Firewire is a name that refers to a set of Apple branded data ports that are designed for high-speed data transfer. These ports were developed back in 1995 by Apple Inc. as a connectivity solution for digital media devices like digital cameras and camcorders. Since their introduction, the digital camera industry has included Firewire connectors with most of their new products. Firewire ports may also be found on external hard drives and other devices that need to transfer large volumes of data quickly.