Logitech Milestones

Logitech Milestones

Fall 2006

1981

•       Logitech was founded on Oct. 2 by Daniel Borel, Pierluigi Zappacosta and Giacomo Marini. The first office was in Apples, Switzerland. 

1982

•       Logitech opened its first U.S. office on March 8, at 165 University Ave. in Palo Alto, Calif.

•       Logitech introduced its first mouse, the P4. The P4 used opto-mechanical technology, featuring optical encoders connected to the rollers to deliver greater tracking precision while providing the tactile response of a rolling ball.

1983

•       Logitech established presence in Italy.

1984

•       Logitech secured its first major OEM win, with HP, a deal that would reach approximately 25,000 mice sold per year.

•       Logitech designed the first cordless mouse, using infrared technology, for Metaphor.

1985

•       Logitech entered the retail market with the C7 mouse. Available for under $100 in the U.S., the C7 was viewed by many as breakthrough in price. The company sold more than 800 units in the first month (December) at retail. The C7 drew its power from the CPU’s RS232 serial interface, eliminating the need for an external power supply.

1986

•       Logitech Far East LTD was created in Hsinchu, Taiwan to be a manufacturing center. Production began in September of that year. Hsinchu is Logitech’s worldwide operations headquarters today.

•       Logitech moves its European headquarters from Apples to Romanel, Switzerland.

1987

•       Logitech established presence in Germany.

1988

•       In July, Logitech went public on the SWX Swiss Exchange.

•       Logitech introduced a handheld scanner, its first peripheral outside of its core mouse business. 

•       Logitech established presence in Ireland, Sweden, Japan and the United Kingdom. 1989

•       Logitech introduced the first thumb-operated trackball, the Logitech® TrackMan®, a departure from the traditional finger-operated trackball design.

•       Logitech opened its Fremont, Calif. office. The office remains the North American headquarters for the company today.

•       Logitech announced the S9 Mouse, the company’s first mouse designed to fit the curve of a hand, a departure from the familiar box shape.

•       Logitech established presence in France.

1990

•       Logitech aimed to further satisfy the varying needs of its growing customer base with the new MouseMan product line. Realizing that one size can’t fit all, Logitech introduced the mouse in different shapes and sizes – MouseMan Left, MouseMan Right, and MouseMan Large. 

1991 

•       Logitech debuted the first radio-based cordless mouse, the Logitech® MouseMan® Cordless. It used 27 MHz, a wireless standard Logitech continues to deploy in many of its modern-day cordless mice and keyboards.

•       Logitech introduced the first mouse made especially for children, the Logitech® Kidz™ Mouse. Designed to look like a rodent mouse, it was much smaller than traditional mice, while its tail/cord stemmed from the back of the device.

•       Logitech established presence in the Netherlands, Spain and China.

1992

•       Logitech announced FotoMan, an early digital still camera that connected directly to a PC.

•       Logitech introduced AudioMan, its first audio peripheral, an all-in-one PC microphone and speaker.

1993

•       Logitech established presence in Canada, Austria, Denmark and Singapore.

•       Logitech unveiled the Magellan® 3D mouse, the first mouse developed for 3D CAD/CAM/CAE applications.

1994

•       Logitech opened its first manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China. Today, Suzhou remains the primary manufacturing center for Logitech. 

•       Logitech announced WingMan®, a joystick for PC gaming. It was the first time Logitech made a product specifically for gaming.

1995 

•       Logitech unveiled VideoMan, its first Web camera, meant for sending live and recorded video over the Internet. 

•       Logitech introduced Marble optical technology for use in trackballs. With the ability to scan the trackball motion with a camera and without any moving parts, the dust and dirt clogs prevalent in other systems were eliminated. 

1996

•       Logitech manufactured its 100 millionth mouse.

•       Logitech established presence in Australia and Malaysia.

•       Logitech opened two sales offices in China – in Shanghai and Beijing.

1997

•       In March, Logitech went public in the U.S., as the company became listed on the Nasdaq Exchange.

•       Logitech unveiled its first Universal Serial Bus mouse, the USB Wheel Mouse Pointing Device.

•       Logitech exited the scanner business, selling it to Storm Technology. The company reallocated its scanner resources into its growing gaming business.

1998

•       Guerrino De Luca, an Apple veteran, joined Logitech as chief executive officer.

•       Logitech acquired the hardware division of Connectix and its QuickCam® family of webcams. Shortly thereafter, Logitech introduced the first webcam with an integrated microphone. 

•       Logitech introduced the Logitech® Cordless Desktop®, the first combination of a cordless mouse and keyboard on the market.

•       Logitech established presence in Hungary.

1999

•       Logitech established presence in Poland.

2000

•       Logitech introduced its first mice with optical sensors to track movement, eliminating the ball-based mechanism traditionally found in mice.

•       Logitech established presence in the Czech Republic, Norway, Hong Kong and India. Hong Kong is Logitech’s Asia Pacific headquarter today.

•       Logitech announced the GT Force™ racing wheel for PlayStation®, its first peripheral designed for the rapidly growing console gaming market.

2001

•       Logitech acquired Labtec, dramatically expanding its audio business.

•       Logitech is awarded THX certification for its new high-end digital speakers, the Logitech® Z-560 system.

•       Logitech introduced Cordless MouseMan® Optical, providing the much-anticipated combination of precision optical tracking and cordless freedom in a mouse. 

•       Logitech and Yahoo! announced the addition of integrated real-time video to Yahoo!® Messenger. 

•       Logitech formed subsidiary 3Dconnexion® to focus on developing input devices for 3D motion control.

