{{unbulleted list citebundle
|{{Cite web |last=Wayner |first=Peter |date=October 15, 2009 |title=The best free open source software for Mac OS X |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2826407/the-best-free-open-source-software-for-mac-os-x.html |access-date=May 6, 2023 |website=Computerworld |language=en |ref=none |archive-date=May 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507001041/https://www.computerworld.com/article/2826407/the-best-free-open-source-software-for-mac-os-x.html |url-status=live }}
|LibreOffice and VLC are at {{Cite magazine |last=Jancer |first=Matt |title=The 27 Best Mac Apps That Will Make Your Life Easier |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/story/best-mac-apps/ |access-date=December 8, 2022 |issn=1059-1028 |archive-date=January 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230111153018/https://www.wired.com/story/best-mac-apps/ |url-status=live |ref=none}}
|GIMP is at {{Cite web |last=Girard |first=Dave |date=January 14, 2009 |title=Suite freedom: a review of GIMP 2.6.4 |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2009/01/gimp-2-6-review/ |access-date=May 6, 2023 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |ref=none |archive-date=May 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506235541/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2009/01/gimp-2-6-review/ |url-status=live }}}}</ref> and command-line programs, which can be installed through [[Macports]] and [[Homebrew (package manager)|Homebrew]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Axon |first=Samuel |date=February 5, 2021 |title=Mac utility Homebrew finally gets native Apple Silicon and M1 support |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/02/mac-utility-homebrew-finally-gets-native-apple-silicon-and-m1-support/ |access-date=December 8, 2022 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |archive-date=December 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208183415/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/02/mac-utility-homebrew-finally-gets-native-apple-silicon-and-m1-support/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Many applications for [[Linux kernel|Linux]] or [[Berkeley Software Distribution|BSD]] also run on macOS, often using [[X Window System|X11]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Introduction to Porting UNIX/Linux Applications to OS X |url=https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Porting/Conceptual/PortingUnix/intro/intro.html |access-date=November 12, 2022 |website= |publisher=[[Apple Inc.|Apple]] |archive-date=November 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221112015125/https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Porting/Conceptual/PortingUnix/intro/intro.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Apple's official integrated development environment ([[Integrated development environment|IDE]]) is [[Xcode]], allowing developers to create apps for the Mac and other Apple platforms.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Paul |date=March 29, 2018 |title=The Xcode cliff: is Apple teaching kids to code, or just about code? |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/29/17173362/apple-swift-playgrounds-xcode-cliff-ipad-learn-to-code-education |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210104937/https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/29/17173362/apple-swift-playgrounds-xcode-cliff-ipad-learn-to-code-education |archive-date=December 10, 2021 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref>

