International Macintosh Computer Day 2022: Let’s Celebrate!

For computer lovers (and frankly, any big Apple fan) around the world, the 24th of January should be a day for celebration. After all, it’s International Macintosh Computer day! Yes, that’s right, there’s a whole day dedicated to our beloved mac computer.

We’re taking this opportunity to take a look back at the history of this game-changing device and how it changed the world of computers!

What is Macintosh Computer Day?

The 24th of January 2022 marks the 37th anniversary of the very first Macintosh computer being introduced to the world. The Macintosh computer is the original personal computer that paved the way for what we now know as Apple or Mac computers.

Almost four decades ago in 1984, the world was introduced to the Macintosh during a Super Bowl commercial break. You can watch the original commercial directed by Ridley Scott here (be warned, it’s a little sinister!). Its launch was a turning point for the consumer computer market, disrupting the idea of a personal computer with something that was completely different and unique.

What was the original Macintosh computer like?

The original Macintosh computer was the first consumer-market desktop personal computer that had a graphical user interface (i.e. no lines of code!), built-in screen, and mouse. Although all three of those features are now indispensable aspects of computers, at the time, they weren’t very popular because of just how revolutionary and unfamiliar they were.

The Macintosh retailed for $2,495 and was powered by a Motorola 68000 microprocessor. When you purchased an original Macintosh, your computer came preloaded with MacWrite and MacPaint applications. Both these programs were intentionally designed to show off what the Macintosh was capable of.

Some fun facts about Apple & Macintosh Computers

Ever wondered why on earth it’s called a Macintosh computer? Well, it’s actually named after a type of apple. Yes, seriously!

Did you know that, for a time, IBM and Apple engaged in a seriously competitive rivalry when it came to personal computers? In fact, before the launch of the Macintosh computer, IBM was poised to fully dominate the computer market.

The first computer that Apple launched, the ‘Lisa’, was not very successful at all. Hard to believe when the brand is so well-known and trusted today.

Apple’s original logo portrayed Isaac Newton sitting under an Apple tree.

Macintosh Computer: A Brief History

– 1976 – Apple Computers inc. founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.

– 1977 – Apple releases the Macintosh’s predecessor, the Apple II.

– 1979 – Jef Raskin first proposes the concept of the Macintosh Computer. Development begins.

– 1980 – Apple grows rapidly and nets over $100 million with over 1,000 employees.

– 1981 – Apple II is the most popular computer worldwide.

– 1984 – The Macintosh Computer launches in a Ridley Scott commercial during the third quarter of the Super Bowl. The Macintosh came in a bundle with MacWrite and MacPaint applications.

– 1987 – Macintosh II hits the market, the first Macintosh computer with color graphics.

– 1998 – The all-new iMac launches. It swapped a floppy disk drive for a CD-ROM drive and added in two USB ports. Apple phases out ‘macintosh’ for a shorter, snappier ‘mac’ to refer to Apple computers.

– 2000 – Steve Jobs becomes permanent CEO.

– 2001 – Apple releases Mac OSX (now macOS), a Unix-based operating system.

– 2005 – Apple launches Mac Mini, the cheapest Mac on the market.

– 2011 – Apple introduces iCloud, a cloud computing service.

– 2020 – Apple launches its very own microprocessor, the M1. One of the fastest microprocessors on the market.

How you can celebrate Macintosh Day

Seize the day and get yourself a new iMac or MacBook

If you’ve been looking to upgrade your current Apple computer, what better day to take the plunge than International Macintosh Day?

Take a trip down memory lane

If you’ve been a long-time Apple user, why not reminisce on your first Apple computer and how times have changed. If you’ve got the time, take an in-depth read about Apple’s history and the overarching development of personal computers.

However you choose to celebrate (or not), we hope you’ve enjoyed learning a little bit about the history of the day and the background behind the world-famous Mac!