•       Logitech established presence in Portugal, Mexico and South Korea.

2002

•       Logitech announced Cordless Presenter™, the industry’s first retail pointing device with Bluetooth® wireless technology. Cordless Presenter allows control of presentations on a PC at a range of 30 feet.

•       Logitech unveiled cordless controllers for both Xbox® and PlayStation® platforms.

•       Logitech introduced the Logitech® io™ Personal Digital Pen, a device that automatically converts handwritten notes into digital records.

•       Logitech entered the mobile phone headset market by introducing six headsets emphasizing comfort and design.

•       Logitech established presence in Colombia, Puerto Rico, Brazil and Argentina.

•       Logitech introduced the first headset to enable voice command and Internet chat during game play on the PlayStation. The headset was bundled with Sony's SOCOM Navy Seals game. 

             

2003 

•       Logitech surpassed $1 billion in annual revenue in its FY2003.

•       Logitech announced it was working with Microsoft Corp. to enable live video capabilities for customers of MSN Messenger. 

•       Logitech announced the shipment of its 500 millionth mouse. 

•       Logitech introduced three new products that transform a PC into a Bluetooth® wireless control center, making it easy to wirelessly exchange information between the PC and Bluetooth devices, such as PDAs, mobile phones and printers.

•       Logitech introduced the highly stylized QuickCam Orbit webcam, with unique facetracking capabilities and a motorized camera head that allows the camera to pan and tilt, following people as they move during video communications. 

•       Logitech introduced the Logitech® Mobile Bluetooth® Headset, its first mobile headset with Bluetooth wireless technology.

•       Logitech established presence in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, Chile, Guatemala, Paraguay, Venezuela and Uruguay.

2004

•       Logitech announced the acquisition of Intrigue Technologies, maker of the Harmony Remote control.

•       Logitech surpassed $1 billion in annual retail sales in its FY2004.

•       Logitech announced the sale of 50 million cordless PC peripherals.

•       Logitech announced users of MSN have logged more than one billion video instant messaging sessions on Webcam for MSN Messenger.

•       Logitech unveiled the world’s first mouse to use laser tracking and illumination, the Logitech® MX™1000 Laser Cordless Mouse.

•       Logitech announced its first Bluetooth stereo headphones, as part of an OEM agreement with HP, for use with the HP iPAQ Pocket PC.

•       Logitech unveiled Logitech® VideoCall for broadband, a webcam application and service allowing people to communicate over the Internet with fully integrated live video and audio. 

2005

•       Logitech opened a new factory in Suzhou, China with 30 percent more capacity than the previous facility.

•       Microsoft launched MSN Messenger 7.0 with Video Conversation, powered by Logitech, providing high-quality, synchronized live audio and video communications at no charge to MSN Messenger users.

•       Logitech reached a webcam milestone: 25 million sold.

•       Logitech introduced the Harmony 880 remote control, the company’s first remote with a color LCD screen and its first rechargeable remote. The Harmony 880 remote quickly became a best-seller, and helped Logitech ascend to the U.S. retail market leadership position for revenue in the programmable remote control category.

•       Logitech unveiled its first speakers and headphones for iPod® players and portable music players.

•       Logitech entered the PlayStation Portable (PSP) accessories market with its PlayGear family of products.

•       Logitech introduced Logitech® Video Effects software, allowing consumers to transform themselves into three-dimensional animated characters or wear animated accessories as they communicate with their webcam over the Internet. 

•       Logitech introduced Logitech® Music Anywhere™ wireless technology as part of a family of wireless music products that make it easy for people to play and share their digital music on a stereo system or wireless headphones – though the source of the music or audio is a PC or portable music player. 

•       Logitech introduced the Logitech G15 keyboard, the world’s first gaming-specific keyboard with an LCD and 18 customizable G keys, providing gamers an unprecedented level of programmability and control.

•       Logitech introduced the world’s first THX-certified 5.1 speaker system with digital wireless dual rear speakers, the new Logitech® Z-5450 Digital speakers.

2006

•       In its Fiscal Year 2006, Logitech introduced more than 130 new products and shipped more than 143 million products worldwide.

•       Logitech reached a new mouse milestone: more than 700 million sold. 

•       Logitech introduced the Logitech® Wireless DJ™ Music System, which makes it easy for people to stream any digital music from their PC to any stereo system or powered multimedia speakers anywhere in the home, and browse and control all the PC music using the long-range Wireless DJ remote. 

•       Logitech unveiled three new PC calling products – the Logitech® QuickCall™ USB

Speakerphone,  the Logitech® Cordless Internet Handset, and the Logitech® EasyCall™ Desktop – which make the experience of initiating and accepting Internet phone calls more natural and more like using a traditional phone. 

•       Logitech introduced the Logitech® MX™ Revolution cordless laser mouse, marking a radical change in how people navigate complex and abundant content. It features hyper-fast scrolling with a revolutionary alloy wheel – the MicroGear™ Precision Scroll Wheel – that spins freely for up to seven seconds, spanning hundreds of pages with a single flick of the finger. An innovative One-Touch™ Search feature allows people to select a word or phrase on a Web page or in a document and, with a single click, view Internet search results on that subject. 

•       Logitech redefined the concept of a PC speaker system with the introduction of the Logitech® Z-10 Interactive 2.0 Speaker System. The groundbreaking design includes built-in touch-sensitive controls and a backlighted display that shows digitalmusic track information, a clock, volume and more

•       Logitech reinvented the Harmony® remote control with the Harmony 1000 advanced universal remote, the company’s first remote with a touch-sensitive color screen.