The latest release of macOS is [[MacOS Sequoia|macOS 15 Sequoia]], released on September 16, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Heater |first1=Brian |title=A closer look at macOS Ventura |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/10/24/a-closer-look-at-macos-ventura/ |website=TechCrunch |access-date=October 26, 2022 |date=October 24, 2022 |archive-date=October 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221026091109/https://techcrunch.com/2022/10/24/a-closer-look-at-macos-ventura/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Timeline ==
{{Timeline of Mac model families|headerextension=}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
* {{Cite book |last=Hertzfeld |first=Andy |title=Revolution in the Valley: The Insanely Great Story of How the Mac was made |publisher=O'Reilly |year=2004 |isbn=0-596-00719-1 |author-link=Andy Hertzfeld}}
* {{Cite book |last=Isaacson |first=Walter |url= |title=Steve Jobs |title-link=Steve Jobs (book) |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-4516-4853-9 |edition=1st |location=New York, NY |language=en |author-link=Walter Isaacson}}
* {{Cite book |last=Levy |first=Steven |url= |title=Insanely Great: The Life and Times of Macintosh, the Computer that Changed Everything |date=June 2000 |publisher=Penguin Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-14-029177-3 |language=en |author-link=Steven Levy}}
* {{Cite book |last=Linzmayer |first=Owen W. |url=https://archive.org/details/appleconfidentia0000linz |title=Apple Confidential 2.0: The Definitive History of the World's Most Colorful Company |publisher=No Starch Press |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-59327-010-0 |page= |language=en |access-date=}}
* {{Cite book |last=Malone |first=Michael Shawn |title=Infinite Loop: How the World's Most Insanely Great Computer Company Went Insane |date=1999 |publisher=Currency/Doubleday |isbn=978-0-385-48684-2 |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |last=Mickle |first=Tripp |url= |title=After Steve: How Apple Became a Trillion-Dollar Company and Lost Its Soul |date=May 3, 2022 |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers |isbn=978-0-06-300981-3 |language=en}}
*{{Cite book |last1=Schlender |first1=Brent |url= |title=Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart into a Visionary Leader |title-link=Becoming Steve Jobs |last2=Tetzeli |first2=Rick |publisher=[[Crown Publishing Group|Crown Business]] |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-7710-7914-6 |language=en}}
* {{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Amit |url= |title=Mac OS X Internals: A Systems Approach |date=June 19, 2006 |publisher=Addison-Wesley Professional |isbn=978-0-13-270226-3 |language=en}}
* {{Cite news |last=Sandberg-Diment |first=Erik |date=January 24, 1984 |title=Hardware review: Apple Weighs In With Its Macintosh |language=en-US |newspaper=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin}}
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|author=[[Apple Inc.|Apple]] & [[Jef Raskin|Raskin, Jef]]|year=1992|title=Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines|publisher=[[Addison-Wesley|Addison-Wesley Professional]]|isbn=0-201-62216-5}}
* {{Cite book |author=Apple Inc. |last2=Raskin |first2=Jef |author-link2=Jef Raskin |year=1992 |title=Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines |publisher=Addison-Wesley Professional |isbn=0-201-62216-5}}
* {{Cite book |last=Deutschman |first=Alan |date=2001 |title=The Second Coming of Steve Jobs |url= |publisher=Broadway Books |isbn=978-0-7679-0433-9 |language=en}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.apple.com/pr/library/|title=Press release Library|accessdate=November 18, 2007|author=Apple}}
* {{Cite web |last=Hertzfeld |first=Andy |author-link=Andy Hertzfeld |title=The Original Macintosh |url=http://folklore.org/index.py |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060424131847/http://www.folklore.org/index.py |archive-date=April 24, 2006 |publisher=folklore.org |access-date=April 24, 2006}}
* {{cite book|author=Deutschman, Alan|year=2001|title=[[The Second Coming of Steve Jobs]]|publisher=Broadway|isbn=0-7679-0433-8}}
* {{Cite book |last=Kahney |first=Leander |title=The Cult of Mac |title-link=The Cult of Mac |publisher=No Starch Press |year=2004 |isbn=1-886411-83-2 |author-link=Leander Kahney}}
* {{cite web|last=Hertzfeld|first=Andy|authorlink=Andy Hertzfeld|url=http://folklore.org/index.py|title=folklore.org: Macintosh stories|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}
* {{Cite book |last=Kawasaki |first=Guy |author-link=Guy Kawasaki |year=1989 |title=The Macintosh Way |url=https://archive.org/details/macintoshway00kawa |publisher=Scott Foresman Trade |isbn=0-673-46175-0}}
* {{cite book|author=Hertzfeld, Andy|authorlink=Andy Hertzfeld|year=2004|title=Revolution in the Valley|publisher=[[O'Reilly|O'Reilly Books]]|isbn=0-596-00719-1}}
* {{cite book|author=Kahney, Leander|authorlink=Leander Kahney|year=2004|title=[[The Cult of Mac]]|publisher=[[No Starch Press]]|isbn=1-886411-83-2}}
* {{Cite book |last=Kelby |first=Scott |author-link=Scott Kelby |year=2002 |title=Macintosh... The Naked Truth |url=https://archive.org/details/macintoshnakedtr00scot |publisher=New Riders Press |isbn=0-7357-1284-0}}
* {{Cite web |last=Knight |first=Dan |year=2005 |title=1984: The First Macs |url=http://lowendmac.com/1984/1984-the-first-macs |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160228025246/http://lowendmac.com/1984/1984-the-first-macs |publisher=Low End Mac |archive-date=February 28, 2016 |access-date=April 24, 2006}}
* {{cite book|author=Kawasaki, Guy|authorlink=Guy Kawasaki|year=1989|title=The Macintosh Way|publisher=Scott Foresman Trade|isbn=0-673-46175-0}}
* {{cite book|author=Kelby, Scott|authorlink=Scott Kelby|year=2002|title=Macintosh... The Naked Truth|publisher=New Riders Press|isbn=0-7357-1284-0}}
* {{Cite book |last=Kunkel |first=Paul |url=https://archive.org/details/apple-design |title=AppleDesign: The Work of the Apple Industrial Design Group |date=1997 |publisher=Graphis Incorporated |isbn=978-1-888001-25-9 |language=en}}
* {{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Amit |year=2005 |title=A History of Apple's Operating Systems |url=http://osxbook.com/book/bonus/chapter1/pdf/macosxinternals-singh-1.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060805104617/http://www.osxbook.com/book/bonus/chapter1/pdf/macosxinternals-singh-1.pdf |archive-date=August 5, 2006 |access-date=April 24, 2006 }}
* {{cite web|last=Knight|first=Dan|year=2005|url=http://lowendmac.com/history/1984dk.shtml|title=Macintosh History: 1984|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}
* {{cite book|author=Levy, Steven|authorlink=Steven Levy|year=2000|title=Insanely Great: The Life and Times of Macintosh, the Computer That Changed Everything|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|isbn=0-14-029177-6}}
* {{cite book|last=Linzmayer|first=Owen|year=2004|title=[[Apple Confidential 2.0]]|publisher=[[No Starch Press]]|isbn=1-59327-010-0}}
* {{cite web|last=Page|first=Ian|year=2007|url=http://www.mactracker.ca/|title=MacTracker Macintosh model database 4.3.1|accessdate=November 31, 2007}}
* {{cite web|last=Sanford|first=Glen|year=2006|url=http://www.apple-history.com/|title=Apple History|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}
* {{cite web|last=Singh|first=Amit|year=2005|url=http://www.kernelthread.com/mac/oshistory/|title=A History of Apple's Operating Systems|accessdate=April 24, 2006}}
{{refend}}
{{refend}}


==External links==
== External links ==
{{Commons|Apple Macintosh}}
{{Commons|Apple Macintosh}}
* {{Official website|http://www.apple.com/mac/}}
* {{Official website|https://apple.com/mac/}}
* [http://library.stanford.edu/mac/index.html Making the Macintosh: Technology and Culture in Silicon Valley]


{{Apple}}
{{Apple Inc.}}
{{Apple hardware before 1998}}
{{Apple hardware before 1998}}
{{Apple hardware since 1998}}
{{Apple hardware since 1998}}
{{Apple operating systems}}
{{Mac_OS History}}
{{Mac OS}}
{{Classic Mac OS}}
{{macOS}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Macintosh computers| Macintosh computer]]
{{Portal bar|Apple Inc.|Computer Science|Design}}
[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 1984]]

[[Category:1984 introductions]]
[[Category:Macintosh platform| ]]
[[Category:Engineering and technology good articles]]
[[Category:Apple computers]]
[[Category:Industrial designs]]
[[Category:Macintosh computers|Macintosh computers]]
[[Category:Macintosh platform]]
[[Category:Personal computers]]
[[Category:Sealed computers]]
[[Category:Steve Jobs]]
[[Category:Steve Jobs]]

{{Link GA|fr}}

Latest revision as of 00:07, 3 December 2024

Mac
The MacBook Air, a notebook computer of the Mac lineup
Also known asMacintosh
DeveloperApple, Inc.
ManufacturerApple, Inc.
TypeDesktop computers, All-in-one computers, Laptop computers
Release dateJanuary 24, 1984; 40 years ago (1984-01-24)
Lifespan1984–present
Operating systemmacOS
"Classic" Mac OS (formerly)
RelatedApple II
Apple Lisa
Apple Workgroup Server
Xserve

Mac is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple since 1984. The name is short for Macintosh (its official name until 1999), a reference to a type of apple called McIntosh. The current product lineup includes the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, and the iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro desktops. Macs are sold with the macOS operating system, which is not licensed to other manufacturers and exclusively bundled with Mac computers.

