Technical Flaws Plague Apple's New Computer

The Wall Street Journal

April 15, 1981

THE LONG AWAITED NEW CROP OF APPLE COMPUTERS HAS TURNED OUT TO CONTAIN A LOT OF LEMONS.

ANNOUNCED WITH FLOURISHES LAST MAY--PREMATURELY, THE MANUFACTURERS NOW CONCEDES--THE APPLE III PERSONAL COMPUTER HAS BEEN PLAGUED BY TECHNICAL AND MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. VOLUME SALES DIDN'T BEGIN UNTIL MARCH, MANY MONTHS BEHIND SCHEDULE. AND SO FAR, THE APPLE III IS UNSUPPORTED BY ANY OF THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT WOULD PLACE IT BEYOND THE APPLE II.

A.C. MAKKULA, APPLE'S NEW PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SAYS "WE'LL KNOW IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY IF APPLE III IS A TRULY RELIABLE PRODUCT."

IT IS THE FIRST GROUP OF 1,000 OR SO APPLE IIIS THAT HAS GIVEN THE MOST TROUBLE.

HERE, IN PART, IS WHAT THE COMPANY HAS FOUND WRONG WITH THEM:

CHIP SOCKETS OFTEN HAVE BEEN TOO LOOSE, SO THAT CHIPS SLIPPED OUT DURING SHIPMENT. THIS PROBLEM, MAKKULA SAYS, RENDERED 20% OF THE FIRST COMPUTERS "DEAD ON ARRIVAL."
A CLOCK/CALENDAR CHIP, PURCHASED FROM NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR CORP., TURNED OUT NOT TO MEET SPECIFICATIONS. APPLE GAVE CUSTOMERS $50 REBATES AND STOPPED USING THE CHIP.
CABLES TO THE COMPUTER KEYBOARD WERE TOO SHORT.
CONNECTORS, THE METAL SLOTS ATTACHING THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD TO THE COMPUTER, HAD A VARIETY OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.