Apple's Mac turns 40: A timeline of the timeless product

Global tech giant Apple’s Mac, previously called Macintosh, has marked its 40th anniversary since the introduction of the first model — Macintosh 128K — on January 24, 1984. Forty years ago, Steve Jobs took to a stage in California, opened a zipper bag, and unveiled the very first Macintosh computer, which went on to transform personal computing, introducing a user-friendly interface and graphical elements. Back then, it challenged the prevalent text-based systems.

“Mac changed everything when it was introduced 40 years ago, and through the years it has done so again and again and again. Today’s Mac line-up is the best in the history of the personal computer, and it’s built on decades of revolutionary innovation. Happy birthday Mac,” Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote on X, previously known as Twitter.

As the name suggests, the first-ever Macintosh boasted 128 kilobytes of memory space, which Apple later replaced with the 'Fat Mac' having a 512 kb version, offering four times the space.

The first Mac was priced at $2,495, which is equivalent to $7,500 today). The device went on to spark a revolution in the tech industry.

According to reports, Apple sold around 50,000 Macs within three months of its release, while the brand witnessed a significant jump in sales after the release of 'Fat Mac' in October 1984.

In the last four decades, there have been several significant turning points in the history of the Mac lineup, including the unique design language debuted with the iMac G3, the arrival of the MacBook Air as the first ultra-portable Mac notebook, and the transition to Apple's proprietary M-Series chipsets with the MacBook Air in 2020.

The Apple Mac's technology and design have evolved, starting with the massive, boxy white desktops of the 1980s and 1990s and continuing with the sleek, next-generation machines that are available in the market today.

Here's a timeline of Mac products, showcasing Apple's innovation throughout the years:

January 24, 1984

Macintosh 512K (also called 'Fat Mac'): September 10, 1984

Macintosh XL: January 1, 1985

Macintosh Plus: January 16, 1986

Macintosh SE: February 3, 1987

Macintosh II: March 2, 1987

Macintosh Portable: September 20, 1989

Macintosh IIsi: October 15, 1990

PowerBook 100: October 21, 1991

Macintosh Centris 650: February 10, 1993

Power Macintosh 5200 LC: April 3, 1995

iMac G3: August 15, 1998

iBook G3: July 21, 1999

Power Mac G4: September 1999

Power Mac G5: June 23, 2003

Mac mini: January 22, 2005

MacBook Pro: January 10, 2006

MacBook Air: January 29, 2008

12-inch MacBook: April 10, 2015

iMac Pro: December 14, 2017

MacBook Air (13-inch): November 17, 2020

Mac Studio: March 18, 2022

MacBook Air (15-inch): June 2023

Throughout the last 40 years, Apple has released several Mac models, encountering both successes and challenges in its journey. The brand has had a lasting impression on the computer industry by giving customers the tools they need to pursue their professional and creative goals.