Jef Raskin conceived the Macintosh project in 1979, which was usurped and redefined by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in 1981. The original Macintosh was launched in January 1984, after Apple's "1984" advertisement during Super Bowl XVIII. A series of incrementally improved models followed, sharing the same integrated case design. In 1987, the Macintosh II brought color graphics, but priced as a professional workstation and not a personal computer. Beginning in 1994 with the Power Macintosh, the Mac transitioned from Motorola 68000 series processors to PowerPC. Macintosh clones by other manufacturers were also briefly sold afterwards. The line was refreshed in 1998 with the launch of iMac G3, reinvigorating the line's competitiveness against commodity IBM PC compatibles. Macs transitioned to Intel x86 processors by 2006 along with new sub-product lines MacBook and Mac Pro. Since 2020, Macs have transitioned to Apple silicon chips based on ARM64.

History

[edit]
Mac worldwide quarterly sales

1979–1996: "Macintosh" era

[edit]
With a red background, Steve Jobs rests his forearms on a Macintosh computer.
Steve Jobs debuted the Macintosh in January 1984, photographed by Bernard Gotfryd. The Mac displays the shin-hanga (Japanese: 髪梳ける女; lit.'hair combing woman') (original) by Goyō Hashiguchi.

In the late 1970s, the Apple II became one of the most popular computers, especially in education. After IBM introduced the IBM PC in 1981, its sales surpassed the Apple II. In response, Apple introduced the Lisa in 1983.[1] The Lisa's graphical user interface was inspired by strategically licensed demonstrations of the Xerox Star. Lisa surpassed the Star with intuitive direct manipulation, like the ability to drag and drop files, double-click to launch applications, and move or resize windows by clicking and dragging instead of going through a menu.[2][3] However, hampered by its high price of $9,995 (equivalent to $33,000 in 2023) and lack of available software, the Lisa was commercially unsuccessful.[1]

Parallel to the Lisa's development, a skunkworks team at Apple was working on the Macintosh project. Conceived in 1979 by Jef Raskin, Macintosh was envisioned as an affordable, easy-to-use computer for the masses. Raskin named the computer after his favorite type of apple, the McIntosh. The initial team consisted of Raskin, hardware engineer Burrell Smith, and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. In 1981, Steve Jobs was removed from the Lisa team and joined Macintosh, and was able to gradually take control of the project due to Wozniak's temporary absence after an airplane crash. Under Jobs, the Mac grew to resemble the Lisa, with a mouse and a more intuitive graphical interface, at a quarter of the Lisa's price.[4]

Upon its January 1984 launch, the first Macintosh was described as "revolutionary" by The New York Times.[5] Sales initially met projections, but dropped due to the machine's low performance, single floppy disk drive requiring frequent disk swapping, and initial lack of applications. Author Douglas Adams said of it, "…what I (and I think everybody else who bought the machine in the early days) fell in love with was not the machine itself, which was ridiculously slow and underpowered, but a romantic idea of the machine. And that romantic idea had to sustain me through the realities of actually working on the 128K Mac."[6] Most of the original Macintosh team left Apple, and some followed Jobs to found NeXT after he was forced out by CEO John Sculley.[7] The first Macintosh nevertheless generated enthusiasm among buyers and some developers, who rushed to develop entirely new programs for the platform, including PageMaker, MORE, and Excel.[8] Apple soon released the Macintosh 512K with improved performance and an external floppy drive.[9] The Macintosh is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface,[10] Jobs's fascination with typography gave it an unprecedented variety of fonts and type styles like italics, bold, shadow, and outline.[11] It is the first WYSIWYG computer, and due in large part to PageMaker and Apple's LaserWriter printer, it ignited the desktop publishing market, turning the Macintosh from an early let-down into a notable success.[12] Levy called desktop publishing the Mac's "Trojan horse" in the enterprise market, as colleagues and executives tried these Macs and were seduced into requesting one for themselves. PageMaker creator Paul Brainerd said: "You would see the pattern. A large corporation would buy PageMaker and a couple of Macs to do the company newsletter. The next year you'd come back and there would be thirty Macintoshes. The year after that, three hundred."[13]

In late 1985, Bill Atkinson, one of the few remaining employees to have been on the original Macintosh team, proposed that Apple create a Dynabook, Alan Kay's concept for a tablet computer that stores and organizes knowledge. Sculley rebuffed him, so he adapted the idea into a Mac program, HyperCard, whose cards store any information—text, image, audio, video—with the memex-like ability to semantically link cards together. HyperCard was released in 1987 and bundled with every Macintosh.[14]

Macintosh Portable

In the late 1980s, Jean-Louis Gassée, a Sculley protégé who had succeeded Jobs as head of the Macintosh division, made the Mac more expandable and powerful to appeal to tech enthusiasts and enterprise customers.[15] This strategy led to the successful 1989 release of the Macintosh II, which appealed to power users and gave the lineup momentum. However, Gassée's "no-compromise" approach foiled Apple's first laptop, the Macintosh Portable, which has many uncommon power user features, but is almost as heavy as the original Macintosh at twice its price. Soon after its launch, Gassée was fired.[16]

