Press Play: The Origins of QuickTime

From Hollywood blockbusters to social media cat videos, the ability to record, edit and play video on mobile devices and personal computers has changed the way we consume and produce moving images. 25 years ago, this technology was in its infancy. In 1991, Apple released QuickTime, the first mass-market digital video software for personal computers. QuickTime is a multimedia platform for developers to add audiovisual recording, editing, and playback to their applications. Because it was built into the Macintosh operating system, users did not need to buy more hardware or software to play video. QuickTime became the most widespread media format on PCs after Apple brought it to Windows, and its incorporation into the MPEG-4 standard, used in every cell phone, computer, and set top video player today, cemented Apple’s position as a leading provider of media creation technology. How was QuickTime created? What role did it play in Apple’s history? And what impact does it have today?

Join us as Center for Software History curator Hansen Hsu leads a conversation with members of the original QuickTime team about the creation of QuickTime, its evolution, and its impact on the computer and media industries.