Welcome to Top 5. I'm your host, Iyaz Akhtar.
Apple's big developer conference is over.
And that mythical Apple TV and/or Apple TV streaming service remained a tech unicorn.
However, Apple's had a crazy history since it was founded in 1976.
Today we're taking a look at the top 5 times Apple shook up the tech world.
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At number five is introducing the iMac, when the original iMac debuted in May 1998.
It featured an eye-catching design.
In a world of beige boxes, the iMac was this colorful computer that looked like it belonged in the Jetsons.
It even had a handle for some reason.
However, there was something missing from the iMac.
There's no floppy drive.
You have to use a CD drive if you wanted to use physical media.
At that time, this was a big deal.
Floppy drives were a staple of computers back then.
Apple also included some new ports on the side, something called USB.
Instead of Apple [UNKNOWN] or [UNKNOWN] The bold I Mac was the first Big thing consumers saw from Apple since Steve Job returned in 1997.
At number four is the introduction of the Apple Store.
Way back in 2001, Apple launched its first retail store.
It was considered a risky move.
What did Apple know about retailing aside from dealing with third party retailers?
Not much.
What about the idea that other retailers might not carry Apple products, since the company would be directly competing with them?
The Apple Store showed that Apple could succeed in retail by using a very different approach when it came to selling computers.
You went to an Apple Store, you'd see a clean place with lots of room to test out all the products.
It was really easy to get your grubby little hands on Apple's pricey computers and gadgets without being bothered by the staff.
That's not the way computer stores were back then.
Even today the Apple Store's influence is seen at other retailers.
Take a look at a Microsoft store or a Samsung one.
At number three is the introduction of the original Macintosh and it's OS in 1984.
If this is number three what on earth is above this?
Let's talk about the original Macintosh.
It was the first computer available to the masses with a graphical user interface.
That can be controlled by a mouse.
Before the MAC, using a computer involved typing in commands at a prompt, using a keyboard only.
There's no metaphorical desktop or file folders.
The MAC changed that.
Before you write in, we know that Apple didn't invent the GUI, but popularized it.
Computers made their first major step to being adopted by everyday people, thanks to an easier interface.
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Number two, reinventing the music business by introducing the iTunes Music Store in 2003.
In a world of rampant music piracy, some computer company called Apple Decided to offer a solution.
All it had to do was strong arm the entire music industry into a price structure where songs would cost just 99 cents for a downloadable copy and to be able to buy the song individually.
No album purchase was necessary.
That right there was an amazingly difficult task.
Apple effectively dragged the music industry into the digital age.
When the iTunes Music Store launched, they had 200,000 songs and no subscription fees.
The downloadable music model served as a blueprint to future services.
And at number one, is that one time Apple basically turned the world upside down by introducing the iPhone in 2007.
Smart phones were around before the iPhone, but this was the device that changed everything from Blackberry, Palm, Motorola, Samsung, Microsoft, and any other company that had a hand in phones.
On top of that, Apple played hardball with wireless carriers, particularly in the U.S. No pre-installed software from carriers would come with the iPhone and no carrier branding adorned the outside of the phone.
The original iPhone is laughable compared to today's modern phones.
But the first iPhone was years ahead of the competition at the time.
Apple built an operating system that allowed a user to use intuitive gestures and taps to navigate a relatively complex device.
It also had a real web browser.
The iPhone greatly influenced what a smartphone would be from its introduction.
That list kind of made me angry.
Maybe 3 should have been number 1. Maybe the introduction of the iPod should have been on that list.
Let me know what you think on Twitter.
I'm @IYAZ.
For more top fives like this visit top5.cnet.com.
