On This Day in 1977 The First Apple II was Sold – June 10th 1977

On this day in 1977, Apple started selling the Apple II computer to households around America, sparking the revolution of the consumer pc age, and introducing a new era of accessibility to technology.

Prior to the Apple II, personal computers were mostly large and expensive machines used by businesses and institutions. The Apple II changed that by packing powerful computing features into a small and affordable package that anyone could use. It came with simple instructions and built-in software that made it easy for first-time users to get started.

With its user-friendly design and affordable price, the Apple II quickly became one of the best-selling computers of its time and helped launch Apple into the mainstream. Let’s take a look at how Apple achieved these feats and where the Apple II stands in history today.

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The Origins of the Apple II

The idea for a second-generation Apple computer began to take place in August 1976, just a few months after the launch of the Apple I.

At that time, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were already working on the next version of their hardware before they had even begun selling the first one. They started by brainstorming what features they wanted to add and how to improve upon the design of the original.

Contrary to the Apple I, the Apple II would be marketed to families and schools as a general-purpose machine that anyone could use.

Advertisements for the computer showed a mother and child using it together and stressed its user-friendly design, stating that “it doesn’t take an engineer to use our Apple.”

This was a stark contrast to other ads of the time which typically showed businessmen using complicated machines for work.

The Design of the Apple II

How the computer was built also differed from its predecessor. The Apple I was a hand-built prototype made by Wozniak himself, while the Apple II was mass-produced in a factory. This allowed for a much cheaper price point of $1298, making it affordable for regular consumers.

One of the most important decisions they made was to switch from using the MOS 6502 microprocessor to the more powerful Motorola 6800. This would give the Apple II more processing power and allow it to run more complex software.

The design of the Apple II was also more sleek and polished, with a beige plastic casing that enclosed the internal components. This was in contrast to the bare-bones design of the Apple I, which left its electronic innards exposed.

To make it even more user-friendly, they included color graphics and sound capabilities, features that were rare in computers at that time. The Apple II was also the first personal computer to come with a built-in monitor, which made it easier to use and set up.

The design included several slots on the side of the machine that could be used to add new peripherals and capabilities. This gave users the ability to customize their computers to fit their needs, and also made it easier for third-party companies to create compatible products.

The First Killer App

One of the most important factors in the success of the Apple II was the inclusion of VisiCalc, the first digital spreadsheet program.

This “killer app,” as it was called, turned the computer into a must-have tool for businesses and greatly increased its appeal to a wider audience. Similar to today’s Microsoft Excel, VisiCalc allowed users to input data and create complex calculations with ease.

The software was so popular that it drove many sales of the Apple II and helped establish the machine as a serious business tool.

The Launch of the Apple II

Steve Jobs debuted the product at the first West Coast Computer Faire in 1977, where it was met with great enthusiasm.

Standing on stage, he showed off the machine’s capabilities by running a demo of VisiCalc and playing a game of Star Trek. The computer was an instant hit and quickly sold out its entire stock of 150 units.

The Significance of the Apple II

The Apple II sold over six million units between 1977 and 1993, making it one of the best-selling computers of all time.

Its success helped establish Apple as a major player in the tech industry and laid the foundation for future products like the Macintosh and the iPod.

The machine also popularized many of the features that are now common in personal computers, such as color graphics and sound, and its success helped pave the way for the home computer revolution of the 1980s.

Today, the Apple II is considered one of the most important computers in history and has been inducted into the National Museum of American History.

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