1977 · Technology

Apple

Simplicity Is the Ultimate Sophistication

Apple's first Apple II brochure in 1977 carried the headline 'Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication' over a single red apple on white. The line is often attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, but researchers have found no source in his work; the phrasing traces at least to a 1931 novel. Apple's pitch was strategic for the moment: home computers were intimidating hobbyist kits, so leading with simplicity reframed approachability as a high-end virtue rather than a compromise.

Category

Technology

Decade

1970s

Period

Personal computing

Origin

Apple II print advertisement crop from the seed board

Format

Vertical print