Fruit Computers, also known as simply Fruit, is a recurring corporation appearing in the 3D Universe and HD Universe of the Grand Theft Auto series.
Influence[]
The company is a parody of Apple Inc., given the logo similarities and business sector. Throughout the company's appearance in the series, there have been various other references and sub-references to Apple and other similar corporations:
- The colorful retro logo's color scheme seems to reference Apple's 1977-1998 rainbow logo.
- Fruit's slogan, "Think", is a callback to a famous Apple advertising campaign titled "Think Different". The condescending tone found in Fruit's slogan references the superiority complex of stereotypical Apple fans. Interestingly, "Think" was also IBM's slogan in real life for many years.
- The advertisement for the Fruit Uhelmet in TBoGT appears to be an obvious reference to the Apple iPod's iconic "silhouette ads".
Description[]
It was founded in 1975. Its best-known hardware products are the iFruit phone and the Fruit line of computers. Its software includes the FruitOS. During the events of Grand Theft Auto IV in 2008, the chairman of the company is E. Mann, and the CEO is Doug Hatchet.
The logo bears a resemblance to male genitals, due to Rockstar's adult humor. After 2009, the color scheme was replaced with silver. Alternate logos also include "Fruit" written to the right of the original logos.
Throughout the Grand Theft Auto series, many Fruit products have been advertised, including:
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Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories[]
In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories there is a computer called the Fruit LC, a parody of the Apple Macintosh; however, the name is inspired by the Apple Macintosh LC. According to in-game dialog on Wave 103, the Fruit LC may operate with BASIC programming. Adam First mentions he has finally managed to program a flying triangle that explodes into pixels on the screen. The in-game commercial, which is featured on Vice City For Lovers, parodies Apple's famous "1984" commercial. The "BYE" displayed on the Fruit LC's screen is a stab at Apple Macintosh's famous "hello" image on advertisements. The Fruit LC costed $5,000, a reference to Apple computers being more expensive than the other competing computers.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories[]
In Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, there is a FruitOS user group called "Fruits" (slang for homosexuals) that has a bitter rivalry with the TOS user group called "Tossers" (slang for someone who masturbates excessively). This is a reference to the real-life Windows/OSX user rivalry. Bill, a host of the Electron Zone on Liberty City Free Radio, is a known FruitOS user, which is derided by his co-host and TOSser Steve, who calls it "computing for people that don't know a gigabyte from a terraflop".
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
The CEO, Doug Hatchet, has outsourced all of Fruit Computers' employees overseas, except himself. Doug now is the sole occupant of the Fruit Computers Headquarters. All the company has left in it is a broken copier and an empty stapler. There is a Fruit Computers warehouse in Port Tudor, Alderney; however, the building seems to be abandoned.
Fruit Computers can also be seen advertised in various computer shops. On WTF billboards and advertisements, it can be observed that Fruit Computers is one of the musical's sponsors. According to Weazel News, a new cellphone called the iRocket, which is also a vibrator, will hit stores this Christmas. The mobile product is described as a discreet sexual aid for women.
During the events of GTA IV, the company slogans are:
- "THINK Simple."
- "THINK Minimalism."
- "THINK Overpriced."
- "THINK Fruit. THINK."
Advertisements can also be seen in Star Junction.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars[]
The player gets a Fruit laptop in every safehouse (pink in the DS version, black in the PSP version). The player is not able to access the internet, but it features e-mail and Rockstar Games Social Club compatibility. Also, many characters, including Wu Lee have fruitcomputers.com email accounts.
Grand Theft Auto V[]
The company maintains its popularity during the events of Grand Theft Auto V, with the launch of the second generation iFruit. Fruit all-in-one desktops, which resemble iMacs, are shown in gameplay. Fruit laptops which are copies of the MacBook Air can also be seen. Later in the game, after the mission, Vinewood Souvenirs - Tyler, a Liberty tree internet article says that the company has just announced iFruit Shoes, wearable technology that navigates people to discount stores and tells which places they should avoid. This is probably based on Google's talking shoe concept. The article also mentions iFruit underwear, a wearable device that vibrates when the user is near a bathroom or is interested in fast and anonymous sex.
During the mission The Vice Assassination, Franklin is hired by Lester to assassinate Facade's CEO, Jackson Skinner, while he is picking up a prostitute. His murder makes iFruit stocks on the BAWSAQ skyrocket. The player is advised to invest money in Fruit Computers before completing the mission, and then wait several in-game hours until the stocks reach their maximum percentage of return, which in this case is about 50%.
Like in GTA IV, the player can visit Fruit Computers' website. On it, the company is announcing a feature called Shelley, an AI-based assistant which directly parodies Apple's Siri. The player can discover how Shelley replies by clicking on the pop-up on the page. However, unlike Siri, Shelley provides insults and sex-related replies, as well as dark humor.
Trevor can purchase a Baseball Cap with the 80's Fruit logo in Binco. Furthermore, in the original version, a white Fruit T-shirt could be purchased with a brown Gilet vest by Michael at Suburban stores; the T-Shirt was replaced with a Whiz T-shirt in the enhanced versions of the game.
In the in-game TV show Impotent Rage, older Fruit products are seen for a split second, consisting of a wooden computer, a rectangular-shaped computer, a blue curved computer in the shape of the Fruit logo, and an MP3 Player. All of these products are based on the Apple I (Apple's first computer known for being simply a motherboard and required its own case, which was usually made out of wood), the original Macintosh (previously parodied by the Fruit LC in GTA Vice City Stories), the IMac G3 (Best known for its bulbous, translucent case which was offered in a wide variety of colors), and the iPod] (with a play button instead of the click wheel).
iFruit App[]
Before 2022, players could also download a real-life companion app developed under the Fruit Computers brand. The player could play a mini-game involving Chop and customize their vehicles for GTA V and Online. In December 2022, the app was no longer supported and was removed from the App Store and Google Play.
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
In December 12th, 2019, iFruit Radio began broadcasting in Los Santos. The station is owned by Fruit Computers and is hosted by Danny Brown.
Radio[]
A radio advert for Fruit Computers can be heard on Vice City For Lovers in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, shortly before "Risin' to the Top" by Keni Burke is played.
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Website[]
fruitcomputers.com is the website for Fruit Computers in Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto V. It showcases their various products, such as the iFruit phone, a take on the iPhone, highlighting its lack of buttons. Also mentioned is the Fruit Cocoon, a take on the Mac Mini. Also on the website are slogans such as "THINK Minimalism" – these are references to Apple's old advert campaign showing the slogan "Think Different".
Gallery[]
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories[]
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars[]
Grand Theft Auto V[]
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
Trivia[]
- The host of the radio station The Journey in Grand Theft Auto IV is a Fruit Computer.
- The Fruit computers were voted "Best Ornament that goes Beep" at the Code Wanker Meet 2008 as seen in an email in Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars sent by the possible chairman.
- Fruit laptops in Grand Theft Auto V are running Facade's operating system.
- The word "fruit" is slang for a flamboyant homosexual man. This is an example of Rockstar Games' sexual humor.
