A fully assembled Apple I computer, with a homemade wooden computer case. The product was originally sold as a hobbyist computer kit (case, power supply transformers, power switch, keyboard, and monitor not included). |
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| Developer | Apple Computer |
|---|---|
| Release date | April 11, 1976 |
| Introductory price | US$666.66 |
| Discontinued | September 30, 1977 |
| CPU | MOS 6502 @ 1 MHz |
| Memory | 4 KB standard expandable to 8 KB or 48 KB using expansion cards |
| Graphics | 40×24 characters, hardware-implemented scrolling |
The original Apple Computer, also known retroactively as the Apple I, or Apple-1, is a personal computer released by the Apple Computer Company (now Apple Inc.) in 1976. They were designed and hand-built by Steve Wozniak.[1][2] Wozniak's friend Steve Jobs had the idea of selling the computer. The Apple I was Apple's first product, and to finance its creation, Jobs sold his only means of transportation, a VW van.[3] It was demonstrated in April 1976 at the Homebrew Computer Club in Palo Alto, California.
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The Apple I went on sale in July 1976 at a price of US$666.66[4] because they originally sold it to a local shop for $500 for the one-third markup. About 200 units were produced. Unlike other hobbyist computers of its day, which were sold as kits, the Apple I was a fully assembled circuit board containing about 60+ chips. However, to make a working computer, users still had to add a case, power supply transformers, power switch, ASCII keyboard, and composite video display. An optional board providing a cassette interface for storage was later released at a cost of $75.
The Apple I's built-in computer terminal circuitry was distinctive. All one needed was a keyboard and an inexpensive television set. Competing machines such as the Altair 8800 generally were programmed with front-mounted toggle switches and used indicator lights (red LEDs, most commonly) for output, and had to be extended with separate hardware to allow connection to a computer terminal or a teletypewriter machine. This made the Apple I an innovative machine for its day. In April 1977 the price was dropped to $475.[5] It continued to be sold through August 1977, despite the introduction of the Apple II in April 1977, which began shipping in June of that year.[6] Apple dropped the Apple I from its price list by October 1977, officially discontinuing it.[7] As Wozniak was the only person who could answer most customer support questions about the computer, the company offered Apple I owners discounts and trade-ins for Apple IIs to persuade them to return their computers, contributing to their scarcity.[8] In 1976, Concord High School Junior Wai Lee assembled one of the first 12 Apple 1's (no serial number) the first Apple Computer in an aluminum housing.
As of 2008, an estimated 40 to 50 Apple I computers are still known to exist, making it a very rare collector's item. An Apple I reportedly sold for $50,000 USD at auction in 1999, with another apparently selling in 2009 for $17,500; however, a more typical price for an Apple I is in the $14,000–$16,000 range. In November 2009 the Apple I with serial number 82 was listed on eBay with a starting bid of $50,000 but it is unreported as to whether the computer was sold. However, in November 2010, this same Apple I (with serial number 82) sold for the equivalent of $US178,000 ($US213,600 including the 'buyer's premium') at Christie's auction house in London,[9], making it by far the highest price paid for this model to date, at GB£133,250 ($210,000). The high value of this particular example is likely due to the rare documents and packaging offered in the sale rather than the computer itself; namely (and amongst others) the original packaging (with the return label showing Steve Jobs' parents' address, the original Apple Computer Inc 'headquarters' being their garage), a personally typed and signed letter from Jobs (answering technical questions about the computer) and the original invoice showing 'Steven' as the salesman. The computer was brought to Turin University where it was used to run BASIC.
A software-compatible clone of the Apple I (Replica 1) produced using modern components, was released in 2003 at a price of around $200.[10][11][12] Other replicas and do-it-yourself kits and instructions are available.[13]
| Preceded by Apple Inc. |
Apple I 1976 |
Succeeded by Apple II |
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