A Brief History of Apple Online - iConnected: Use AirPlay, iCloud, Apps, and More to Bring Your Apple Devices Together - page 1

Introduction
A Brief History of Apple Online
So you want to know about iCloud and AirPlay. Good, you've come to the right place. I will, however,
in my capacity as author and Apple aficionado, first need to take you on a short history of Apple's on-
line and streaming services before we reach the Promised Land that both products embody.
We've come a long way, baby
Yes, I appreciate that you probably want to know how to sync your e-mails or access iTunes pur-
chases from your iPhone. I assure you, we'll get there soon. I simply think it's important that you get a
little perspective on iCloud (and a brief mention of the birth of AirPlay) before breaking down their
features and usage. If you're really not in the mood for a history lesson, by all means skip to Chapter 1 ,
but I'll do my best to keep things brief while filling you in on the ups and downs of Apple's adventures
online. You see, as much as both iCloud and AirPlay look like polished tools these days, things weren't
always this way.
The eWorld Debacle
As the word “Internet” became more frequently used and understood by the public in 1994, a part-
nership between AOL and Apple saw the launch of eWorld. With its colorful graphics and mock town
square layout (see Figure I-1), it was a unique route to the web for those struggling to make sense of all
this talk of superhighways and megabits, featuring an e-mail client, news reader, and communities
(filled with ePeople!). eWorld, without marketing or advertising in a particularly troubling financial
period for Apple, was ultimately a failure and the town closed its gates on March 31, 1996. While AOL
took up the mantle with its web service and seemingly relentless free trials on CD (you know, the
things you used as coasters throughout the late 1990s), Apple still harbored dreams of an online ser-
vice.