On the 15th of November in 1971,
The debut of the Intel 4004 microprocessor was announced in an advertisement featured in Electronic News magazine. This marked a significant moment in history as the 4004 became the first microprocessor commercially available. Initially conceptualized by Busicom as a “calculator engine,” the design underwent optimization by Intel engineers, condensing the original 12 integrated circuits to a more efficient 4 ICs.
In January 1971, Intel delivered the finalized product to Busicom, with Busicom initially holding exclusive design rights. However, later in the year, a renegotiation between Busicom and Intel resulted in a shift in these rights, as Intel reduced prices for Busicom in exchange for ownership of the microprocessor design.
Intel’s historic introduction of the first general-purpose programmable processor to the market played a pivotal role in advancing electronic devices throughout the 1970s, ultimately leading to the development of personal computers in that era. Intel solidified its position as a leader in the microprocessor market in the 1980s, driven by the success of the IBM PC and its clones.