Since the Mac's debut, Sculley had opposed lowering the company's profit margins, and Macintoshes were priced far above entry-level MS-DOS compatible computers. Steven Levy said that though Macintoshes were superior, the cheapest Mac cost almost twice as much as the cheapest IBM PC compatible.[17][page needed] Sculley also resisted licensing the Mac OS to competing hardware vendors, who could have undercut Apple on pricing and jeopardized its hardware sales, as IBM PC compatibles had done to IBM. These early strategic steps caused the Macintosh to lose its chance at becoming the dominant personal computer platform.[18][19] Though senior management demanded high-margin products, a few employees disobeyed and set out to create a computer that would live up to the original Macintosh's slogan, "[a] computer for the rest of us", which the market clamored for. In a pattern typical of Apple's early era, of skunkworks projects like Macintosh and Macintosh II lacking adoption by upper management who were late to realize the projects' merit, this once-renegade project was actually endorsed by senior management following market pressures. In 1990 came the Macintosh LC and the more affordable Macintosh Classic, the first model under $1,000 (equivalent to $2,300 in 2023). Between 1984 and 1989, Apple had sold one million Macs, and another 10 million over the following five years.[20]

PowerBook 100

In 1991, the Macintosh Portable was replaced with the smaller and lighter PowerBook 100, the first laptop with a palm rest and trackball in front of the keyboard. The PowerBook brought $1 billion of revenue within one year, and became a status symbol.[21] By then, the Macintosh represented 10% to 15% of the personal computer market.[22] Fearing a decline in market share, Sculley co-founded the AIM alliance with IBM and Motorola to create a new standardized computing platform, which led to the creation of the PowerPC processor architecture, and the Taligent operating system.[23] In 1992, Apple introduced the Macintosh Performa line, which "grew like ivy" into a disorienting number of barely differentiated models in an attempt to gain market share. This backfired by confusing customers, but the same strategy soon afflicted the PowerBook line.[24] Michael Spindler continued this approach when he succeeded Sculley as CEO in 1993.[25] He oversaw the Mac's transition from Motorola 68000 series to PowerPC and the release of Apple's first PowerPC machine, the well-received Power Macintosh.[26]

Many new Macintoshes suffered from inventory and quality control problems. The 1995 PowerBook 5300 was plagued with quality problems, with several recalls as some units even caught fire. Pessimistic about Apple's future, Spindler repeatedly attempted to sell Apple to other companies, including IBM, Kodak, AT&T, Sun, and Philips. In a last-ditch attempt to fend off Windows, Apple yielded and started a Macintosh clone program, which allowed other manufacturers to make System 7 computers.[26] However, this only cannibalized the sales of Apple's higher-margin machines.[27] Meanwhile, Windows 95 was an instant hit with customers. Apple was struggling financially as its attempts to produce a System 7 successor had all failed with Taligent, Star Trek, and Copland, and its hardware was stagnant. The Mac was no longer competitive, and its sales entered a tailspin.[28] Corporations abandoned Macintosh in droves, replacing it with cheaper and more technically sophisticated Windows NT machines for which far more applications and peripherals existed. Even some Apple loyalists saw no future for the Macintosh.[29] Once the world's second largest computer vendor after IBM, Apple's market share declined precipitously from 9.4% in 1993 to 3.1% in 1997.[30][31] Bill Gates was ready to abandon Microsoft Office for Mac, which would have slashed any remaining business appeal the Mac had. Gil Amelio, Spindler's successor, failed to negotiate a deal with Gates.[32]

In 1996, Spindler was succeeded by Amelio, who searched for an established operating system to acquire or license for the foundation of a new Macintosh operating system. He considered BeOS, Solaris, Windows NT, and NeXT's NeXTSTEP, eventually choosing the last. Apple acquired NeXT on December 20, 1996, returning its co-founder, Steve Jobs.[28][33]

1997–2011: Steve Jobs era

[edit]

NeXT had developed the mature NeXTSTEP operating system with strong multimedia and Internet capabilities.[34] NeXTSTEP was also popular among programmers, financial firms, and academia for its object-oriented programming tools for rapid application development.[35][36] In an eagerly anticipated speech at the January 1997 Macworld trade show, Steve Jobs previewed Rhapsody, a merger of NeXTSTEP and Mac OS as the foundation of Apple's new operating system strategy.[37] At the time, Jobs only served as advisor, and Amelio was released in July 1997. Jobs was formally appointed interim CEO in September, and permanent CEO in January 2000.[38] To continue turning the company around, Jobs streamlined Apple's operations and began layoffs.[39] He negotiated a deal with Bill Gates in which Microsoft committed to releasing new versions of Office for Mac for five years, investing $150 million in Apple, and settling an ongoing lawsuit in which Apple alleged that Windows had copied the Mac's interface. In exchange, Apple made Internet Explorer the default Mac browser. The deal was closed hours before Jobs announced it at the August 1997 Macworld.[40]

Jobs returned focus to Apple. The Mac lineup had been incomprehensible, with dozens of hard-to-distinguish models. He streamlined it into four quadrants, a laptop and a desktop each for consumers and professionals. Apple also discontinued several Mac accessories, including the StyleWriter printer and the Newton PDA.[41] These changes were meant to refocus Apple's engineering, marketing, and manufacturing efforts so that more care could be dedicated to each product.[42] Jobs also stopped licensing Mac OS to clone manufacturers, which had cost Apple ten times more in lost sales than it received in licensing fees.[43] Jobs made a deal with the largest computer reseller, CompUSA, to carry a store-within-a-store that would better showcase Macs and their software and peripherals. According to Apple, the Mac's share of computer sales in those stores went from 3% to 14%. In November, the online Apple Store launched with built-to-order Mac configurations without a middleman.[38] When Tim Cook was hired as chief operations officer in March 1998, he closed Apple's inefficient factories and outsourced Mac production to Taiwan. Within months, he rolled out a new ERP system and implemented just-in-time manufacturing principles. This practically eliminated Apple's costly unsold inventory, and within one year, Apple had the industry's most efficient inventory turnover.[44]

The iMac G3's marketing heavily emphasizes its design and Internet capabilities for consumers.
The Power Mac G4 Cube advanced Apple's industrial design culture and manufacturing processes.

