Mac vs Apple: What’s The Real Difference?

There is a lot of confusion about the difference between Mac and Apple computers. Some people use the terms interchangeably, while others think that they are two completely different products. In this blog post, I’ll clear up the confusion and explain the differences between Mac and Apple.

Apple refers to the company (“Apple Inc.”) that produces Macintosh computers, often named “Mac”. So Apple is the company, while Mac is a line of products. Apple also produces other lines of electronics, such as the iPhone and iPad.

If you’re still confused about the difference between Apple and Mac computers, don’t worry! We will explain it all in this blog post. Keep reading to learn more about these amazing products.

Apple

Introduction

Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services.

History

Apple was founded on April Fools’ Day, 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne as a computer company. They originally sold the Apple I personal computer kit. The following year, they introduced the Apple II, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputers.

In 1980, Apple launched the Macintosh, the first mass-produced personal computer with a graphical user interface. This event is widely considered to be the beginning of the personal computer revolution.

In 1984, Apple released the Macintosh 128K, the first personal computer to be sold with a built-in hard drive.

In 1985, Apple released Mac OS, the first operating system designed specifically for the Macintosh.

Today, Apple Inc. is one of the largest companies in the world and offers a wide range of products, including smartphones (iPhone), tablets (iPad), desktop computers (Mac), laptops (MacBook), and more.

Products

Apple hardware products include the iPhone smartphone, the iPad tablet computer, the Mac personal computer, the iPod portable media player, the Apple Watch smartwatch, and the Apple TV digital media player.

Related: Difference between the iPhone and a smartphone

But Apple is no longer an only hardware company. They created tons of applications and cloud services over the years to go along with the hardware. Apple is known to own a closed ecosystem, where you not only use their hardware, but also all their applications that come with it.

For example, Apple’s consumer software includes the macOS and iOS operating systems, the iTunes media player, the Safari web browser, and the iLife and iWork creativity and productivity suites.

Apple also owns many online services including iCloud storage service, Apple Music, Apple Pay, Apple Store, FaceTime, Shazam, etc…

Mac

Definition

Macintosh (commonly shortened to Mac) is a line of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc.

Today, it includes some of the most popular computers in the world, such as the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.

History

The Macintosh was introduced by Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a graphical user interface and a mouse.

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs wanted the Macintosh to be the first mass-produced personal computer with a GUI, but he didn’t want to give control of the technology away to another company like Xerox Corporation.

So instead, Apple developed its own technologies for creating a GUI. The result was the Lisa computer, which was released in 1983. The Lisa was not commercially successful, but it did pave the way for the Macintosh.

Models

While there are many different types of Mac computers available today, they all share certain features in common:

• They all run on Apple’s macOS operating system.
• They all use apple’s custom-designed chipsets.
• They all have a sleek and minimalist design.

Some of the most popular Mac models include the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini.

Operating system

All Macintosh computers come with the macOS operating system pre-installed.

macOS is a UNIX-based graphical interface operating system that was designed specifically for use on Apple hardware.

It is known for its ease of use, stability, and security.

Market share

While Macintosh computers make up a small percentage of the overall personal computer market (around 15%), they are extremely popular in certain niche markets, such as education and creative professionals.

These folk particularly like Macintosh for a few reasons:

• The user interface is extremely intuitive and easy to use.
• Macs are very stable and rarely crash or experience technical issues.
• They come with a wide range of built-in tools and applications that are perfect for creative tasks.
• They have a reputation for being stylish and cool.

Pricing

Macintosh computers are typically more expensive than their Windows-based counterparts.

This is because they are designed with premium materials, use cutting-edge technologies, and come with a wide range of pre-installed software.

However, many people feel that the extra cost is worth it for the improved user experience.

Differences between Apple and Macintosh Computers

Now that we’ve explained a little bit about Apple and Macintosh computers, let’s talk about the differences between them.

Simply put, Apple is the company that designs and sells the Macintosh line of computers. The Macintosh is a type of computer that runs on the macOS operating system.

So, when you purchase a Macintosh computer, you are buying a product from Apple.

However, there are some apple products that are not Macintosh computers. These include the iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Apple Watch.

These products run on different operating systems (iOS for the iPhone and iPad, watchOS for the Apple Watch) and use different chipsets than Macintosh computers.

So while apple designs and sells both Macintosh computers and these other devices, they are not the same thing.

Hopefully, this article has helped clear up any confusion you may have had about Apple and Macintosh computers.

Related questions

What does Mac stand for?

Mac is short for Macintosh. Macintosh computers are designed and sold by Apple Inc.

Is an iPhone considered a Mac?

An iPhone is not considered a Mac. The iPhone is a smartphone that runs on the iOS operating system. It is designed and sold by Apple, but it is not a Macintosh computer.

What’s the difference between a Mac and a PC?

The main difference between a Mac and a PC is the operating system. Macintosh computers run on the macOS operating system, while PCs run on Windows.

You can also read my other article to better understand the difference between a computer and a PC.