What year did Apple release the original iMac?

Apple released the original iMac in 1998.

Steve Jobs unveiled the computer on May 6, 1998, at the Flint Center in Cupertino, the same venue associated with the original Macintosh launch. Apple began shipping the first iMac on August 15, 1998, making 1998 the accepted release year.

The translucent Bondi blue all-in-one was designed as a consumer-friendly computer with straightforward internet access. Its 233 MHz PowerPC G3 processor, built-in display, USB ports, and absence of a floppy drive signaled a sharp break from beige desktop conventions.

The iMac was Apple’s first major product release after Jobs returned to the company and helped restore its finances and public image. Later revisions added colors such as strawberry, grape, lime, and tangerine. Some quizzes use “iMac” for the whole family, but the original is more specifically known as the iMac G3.