The Apple II was one of the first mass-produced personal computers. Designed by Steve Wozniak, it brought computing to homes, schools, and small businesses, establishing Apple as a major technology company.
Design Excellence
Wozniak’s Apple II design was remarkably efficient:
- Color graphics: First personal computer with color
- Sound: Built-in speaker
- Expansion slots: Eight slots for add-on cards
- Plastic case: Consumer-friendly design by Steve Jobs
- Integer and later Applesoft BASIC: Programming language built in
Commercial Success
The Apple II sold millions of units over its 16-year production run:
- VisiCalc: First spreadsheet software ran on Apple II
- Education: Became the dominant school computer
- Business: Small businesses adopted it for accounting
- Games: Platform for early computer games
Technical Tricks
Wozniak’s engineering included clever hacks:
- Soft-sector disk controller using few chips
- Color graphics with minimal hardware
- High-resolution graphics mode
Impact
The Apple II proved personal computers could be consumer products. Its success funded Apple’s growth and later the Macintosh. The Apple II’s influence on computing culture—through VisiCalc, educational software, and games—helped launch the personal computer revolution.