Apple
"Think different."
The story
Apple Computer Company was founded on April 1, 1976, by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in Jobs' parents' home. Their initial goal was to market Wozniak's Apple I computer. To fund production, Jobs sold his Volkswagen Bus and Wozniak sold his HP-65 calculator, together raising $1,300.
The Apple I, their first product, was unique as it was sold as a pre-assembled motherboard, unlike most kits of the era, and could connect directly to a household television. This innovative approach attracted the attention of Byte Shop, a local computer retailer, which placed an order for 50 units. The company's first major commercial success came with the Apple II, introduced in 1977, which was mass-produced as a complete personal computer and, especially with the later introduction of VisiCalc, firmly established Apple in the burgeoning personal computer industry.
Challenges along the way
Apple faced significant challenges throughout its history, including internal conflicts that led to the departures of both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1985. During the 1990s, the company lost substantial market share to lower-priced Wintel computers running Windows, reporting major losses by 1997. Repeated attempts to modernize the Macintosh operating system also failed, with projects like Copland falling behind schedule. This period was marked by commercial failures of several consumer products and a general struggle to maintain profitability, leading to changes in leadership and a dire financial situation before Steve Jobs' return.
Major milestones
- 1976Apple Computer Company founded on April 1, and the Apple I computer introduced.
- 1977Apple Computer, Inc. incorporated; Apple II computer launched, becoming a commercial success.
- 1979VisiCalc, a 'killer application,' boosted Apple II sales, establishing Apple in the business market.
- 1980Apple went public with an IPO, raising over $100 million and creating many millionaires.
- 1984The Macintosh, popularizing graphical user interfaces, was launched with a famous Super Bowl ad.
- 1997Steve Jobs returned to Apple as interim CEO after the acquisition of NeXT.
- 2007Apple Computer, Inc. rebranded to Apple Inc. as focus expanded beyond computers.
- 2008United States PatentFig. 1Touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristicsUS 7,479,949Read filing ↗
Prototypes & people
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