QuickTime

Background
QuickTime is an extensible multimedia framework developed by Apple Inc., capable of handling various formats of digital video, picture, sound, panoramic images, and interactivity. First made in December 2, 1991, the latest Mac version, QuickTime X, is currently available on Mac OS X Snow Leopard and newer. QuickTime was also available for Windows operating systems until April 30, 2016.

1st logo (December 2, 1991)


Nicknames: "QuickTime Q", "QuickTime Clock", "What's This All About?", "Now THAT'S cool!"

Logo: We see 4 colored squares (one, one , one , and one , looking similar to the Windows logo) with the "QuickTime Q" (a stylized black "Q" with a hour hand inside) placed at the center. Below this is a rectangle with "QuickTimeTM" in white. A man walks up to the logo from the left, says "What's this all about?" and walks out. The QuickTime logo then begins to tick like a clock. The same man comes back from the right, says "Now that's cool!", then moves out again. The clock continues ticking while this happens.

FX/SFX: The live-action man, the "Q" clock ticking.

Music Sounds: The man speaking and the jingle playing.

Availability: Seen on QuickTime 1.1.

2nd Logo (December 2, 1991-1999)
Nicknames: "Quicktime Q II", "QuickTime Clock II", "Wiping Symbols"

Logo: On the same square background from before, we see one QuickTime "Q" in each colored square, with their hour hands in a different position per square. The thin separator cross then begins to rotate in a clockwise direction, switching the squares' colors in the same direction. Meanwhile, the "Q"'s wipe into Apple logos, play/next/previous/pause buttons, filmstrips, and then to the "Q" seen in the previous logo.

Variant: Starting with QuickTime 3.x (1998), the logo was slightly improved with brighter colors, and the filmstrips were replaced with file symbols.

FX/SFX: The wiping. Simple, but effective early 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A choir throughout while a guitar and bass tune plays, then we start hearing a slow clicking-like sound, which the choir and last note of the tune is sustained.

Availability: Extremely rare. Found on software that carry QuickTime 1.x, and can also be found as a sample file. Also found on QuickTime 2.0.3 and QuickTime 3.x.

Legacy: A well-done logo.

3rd Logo (June 1994, 1996)


Nicknames: "Quicktime Q III", "QuickTime Clock III", "QuickTime and the Grid", "Identificating QuickTime"

Logo: The previous logo, but blurred zooms in spinning. A grid appears with a moving arrow and digit numbers at the left. The logo starts to animate like before, before the grid tries to identify the logo. As "Identification: QuickTime..." appears blinking in below, the grid and other elements zoom and move to the logo. A flash appears, and brings in the logo at fullscreen with the remaining light going to the white part of the "Q".

FX/SFX: Creative 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A whoosh when the logo zooms in, then some beeps that go fast-paced. When the identifier arrow comes close to the center of it, the beeps slow down, then rapidly speed up again when the red lines appear. A bang can be heard when we go into the QuickTime logo, and an electronic twinkle is heard when the light shines on the white part of the "Q".

Availability: Appeared only as a QuickTime 2.0 sample, which can also be found on the 1996 CD-ROM of Noddy: The Magic of Toytown.

Legacy: Better animation than their first logo.

4th Logo (June 8, 1999-2001)


Nicknames: "Quicktime Q IV", "QuickTime Clock IV", "QuickTime/Apple Combo"

Logo: On a white background, we see a newer 3D-ish version of the QuickTime "Q" in. Below is "QuickTimeTM". The name fades out as the hour hand wipes the logo away clockwise into a Apple logo.

FX/SFX: The logo wiping.

Music/Sounds: A short synth entry.

Availability: Seen on QuickTime 4.x, and also found as a sample file, Can be seen on the 2000 CD-ROM Hi-5 Activity Centre.

Legacy: Short, but sweet.

5th Logo (April 14, 2001-)
Nicknames: "Quicktime Q V", "QuickTime Clock V", "Liquid Q"

Logo: On a white background, a dot appears at the center, zooms and spins, while it also leaves liquid trails which later form the QuickTime "Q" from before, but in a newer fashion. The word "serif" then ripples in.

Variant: Starting with QuickTime 7.x (2005), the logo is slightly improved (with a glossier "Q" and smoother animation) and "QuickTime" is in a different font.

FX/SFX: The dot forming the logo, and "QuickTime" rippling in.

Music/Sounds: A 4-note synth bell and an ascending airy synth, accompanied by a synth pad.

Availability: Current. It was first seen on QuickTime 5.x, and can still be found as a sample file on versions 5.x or newer of QuickTime.

Legacy: Same as the previous logo.