Apple introduced the first commercially successful personal computer with a graphical user interface, the Macintosh, in 1984. The original Macintosh 128K went on sale on January 24, 1984, combining a graphical desktop, built-in display, mouse, and all-in-one design in a consumer-focused machine.
Apple’s development drew heavily on ideas associated with Xerox PARC, whose Alto computer pioneered graphical interaction, windows, and pointing devices. Apple’s Lisa, released in 1983, also preceded the Macintosh with a sophisticated GUI, but its high price limited its commercial success. The Macintosh simplified the concept and targeted a much broader market.
The launch became a landmark in technology marketing. Apple’s “1984” television commercial aired during Super Bowl XVIII, and the computer shipped with MacWrite and MacPaint to demonstrate its interface. A common mistake is calling Macintosh the first GUI computer of any kind; Xerox Alto, the Xerox Star, and Apple Lisa came earlier. Macintosh is the fair answer for the first successful mass-market GUI personal computer.