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Mac computers on display at the Apple Store in Yas Island. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National
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Part of an early model central processing unit is seen on display at the Computer History Museum on January 19, 2024 in Mountain View, California, as the museum celebrates Mac's 40th birthday. Forty years after igniting a PC revolution, Apple's Mac is stronger than ever and could reach new glory due to AI computing - or be left behind. (Photo by Loren Elliott / AFP)
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2O4MLNE6NZCJHEQB3DGDN7SQDI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ee9f69612c268aeba8dce181d4981ad8fc81d617b4eeb19af9af2275f9a0211a&width=400&height=225)
Macintosh – an intuitive personal computer known as the Mac – transformed the landscape of mass-market computing with its revolutionary graphical user interface (GUI), catchy icons and a mouse. Photo: Bonhams
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4COTBIXRRYZDEBCDGKVVK2ZMBA.jpg?smart=true&auth=195dd73c8f9143b0e7c467ade117ac685e6a4b3e0c4d0d012febf86761721d52&width=400&height=225)
Chief executive Tim Cook is blown away as he is shown an original Macintosh SE computer at the opening of Mumbai's first Apple Store in April 2023. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TGZDQYUPG4E76OZC3KW5WPHEEY.jpg?smart=true&auth=b652e235180a964b14d97307a0d6b4c5ffb059dcb0b419248404b69e8d4d5f59&width=400&height=225)
The Apple II, which predates the Mac, was a successful product for the tech company. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/S5D5QGD53O5PODOCEPLUJZJNEY.jpg?smart=true&auth=93db83ccc3b2170afb1783336cb0c9a555e85daf6ac73abf3928f83e67cf8438&width=400&height=225)
Computers from various generations on display at an Apple Museum in Warsaw. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/T332I7CIHREFVMQTYSXKY3WRFI.jpg?smart=true&auth=e6115a1693dc27e6766fc68a2ccd13b7acd093b4d1ac5c52902a6fe60e96f165&width=400&height=225)
Apple's then-interim chief executive Steve Jobs unveils the iMac, based on the PowerPC G3 processor, in 1998. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/52OPFCLF7PJATMYOGYH7GB44DY.jpg?smart=true&auth=464e041fd4fbcb15034e330484ddb93df307c5ee92188359eeffdbacf4695f9e&width=400&height=225)
Mr Jobs holds a new 12-inch Apple G4 Powerbook laptop computer, left, and a G4 Powerbook after addressing the Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco, 2003. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/L27FBWXZCIFRRZZVCRTHXMUTLE.jpg?smart=true&auth=00c68ba181f6de711db8e4f2e836e18571b96490f161d803720bb64218809988&width=400&height=225)
The new MacBook Pro laptop launched in 2016 included an upgraded retina display. Bloomberg
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YNK4LYUII3TGRL577S5VD5CEOI.jpg?smart=true&auth=27519d04c1fef2288e103e4b3099c9f53b3ab86bfbad51d9655e8b96a2836791&width=400&height=225)
Apple chief executive Tim Cook presents new products, including Macbook laptops, at a special event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in October 2018. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RXPNQKHRI5RGT6D3XEX5GMRVUI.jpg?smart=true&auth=308f4013ea87f9fd963faab2862f4d57e0112b9e529203194f5632868e93f89e&width=400&height=225)
The MacBook Air is unveiled at the Apple Worldwide Developers' Conference at Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California in June 2022. Bloomberg
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KRJ7R6D5MXY3OUL5YE47GRJ6UE.jpg?smart=true&auth=d07fe6dce27465bc00f2f190c0713c5a8edc31ff287a73e68aa9cec821a7fbfc&width=400&height=225)
Mac computers on display at the Apple Store in Yas Island. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7HTST6CPDKEACDEZCLAE3345OI.jpg?smart=true&auth=a81aed3dea7d5835786eaba191a671a642cfe7d2ac92ced5d2a4fa6c9ca46e62&width=400&height=225)