Jobs's top priority was "to ship a great new product".[45] The first is the iMac G3, an all-in-one computer that was meant to make the Internet intuitive and easy to access. While PCs came in functional beige boxes, Jony Ive gave the iMac a radical and futuristic design, meant to make the product less intimidating. Its oblong case is made of translucent plastic in Bondi blue, later revised with many colors. Ive added a handle on the back to make the computer more approachable. Jobs declared the iMac would be "legacy-free", succeeding ADB and SCSI with an infrared port and cutting-edge USB ports. Though USB had industry backing, it was still absent from most PCs and USB 1.1 was only standardized one month after the iMac's release.[46] He also controversially removed the floppy disk drive and replaced it with a CD drive. The iMac was unveiled in May 1998, and released in August. It was an immediate commercial success and became the fastest-selling computer in Apple's history, with 800,000 units sold before the year ended. Vindicating Jobs on the Internet's appeal to consumers, 32% of iMac buyers had never used a computer before, and 12% were switching from PCs.[47] The iMac reestablished the Mac's reputation as a trendsetter: for the next few years, translucent plastic became the dominant design trend in numerous consumer products.[48]

Apple knew it had lost its chance to compete in the Windows-dominated enterprise market, so it prioritized design and ease of use to make the Mac more appealing to average consumers, and even teens. The "Apple New Product Process" was launched as a more collaborative product development process for the Mac, with concurrent engineering principles. From then, product development was no longer driven primarily by engineering and with design as an afterthought. Instead, Ive and Jobs first defined a new product's "soul", before it was jointly developed by the marketing, engineering, and operations teams.[49] The engineering team was led by the product design group, and Ive's design studio was the dominant voice throughout the development process.[50]

The next two Mac products in 1999, the Power Mac G3 (nicknamed "Blue and White") and the iBook, introduced industrial designs influenced by the iMac, incorporating colorful translucent plastic and carrying handles. The iBook introduced several innovations: a strengthened hinge instead of a mechanical latch to keep it closed, ports on the sides rather than on the back, and the first laptop with built-in Wi-Fi.[51] It became the best selling laptop in the U.S. during the fourth quarter of 1999.[52] The professional-oriented Titanium PowerBook G4 was released in 2001, becoming the lightest and thinnest laptop in its class, and the first laptop with a wide-screen display; it also debuted a magnetic latch that secures the lid elegantly.[53]

The Dual USB "Ice" iBook represents a design shift away from color, toward white polycarbonate.

The design language of consumer Macs shifted again from colored plastics to white polycarbonate with the introduction of the 2001 Dual USB "Ice" iBook. To increase the iBook's durability, it eliminated doors and handles, and gained a more minimalistic exterior. Ive attempted to go beyond the quadrant with Power Mac G4 Cube, an innovation beyond the computer tower in a professional desktop far smaller than the Power Mac. The Cube failed in the market and was withdrawn from sale after one year. However, Ive considered it beneficial, because it helped Apple gain experience in complex machining and miniaturization.[54]

The development of a successor to the old Mac OS was well underway. Rhapsody had been previewed at WWDC 1997, featuring a Mach kernel and BSD foundations, a virtualization layer for old Mac OS apps (codenamed Blue Box), and an implementation of NeXTSTEP APIs called OpenStep (codenamed Yellow Box). Apple open-sourced the core of Rhapsody as the Darwin operating system. After several developer previews, Apple also introduced the Carbon API, which provided a way for developers to more easily make their apps native to Mac OS X without rewriting them in Yellow Box. Mac OS X was publicly unveiled in January 2000, introducing the modern Aqua graphical user interface, and a far more stable Unix foundation, with memory protection and preemptive multitasking. Blue Box became the Classic environment, and Yellow Box was renamed Cocoa. Following a public beta, the first version of Mac OS X, version 10.0 Cheetah, was released in March 2001.[55]

The "Sunflower" iMac G4 is an industrial design innovation.

In 1999, Apple launched its new "digital lifestyle" strategy of which the Mac became a "digital hub" and centerpiece with several new applications. In October 1999, the iMac DV gained FireWire ports, allowing users to connect camcorders and easily create movies with iMovie; the iMac gained a CD burner and iTunes, allowing users to rip CDs, make playlists, and burn them to blank discs. Other applications include iPhoto for organizing and editing photos, and GarageBand for creating and mixing music and other audio. The digital lifestyle strategy entered other markets, with the iTunes Store, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and the 2007 renaming from Apple Computer Inc. to Apple Inc. By January 2007, the iPod was half of Apple's revenues.[56]

New Macs include the white "Sunflower" iMac G4. Ive designed a display to swivel with one finger, so that it "appear[ed] to defy gravity".[57] In 2003, Apple released the aluminum 12-inch and 17-inch PowerBook G4, proclaiming the "Year of the Notebook". With the Microsoft deal expiring, Apple also replaced Internet Explorer with its new browser, Safari.[58] The first Mac Mini was intended to be assembled in the U.S., but domestic manufacturers were slow and had insufficient quality processes, leading Apple to Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn.[59] The affordably priced Mac Mini desktop was introduced at Macworld 2005, alongside the introduction of the iWork office suite.[60]

Serlet and Tevanian were both initiating the secret project asked by Steve Jobs to propose to Sony executives, in 2001, to sell Mac OS X on Vaio laptops.[61] They showed them a demonstration at a golf party in Hawaii, with the most expensive Vaio laptop they could have acquired.[62] But due to bad timing, Sony refused, arguing their Vaio sales just started to grow after years of difficulties.[63]

Intel transition and "back to the Mac"

[edit]

With PowerPC chips falling behind in performance, price, and efficiency, Steve Jobs announced in 2005 the Mac transition to Intel processors, because the operating system had been developed for both architectures since the beginning.[64][65] PowerPC apps run using transparent Rosetta emulation,[66] and Windows boots natively using Boot Camp.[67] This transition helped contribute to a few years of growth in Mac sales.[68]

Steve Jobs unveiled the first MacBook Air at Macworld 2008.

