The Mac, Apple’s iconic personal computer, turns 40 on January 24, 2024. To mark this milestone, WIRED magazine interviewed five Apple executives who shared their insights on the past, present, and future of the Mac. Here are some of the highlights from the conversation.
One of the key factors that has contributed to the Mac’s success is the close collaboration between hardware and software designers. Alan Dye, Vice President of Human Interface Design, explained how Apple has maintained a single design studio that works on every product, from the Mac to the iPhone to the Vision Pro.
“What’s been so successful for us is really one studio full of designers across hardware and software design, and also sound design, material design, color design. We’re up to like 50 disciplines now, including haptics and things like that. We’ve worked really hard to keep it all together in one space, designing every product that Apple makes.”
This unified approach allows Apple to create products that are not only beautiful, but also functional and intuitive. The Mac, as the first product that Apple designed in this way, set the standard for the rest of the company’s portfolio.
The Mac as a Platform for Bold Experiments
Another aspect that defines the Mac is its willingness to take risks and try new things. Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, acknowledged that not every experiment has been successful, but that they have always been valuable learning opportunities.
“In many cases, we’re going to take bold swings at big ideas and work hard to see where they take us. Sometimes those learnings turn into future evolutions. Sometimes we take a step back.”
Some examples of the Mac’s bold experiments include the G4 Cube, a compact desktop computer that was discontinued after a year due to low sales, and the Touch Bar, a touch-sensitive strip that replaced the function keys on some MacBook Pro models and received mixed reviews from users. Federighi hinted that the Touch Bar might be phased out in the future, as Apple focuses on other ways to enhance the user experience.
The Mac as a Diverse and Powerful Lineup
The Mac has evolved over the years to offer a range of options for different types of users and needs. Greg Joswiak, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, defended the current Mac lineup, which some critics have argued is confusing and overlapping.
“I think it’s incredibly simple! We have a consumer lineup with an incredible MacBook Air available in two sizes, we have an iMac, and we have an iMac Mini. On the Pro side, we have this incredible MacBook Pro, we have Mac Studio, and we got the Mac Pro.”
Joswiak also praised the Mac’s transition to Apple silicon, which has enabled the company to deliver unprecedented performance and efficiency. He cited the example of the MacBook Air, which now has no fan and 18 hours of battery life, thanks to the M2 chip.
The Mac as a Tool for the Future
The Mac is not resting on its laurels, however. The Apple executives revealed that they are constantly working on new ideas and innovations for the Mac, driven by their passion and curiosity. Molly Anderson, industrial design leader, said that the possibility of a revolution in the future is always present.
“There’s definitely the possibility for a revolution in the future. When we start a new project, we don’t start by thinking of the constraints of how popular our existing products are. We’re always focused on trying to design the best tool for the job.”
John Ternus, Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, echoed this sentiment, saying that the Mac is always pushing the boundaries of what is possible. He added that the Mac’s greatest strength is its efficiency, which allows it to do more with less.
“When we first started working with Apple silicon, it honestly did feel for us like the laws of physics had changed. All of a sudden, we could build a MacBook Air with no fan with 18 hours of battery life. The best arrow in our quiver is efficiency. Because if you can improve efficiency, everything gets better.”
The full interview with the Apple executives can be read on WIRED.