Apple iMac: The Computer That Saved the Company

The first product launched by Apple after Steve Jobs returned as CEO in 1997 was not the iPhone or the iPod, but a new desktop computer. The original "Bondi Blue" iMac was a revolutionary product that not only saved Apple from financial disaster but also reshaped the entire personal computer industry. In the late 1990s, Apple was a dying company. In the home market, it relied on a confusing lineup of Macintosh Performa computers, which were essentially repackaged Power Macintosh models designed for business and education. A poorly negotiated Macintosh clone program ended up hurting Apple more than it helped. Jobs discontinued the Performa models, ended the clone program, and secured a $150 million investment from Microsoft, which was trying to avoid a monopoly status for Windows. All Apple needed was a new home computer. Image credit: Daniel Lu At first, Apple developed the Macintosh NC as part of the Network Computer initiative promoted by Oracle's Larry Ellison. Ellison was appo ... Read full article.