May 29, 1992: Apple first showed users the first pocket computer Newton MessagePad, calling it a revolutionary device. Since the release of the Macintosh, Newton was the first major product that Apple was able to offer users. During the demonstration, all the possibilities of its use were presented, including the convenient ordering of pizza and other goods directly from the device.
Newton was the brainchild of Apple engineer Steve Sakoman, who was passionate about the idea of creating a pocket computer. At first, the project was called Apple Skunkworks, and in 1987 it was renamed Newton. Sacoman’s desire to add all the advanced computing technology currently available in research labs made it bulky enough to fit in the pocket as originally intended. But on the other hand, it used a touch screen, a hard drive, a large battery, an infrared port that allows you to transfer information between devices.
Newton MessagePad: Apple’s pocket personal computer ahead of its time
Even after the departure of Sakoman in 1990, Apple continued to actively develop a portable device. The release of Newton was scheduled for April 1992, but only at the end of May did a demonstration of this product take place. The device immediately made a huge impression, opening up the world to Apple’s new take on mobile computing technology.
Despite the dedicated work of the team, there was a lot of controversy among the developers of the project, from the size of the device to its performance, but all of its participants believed that they were creating a revolutionary technology far superior to anything else in the world of the computer industry.
However, Newton MessagePad did not come out until August 1993. By this time, Scully had already left Apple, and Newton was one of the victims of Steve Jobs returning to Apple, who canceled the device. It wasn’t until 2007 that Apple returned to the idea with the release of the iPhone.
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