40 years after launching the personal computer revolution, the Mac is gaining popularity beyond Apple fans, while the giant American company faces challenges to adapt to the age of artificial intelligence, at risk of falling into oblivion.
Apple launched the Macintosh in 1984, with a memorable television ad in which the device was portrayed as a tool for rebellion against political systems that control people.
The Mac computer was admired by consumers thanks to features that were considered revolutionary in that era in terms of ease of use, such as its graphical interface, clickable images, and the presence of a mouse.
“The influence of Mac devices is enormous,” said Olivier Blanchard, director of research at the Futurum Group, adding, “All laptops and personal computers have tried to imitate the Mac and its success.” Macs have become the computers of choice, not only for Apple fans, but also for artists, filmmakers, and other creative professionals.
Doug Spicer of the Computer History Museum in Silicon Valley, which is organizing an exhibition marking this anniversary, said that the company has focused “from the first commercial (for the Mac) in 1984 on the idea of rebellion and fighting the regime to market its product.”
The market has witnessed a recovery in the recent period, according to analysts, with the increasing resort to remote work, and also the noticeable interest in machines capable of managing the new generation of artificial intelligence.
He added, “Personal computers are about to become more powerful and easier to use, putting the generative AI capabilities that we have seen in cloud computing (on servers) directly into the hands of the user.”