After the iPhone's 2007 release, Apple began a multi-year effort to bring many iPhone innovations "back to the Mac", including multi-touch gesture support, instant wake from sleep, and fast flash storage.[69][70] At Macworld 2008, Jobs introduced the first MacBook Air by taking it out of a manila envelope, touting it as the "world's thinnest notebook".[71] The MacBook Air favors wireless technologies over physical ports, and lacks FireWire, an optical drive, or a replaceable battery. The Remote Disc feature accesses discs in other networked computers.[72] A decade after its launch, journalist Tom Warren wrote that the MacBook Air had "immediately changed the future of laptops", starting the ultrabook trend.[73] OS X Lion added new software features first introduced with the iPad, such as FaceTime, full-screen apps, document autosaving and versioning, and a bundled Mac App Store to replace software install discs with online downloads. It gained support for Retina displays, which had been introduced earlier with the iPhone 4.[74] iPhone-like multi-touch technology was progressively added to all MacBook trackpads, and to desktop Macs through the Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad.[75][76] The 2010 MacBook Air added an iPad-inspired standby mode, "instant-on" wake from sleep, and flash memory storage.[77][78]

After criticism by Greenpeace, Apple improved the ecological performance of its products.[79] The 2008 MacBook Air is free of toxic chemicals like mercury, bromide, and PVC, and with smaller packaging.[71] The enclosures of the iMac and unibody MacBook Pro were redesigned with the more recyclable aluminum and glass.[80][81]

On February 24, 2011, the MacBook Pro became the first computer to support Intel's new Thunderbolt connector, with two-way transfer speeds of 10 Gbit/s, and backward compatibility with Mini DisplayPort.[82]

2012–present: Tim Cook era

[edit]
The 2013 Mac Pro was controversial among professional users. One of the reasons was the lack of internal expandibility due to the absence of expansion slots or the like, which was a side-effect of the exotic and compact design (height c. 25 cm).

Due to deteriorating health, Steve Jobs resigned as CEO on August 24, 2011, and Tim Cook was named as his successor.[83] Cook's first keynote address launched iCloud, moving the digital hub from the Mac to the cloud.[84][85] In 2012, the MacBook Pro was refreshed with a Retina display, and the iMac was slimmed and lost its SuperDrive.[86][87]

During Cook's first few years as CEO, Apple fought media criticisms that it could no longer innovate without Jobs.[88] In 2013, Apple introduced a new cylindrical Mac Pro, with marketing chief Phil Schiller exclaiming "Can't innovate anymore, my ass!". The new model had a miniaturized design with a glossy dark gray cylindrical body and internal components organized around a central cooling system. Tech reviewers praised the 2013 Mac Pro for its power and futuristic design;[89][90] however, it was poorly received by professional users, who criticized its lack of upgradability and the removal of expansion slots.[91][92]

The iMac was refreshed with a 5K Retina display in 2014, making it the highest-resolution all-in-one desktop computer.[93] The MacBook was reintroduced in 2015, with a completely redesigned aluminum unibody chassis, a 12-inch Retina display, a fanless low-power Intel Core M processor, a much smaller logic board, a new Butterfly keyboard, a single USB-C port, and a solid-state Force Touch trackpad with pressure sensitivity. It was praised for its portability, but criticized for its lack of performance, the need to use adapters to use most USB peripherals, and a high starting price of $1,299 (equivalent to $1,700 in 2023).[94] In 2015, Apple started a service program to address a widespread GPU defect in the 15-inch 2011 MacBook Pro, which could cause graphical artifacts or prevent the machine from functioning entirely.[95]

Neglect of professional users

[edit]
The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros (2016–19) were criticized for its keyboard's unreliability, and the USB-C-only port configuration.

The Touch Bar MacBook Pro was released in October 2016. It was the thinnest MacBook Pro ever made, replaced all ports with four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, gained a thinner "Butterfly" keyboard, and replaced function keys with the Touch Bar. The Touch Bar was criticized for making it harder to use the function keys by feel, as it offered no tactile feedback. Many users were also frustrated by the need to buy dongles, particularly professional users who relied on traditional USB-A devices, SD cards, and HDMI for video output.[96][97] A few months after its release, users reported a problem with stuck keys and letters being skipped or repeated. iFixit attributed this to the ingress of dust or food crumbs under the keys, jamming them. Since the Butterfly keyboard was riveted into the laptop's case, it could only be serviced at an Apple Store or authorized service center.[98][99][100] Apple settled a $50m class-action lawsuit over these keyboards in 2022.[101][102] These same models were afflicted by "flexgate": when users closed and opened the machine, they would risk progressively damaging the cable responsible for the display backlight, which was too short. The $6 cable was soldered to the screen, requiring a $700 repair.[103][104]

Senior Vice President of Industrial Design Jony Ive continued to guide product designs towards simplicity and minimalism.[105] Critics argued that he had begun to prioritize form over function, and was excessively focused on product thinness. His role in the decisions to switch to fragile Butterfly keyboards, to make the Mac Pro non-expandable, and to remove USB-A, HDMI and the SD card slot from the MacBook Pro were criticized.[106][107][108]

The long-standing keyboard issue on MacBook Pros, Apple's abandonment of the Aperture professional photography app, and the lack of Mac Pro upgrades led to declining sales and a widespread belief that Apple was no longer committed to professional users.[109][110][111][112] After several years without any significant updates to the Mac Pro, Apple executives admitted in 2017 that the 2013 Mac Pro had not met expectations, and said that the company had designed themselves into a "thermal corner", preventing them from releasing a planned dual-GPU successor.[113] Apple also unveiled their future product roadmap for professional products, including plans for an iMac Pro as a stopgap and an expandable Mac Pro to be released later.[114][115] The iMac Pro was revealed at WWDC 2017, featuring updated Intel Xeon W processors and Radeon Pro Vega graphics.[116]

