The simply named “Apple Events” are a cultural touchpoint, instantly recognizable to even Android users. These product launches have taken on an identity of their own, a legacy worth revisiting in this Tech Time Warp. They even catapulted the black turtleneck into a fashion status symbol.
Yet the “Apple Event” didn’t come from nowhere, and its first iteration, Apple II Forever, took place 26 years ago this week, on April 23–24, 1984, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Just three months after the release of the most iconic Super Bowl ad of all time, “1984,” which introduced the Apple Macintosh, Apple II Forever was meant to reinforce Apple’s commitment to its Apple II line—though Steve Jobs did spend some time talking about his new project.
Showmanship, spectacle, and a singular soundtrack
The event was slated to end with a Michael Jackson performance. Although, the King of Pop was replaced by Herbie Hancock after Jackon was injured filming a Pepsi commercial. The agenda included Apple’s now trademark mix of sales figures, technical specifications, and showmanship. After Steve Wozniak reviewed the features of the Apple IIc, then-Apple president John Sculley introduced the big reveal. This involved audience members lifting the Apple IIc above their heads, showcasing the machine’s lightweight design.
Luckily for us, video evidence of this moment exists, as well as video evidence of the pièce de resistance: the Apple II Forever theme song, a truly cheese-tastic work of 1980s magic. Good luck not getting an earworm.
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