September 4, 1998: iMac Sales Set Torrid Pace

by Chris Seibold Sep 04, 2010

When the original iMac—the G3-powered, bondi-blue, wonder—went on sale in mid-August of 1998, many felt it would flop. Everything about the computer seemed to be what the market had either already rejected or wasn't ready to accept. USB ports were considered too forward thinking and the all-in-one form factor was regarded as a dead concept.

Steve Jobs was aware of the objections but pushed the iMac forward anyway, relying on two things:

1) Apple needed a big hit, so why not take a chance?
2) The internet.

The iMac was promoted as the fastest way to easy online access even though it offered no internet advantages over Apple's other models. The skeptics were shocked when Apple's market share rocketed up (briefly) thanks to the iMac. That the public loved everything about the iMac was becoming apparent when it was revealed that the iMac was the second biggest selling computer for the month of August even though it was only on sale for two weeks.

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Comments

  • ohh yeah, the iMac, where the “i” stands for internet. Oh, today also is my birthday.

    nana had this to say on Sep 04, 2006 Posts: 63

  • I wish I had one of the old bondi-blue iMacs. We do still have our Revision C models: tangerine and grape. The little buggers still work just fine, although they aren’t currently hooked up.

    LorD1776 had this to say on Sep 04, 2009 Posts: 19

  • Does the “i” still stand for anything?  Other than “Apple”?

    Howard Brazee had this to say on Sep 04, 2009 Posts: 54

  • “Does the “i” still stand for anything?”

    I doubt it, since everyone under the sun has copied the usage.

    LorD1776 had this to say on Sep 04, 2009 Posts: 19
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