In 2018, Apple released a redesigned MacBook Air with a Retina display, Butterfly keyboard, Force Touch trackpad, and Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports.[117][118] The Butterfly keyboard went through three revisions, incorporating silicone gaskets in the key mechanism to prevent keys from being jammed by dust or other particles. However, many users continued to experience reliability issues with these keyboards,[119] leading Apple to launch a program to repair affected keyboards free of charge.[120] Higher-end models of the 15-inch 2018 MacBook Pro faced another issue where the Core i9 processor reached unusually high temperatures, resulting in reduced CPU performance from thermal throttling. Apple issued a patch to address this issue via a macOS supplemental update, blaming a "missing digital key" in the thermal management firmware.[121]

The 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro and 2020 MacBook Air replaced the unreliable Butterfly keyboard with a redesigned scissor-switch Magic Keyboard. On the MacBook Pros, the Touch Bar and Touch ID were made standard, and the Esc key was detached from the Touch Bar and returned to being a physical key.[122] At WWDC 2019, Apple unveiled a new Mac Pro with a larger case design that allows for hardware expandability, and introduced a new expansion module system (MPX) for modules such as the Afterburner card for faster video encoding.[123][124] Almost every part of the new Mac Pro is user-replaceable, with iFixit praising its high user-repairability.[125] It received positive reviews, with reviewers praising its power, modularity, quiet cooling, and Apple's increased focus on professional workflows.[126][127]

Apple silicon transition

[edit]
The 2021 iMac was praised for its colorful and slim design.
The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros (2021-present) received widespread acclaim for its significantly improved port selection (pictured) and thermals.

In April 2018, Bloomberg reported Apple's plan to replace Intel chips with ARM processors similar to those in its phones, causing Intel's shares to drop by 9.2%.[128] The Verge commented on the rumors, that such a decision made sense, as Intel was failing to make significant improvements to its processors, and could not compete with ARM chips on battery life.[129][130]

At WWDC 2020, Tim Cook announced that the Mac would be transitioning to Apple silicon chips, built upon an ARM architecture, over a two-year timeline.[131] The Rosetta 2 translation layer was also introduced, enabling Apple silicon Macs to run Intel apps.[132] On November 10, 2020, Apple announced their first system-on-a-chip designed for the Mac, the Apple M1, and a series of Macs that would ship with the M1: the MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and the 13-inch MacBook Pro.[133] These new Macs received highly positive reviews, with reviewers highlighting significant improvements in battery life, performance, and heat management compared to previous generations.[134][135][136]

The iMac Pro was discontinued on March 6, 2021.[137] On April 20, 2021, a new 24-inch iMac was revealed, featuring the M1 chip, seven new colors, thinner white bezels, a higher-resolution 1080p webcam, and an enclosure made entirely from recycled aluminum.[138][139]

On October 18, 2021, Apple announced new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, featuring the more powerful M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, a bezel-less mini-LED 120 Hz ProMotion display, and the return of MagSafe and HDMI ports, and the SD card slot.[140][141][142]

On March 8, 2022, the Mac Studio was unveiled, also featuring the M1 Max chip and the new M1 Ultra chip in a similar form factor to the Mac Mini. It drew highly positive reviews for its flexibility and wide range of available ports.[143] Its performance was deemed "impressive", beating the highest-end Mac Pro with a 28-core Intel Xeon chip, while being significantly more power efficient and compact.[144] It was introduced alongside the Studio Display, and was meant to replace the 27-inch iMac, which was discontinued on the same day.[145]

Post-Apple silicon transition

[edit]

At WWDC 2022, Apple announced an updated MacBook Air based on a new M2 chip. It incorporates several changes from the 14-inch MacBook Pro, such as a flat, slab-shaped design, full-sized function keys, MagSafe charging, and a Liquid Retina display, with rounded corners and a display cutout incorporating a 1080p webcam.[146]

The Mac Studio with M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips and the Mac Pro with M2 Ultra chip was unveiled at WWDC 2023, and the Intel-based Mac Pro was discontinued on the same day, completing the Mac transition to Apple silicon chips.[147] The Mac Studio was received positively as a modest upgrade over the previous generation, albeit similarly priced PCs could be equipped with faster GPUs.[148] However, the Apple silicon-based Mac Pro was criticized for several regressions, including memory capacity and a complete lack of CPU or GPU expansion options.[147][149] A 15-inch MacBook Air was also introduced, and is the largest display included on a consumer-level Apple laptop.[150]

The MacBook Pro was updated on October 30, 2023, with updated M3 Pro and M3 Max chips using a 3 nm process node, as well as the standard M3 chip in a refreshed iMac and a new base model MacBook Pro.[151] Reviewers lamented the base memory configuration of 8 GB on the standard M3 MacBook Pro.[152] In March 2024, the MacBook Air was also updated to include the M3 chip.[153] In October 2024, several Macs were announced with the M4 series of chips, including the iMac, a redesigned Mac Mini, and the MacBook Pro; all of which included 16 GB of memory as standard. The MacBook Air was also upgraded with 16 GB for the same price.[154]

Current Mac models

[edit]
Mac models currently in production[155][156]
Release date Model Processor
July 15, 2022 MacBook Air (M2, 2022) Apple M2
June 13, 2023 Mac Studio (2023) Apple M2 Max or M2 Ultra
Mac Pro (2023) Apple M2 Ultra
March 8, 2024 MacBook Air (13-inch, M3, 2024) Apple M3
MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 2024)
November 8, 2024 iMac (24-inch, 2024) Apple M4
Mac Mini (2024) Apple M4 or M4 Pro
MacBook Pro (14-inch, 2024) Apple M4, M4 Pro or M4 Max
MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2024) Apple M4 Pro or M4 Max

Marketing

[edit]
The "1984" advertisement debuted during Super Bowl XVIII.

