Celebrated annually on January 24th, Macintosh Computer Day observes the day when the first Macintosh computer was introduced to the public. The Macintosh was introduced on January 24, 1984, and would become an alternative to the personal computers that were already on the market at that time.

It was designed to be a more user-friendly and affordable computer for the average household. It helped Apple become one of the fastest-growing companies in American history but was soon involved in a bitter rivalry with IBM that would last for years.

The History Of Macintosh Computers

We think that everyone who is celebrating this holiday should know at least a little bit about the history of this computer, so we decided to do a little bit of research. We discovered that during the late 1970s, Apple had become the fastest-growing company in U.S. history and was already worth 300 million dollars.

IBM wanted to take over the personal computer market in the United States and was poised to do so when it made several different deals with other technology companies that allowed it to maintain a foothold in the industry. Within three years, IBM managed to sell over 2 million personal computers at over $2,000 each.

Apple wanted to prevent IBM’s domination of the computer market, so they released the Macintosh in 1984. When it released this computer, it went to great expense to market the product—even spending $15 million on a Super Bowl advertising campaign. The war between Apple and IBM would rage for more than a decade.

Apple faced an uphill battle, however, as third-party software manufacturers were hesitant to rewrite software that had already been designed for IBM computers. Therefore, IBM remained on top for a while—at least until Apple retook the market with the invention of iPhones and iMac computers.

Observing Macintosh Computer Day

To observe this holiday, take the time to learn a little bit more about the Macintosh and its contribution to the personal computer industry. While you’re learning more about it, don’t forget to use the hashtag #MacintoshComputerDay to spread the word about it online.