Part of an early model central processing unit is seen on display at the Computer History Museum on January 19, 2024 in Mountain View, California, as the museum celebrates Mac's 40th birthday. Forty years after igniting a PC revolution, Apple's Mac is stronger than ever and could reach new glory due to AI computing - or be left behind. (Photo by Loren Elliott / AFP)
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2O4MLNE6NZCJHEQB3DGDN7SQDI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ee9f69612c268aeba8dce181d4981ad8fc81d617b4eeb19af9af2275f9a0211a&width=400&height=225)
Macintosh – an intuitive personal computer known as the Mac – transformed the landscape of mass-market computing with its revolutionary graphical user interface (GUI), catchy icons and a mouse. Photo: Bonhams
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4COTBIXRRYZDEBCDGKVVK2ZMBA.jpg?smart=true&auth=195dd73c8f9143b0e7c467ade117ac685e6a4b3e0c4d0d012febf86761721d52&width=400&height=225)
Chief executive Tim Cook is blown away as he is shown an original Macintosh SE computer at the opening of Mumbai's first Apple Store in April 2023. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TGZDQYUPG4E76OZC3KW5WPHEEY.jpg?smart=true&auth=b652e235180a964b14d97307a0d6b4c5ffb059dcb0b419248404b69e8d4d5f59&width=400&height=225)
The Apple II, which predates the Mac, was a successful product for the tech company. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/S5D5QGD53O5PODOCEPLUJZJNEY.jpg?smart=true&auth=93db83ccc3b2170afb1783336cb0c9a555e85daf6ac73abf3928f83e67cf8438&width=400&height=225)
Computers from various generations on display at an Apple Museum in Warsaw. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/T332I7CIHREFVMQTYSXKY3WRFI.jpg?smart=true&auth=e6115a1693dc27e6766fc68a2ccd13b7acd093b4d1ac5c52902a6fe60e96f165&width=400&height=225)
Apple's then-interim chief executive Steve Jobs unveils the iMac, based on the PowerPC G3 processor, in 1998. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/52OPFCLF7PJATMYOGYH7GB44DY.jpg?smart=true&auth=464e041fd4fbcb15034e330484ddb93df307c5ee92188359eeffdbacf4695f9e&width=400&height=225)
Mr Jobs holds a new 12-inch Apple G4 Powerbook laptop computer, left, and a G4 Powerbook after addressing the Macworld Conference and Expo in San Francisco, 2003. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/L27FBWXZCIFRRZZVCRTHXMUTLE.jpg?smart=true&auth=00c68ba181f6de711db8e4f2e836e18571b96490f161d803720bb64218809988&width=400&height=225)
The new MacBook Pro laptop launched in 2016 included an upgraded retina display. Bloomberg
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YNK4LYUII3TGRL577S5VD5CEOI.jpg?smart=true&auth=27519d04c1fef2288e103e4b3099c9f53b3ab86bfbad51d9655e8b96a2836791&width=400&height=225)
Apple chief executive Tim Cook presents new products, including Macbook laptops, at a special event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in October 2018. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RXPNQKHRI5RGT6D3XEX5GMRVUI.jpg?smart=true&auth=308f4013ea87f9fd963faab2862f4d57e0112b9e529203194f5632868e93f89e&width=400&height=225)
The MacBook Air is unveiled at the Apple Worldwide Developers' Conference at Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California in June 2022. Bloomberg
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KRJ7R6D5MXY3OUL5YE47GRJ6UE.jpg?smart=true&auth=d07fe6dce27465bc00f2f190c0713c5a8edc31ff287a73e68aa9cec821a7fbfc&width=400&height=225)
Mac computers on display at the Apple Store in Yas Island. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National
Apple's Mac turns 40: How it transformed mass-market computing
Computer Apple co-founder Steve Jobs described as 'insanely great' marks its 40th anniversary on Wednesday
![Alkesh Sharma](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2Fbcd72f3d-db18-4698-a4e1-f1cfa7f76928.png?smart=true&auth=d7a39ec715248d85e2132cd792aa7598d4abb4d2bf179a110026065adc157b02&width=70&height=70)
Alkesh Sharma
23 January, 2024
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