The original Macintosh was marketed at Super Bowl XVIII with the highly acclaimed "1984" ad, directed by Ridley Scott. The ad alluded to George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, and symbolized Apple's desire to "rescue" humanity from the conformity of computer industry giant IBM.[157][158][159] The ad is now considered a "watershed event" and a "masterpiece."[160][161] Before the Macintosh, high-tech marketing catered to industry insiders rather than consumers, so journalists covered technology like the "steel or automobiles" industries, with articles written for a highly technical audience.[162][163] The Macintosh launch event pioneered event marketing techniques that have since become "widely emulated" in Silicon Valley, by creating a mystique about the product and giving an inside look into its creation.[164] Apple took a new "multiple exclusives" approach regarding the press, giving "over one hundred interviews to journalists that lasted over six hours apiece", and introduced a new "Test Drive a Macintosh" campaign.[165][166]

Apple's brand, which established a "heartfelt connection with consumers", is cited as one of the keys to the Mac's success.[167] After Steve Jobs's return to the company, he launched the Think different ad campaign, positioning the Mac as the best computer for "creative people who believe that one person can change the world".[168] The campaign featured black-and-white photographs of luminaries like Albert Einstein, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr., with Jobs saying: "if they ever used a computer, it would have been a Mac".[169][170] The ad campaign was critically acclaimed and won several awards, including a Primetime Emmy.[171] In the 2000s, Apple continued to use successful marketing campaigns to promote the Mac line, including the Switch and Get a Mac campaigns.[172][173]

Apple's focus on design and build quality has helped establish the Mac as a high-end, premium brand. The company's emphasis on creating iconic and visually appealing designs for its computers has given them a "human face" and made them stand out in a crowded market.[174] Apple has long made product placements in high-profile movies and television shows to showcase Mac computers, like Mission: Impossible, Legally Blonde, and Sex and the City.[175] Apple is known for not allowing producers to show villains using Apple products.[176] Its own shows produced for the Apple TV+ streaming service feature prominent use of MacBooks.[177]

The Mac is known for its highly loyal customer base. In 2022, the American Customer Satisfaction Index gave the Mac the highest customer satisfaction score of any personal computer, at 82 out of 100.[178] In that year, Apple was the fourth largest vendor of personal computers, with a market share of 8.9%.[179]

Hardware

[edit]
A Mac Pro from 2019 being used for color grading.

Apple outsources the production of its hardware to Asian manufacturers like Foxconn and Pegatron.[180][181] As a highly vertically integrated company developing its own operating system and chips, it has tight control over all aspects of its products and deep integration between hardware and software.[182]

All Macs in production use ARM-based Apple silicon processors and have been praised for their performance and power efficiency.[183] They can run Intel apps through the Rosetta 2 translation layer, and iOS and iPadOS apps distributed via the App Store.[184] These Mac models come equipped with high-speed Thunderbolt 4 or USB 4 connectivity, with speeds up to 40 Gbit/s.[185][186] Apple silicon Macs have custom integrated graphics rather than graphics cards.[187] MacBooks are recharged with either USB-C or MagSafe connectors, depending on the model.[188]

Apple sells accessories for the Mac, including the Studio Display and Pro Display XDR external monitors,[189] the AirPods line of wireless headphones,[190] and keyboards and mice such as the Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Mouse.[191]

Software

[edit]
The latest release of macOS, Sequoia, was released in 2024.

Macs run the macOS operating system, which is the second most widely used desktop OS according to StatCounter.[192] Macs can also run Windows, Linux, or other operating systems through virtualization, emulation, or multi-booting.[193][194][195]

macOS is the successor of the classic Mac OS, which had nine releases between 1984 and 1999. The last version of classic Mac OS, Mac OS 9, was introduced in 1999. Mac OS 9 was succeeded by Mac OS X in 2001.[196] Over the years, Mac OS X was rebranded first to OS X and later to macOS.[197]

macOS is a derivative of NextSTEP and FreeBSD. It uses the XNU kernel, and the core of macOS has been open-sourced as the Darwin operating system.[198] macOS features the Aqua user interface, the Cocoa set of frameworks, and the Objective-C and Swift programming languages.[199] Macs are deeply integrated with other Apple devices, including the iPhone and iPad, through Continuity features like Handoff, Sidecar, Universal Control, and Universal Clipboard.[200]

The first version of Mac OS X, version 10.0, was released in March 2001.[201] Subsequent releases introduced major changes and features to the operating system. 10.4 Tiger added Spotlight search;[202] 10.6 Snow Leopard brought refinements, stability, and full 64-bit support;[203] 10.7 Lion introduced many iPad-inspired features;[66] 10.10 Yosemite introduced a complete user interface revamp, replacing skeuomorphic designs with iOS 7-esque flat designs;[204] 10.12 Sierra added the Siri voice assistant and Apple File System (APFS) support;[205] 10.14 Mojave added a dark user interface mode;[206] 10.15 Catalina dropped support for 32-bit apps;[207] 11 Big Sur introduced an iOS-inspired redesign of the user interface,[208] 12 Monterey added the Shortcuts app, Low Power Mode, and AirPlay to Mac;[209] and 13 Ventura added Stage Manager, Continuity Camera, and passkeys.[210]

The Mac has a variety of apps available, including cross-platform apps like Google Chrome, Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, Mathematica, Visual Studio Code, Ableton Live, and Cinema 4D.[211] Apple has also developed several apps for the Mac, including Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, iWork, GarageBand, and iMovie.[212] A large amount of open-source software applications run natively on macOS, such as LibreOffice, VLC, and GIMP,[213] and command-line programs, which can be installed through Macports and Homebrew.[214] Many applications for Linux or BSD also run on macOS, often using X11.[215] Apple's official integrated development environment (IDE) is Xcode, allowing developers to create apps for the Mac and other Apple platforms.[216]

The latest release of macOS is macOS 15 Sequoia, released on September 16, 2024.[217]

Timeline

[edit]

Source: Glen Sanford, Apple History, apple-history.com

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Bibliography

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Further reading

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