The story of Apple

Since September, finally, the iMac is updated: no design or processor change, the new iMac is still a G4 running at 1.25 GHz. In the middle of September, the new 15 inch Powerbook makes its appearance. The 12 and 17 inch models take advantage of a boost in speed. Apple also presents a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

In the middle of October, Windows users (97% of all computers at the time) finally have access to iTunes and the iTunes Music Store (ITMS)! Steve Jobs takes this opportunity to present iTunes version 4.2 including gift vouchers and a virtual wallet for the ITMS. One week later, the 22^nd of October, Apple presents the new iBook which has the G4 processor (the previous version had a G3) running at up to 1GHz and changes its CD ROM to a slot loading version...

2 days later the Panther operating system is launched! Apple doesn’t announce an update (meaning everyone needs to purchase the full version) except for those that purchase their machine (but legally, this option has to be offered). A note: the Panther version will not run on the G3 processors explaining the update of the iBooks 48 hours previously.

For Christmas, Apple proposes a new iMac with a 20 inch screen. This completes their line that already has 15 and 17 inch models.

2003 will finish and Apple will start the New Year with the MacWorld Expo in San Francisco (as usual). On the 6^th of January, Steve Jobs speaks (secretively) about the 20 years of Macintosh, the 10 million users who have abandoned MacOS 9 for MacOSX, the opening of the first AppleStore outside of the United States (in Japan) and presents the new innovations.

On the software side of things, Final Cut Express moves on to version 2.0 and iLife is enriched with GarageBand, music editing software. As for hardware, Steve Jobs presents the new XServe, running G5 processors and the new XServe RAIN compatible with Windows and Linux.

The big news is to come: in the iPod line, Apple presents the iPod Mini (the capital letter on “Mini” is very important, but finally Apple renames it to the “iPod mini”). 4 GB of disk space, smaller dimensions, different colours and all this for $249.

The welcome for the iPod mini is not as good as was expected, the rumour sites had already predicted the product…but for a price of between $100 and $200.

Two days later, a new iPod appears surprising everyone: it is called the hPod, an iPod that is sold by HP. It is the same model as the 3G iPod sold by Apple but with one small difference. HP takes advantage of this opportunity to install iTunes and Quicktime on all their preloaded PC’s.

Not long after, Apple presents its results: record profits, an industry that believes more then ever in the iPod, and the sales of its machines to endorse this. 829 000 Macintoshes sold against 733 000 iPods. This is the last time in the history of Apple that the sales of the Macs will be greater then the iPods.

On the 24^th of January the Macintosh will celebrate its 20^th birthday. All the rumor sites think that a special announcement will follow for the occasion, but absolutely nothing comes out of Cupertino. Apple completely ignores this birthday….Apple is putting all their energy into the iPod.