Could two college dropouts really change technology forever from a humble garage? As Apple grew into the world‘s first $3 trillion company, their origin story become legendary. Join me as we unveil the full history and technical contributions of the mavericks behind one of history‘s most creative companies.
Overview: Turning a Garage Project into One of the World‘s Most Valuable Companies
Before iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches and global dominance, there were two young electronics fanatics named Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak tinkering with ideas in a suburban California garage.
While their first commercial endeavor [the Blue Box] was less than lawful, it laid the foundation for decades of friendship and future innovations. After focusing their technical and business prowess on personal computing, Jobs and Woz founded Apple on April 1, 1976 to sell their first product: the Apple I computer kit.
Driven by Wozniak‘s technical brilliance and Jobs‘ visionary direction, the company would go on to revolutionize consumer electronics across revolutions in personal computing, music playback, smartphones and more.
Let‘s wind back the clock and follow Apple‘s complete history from its origins to the present.
1976 – 1980: From Garage Prototype to a Public Company
Inventing the Personal Computer
While computers like the Altair 8800 existed before, Wozniak envisioned bringing unprecedented power into a small, accessible package now referred to as the "personal computer."
After months of painstaking work using one-sixth as many chips as the Altair, Wozniak completed the Apple I prototype. With this lean, user-friendly design, he had achieved his dream of designing a computer that everyday people could understand and afford.
As quoted later in iWoz by Wozniak and writer Gina Smith, "I got red-eyed putting the finishing touches on the Apple I. I believed in it. I knew it was something that could change the course of world events."
Alongside their friend Ronald Wayne, Jobs and Wozniak made their partnership official on April 1, 1976 by registering Apple Computer Company.
| Founders | Roles |
|---|---|
| Steve Jobs | Primary leadership, direction, marketing |
| Steve Wozniak | Technical design genius |
| Ronald Wayne | Documentation and manual writing |
With ambition and drive supplied by Jobs combined with Wozniak‘s technical brilliance, they fast established a winning team.
From the Personal to Mass Appeal
Releasing the Apple I to fellow computing hobbyists allowed Apple to build capital and credibility. In 1977, Wozniak and team shifted focus to a machine for the masses: the Apple II series. Brimming with capabilities and continental appeal, this product rocketed Apple‘s sales towards record-breaking profits and IPO just a few years later.
By 1980:
- Apple II sales surpass $2.7 million
- Company goes public on December 12th, 1980
- Jobs and Wozniak become instant millionaires with over 4.6 million shares trading at $22 per share
Apple II‘s friendly design invited everyday people to join the computing revolution across all ages and backgrounds. Unprecedented adoption signaled the start of Apple‘s ascent towards becoming one of the world‘s leading consumer technology giants in the decades to follow.
The Wozniak Era Winds Down, Jobs Departs Apple
Wozniak Steps Back
With Apple steadily dominating market share in the early 1980s, co-founder Steve Wozniak chose to redirect his focus to philanthropy, teaching young people, and other business opportunities.
In 1981, a traumatic plane crash left him partially amnesiac, forcing his temporary leave from the company. Though he finished two University degrees afterward (UC Berkeley ‘86/‘87), Wozniak resigned from his full-time engineering role in 1985 and transitioned to retain a symbolic presence and employee status at Apple over the following decades.
Jobs Forced Out
Similar to Wozniak, Jobs‘ first departure from Apple stemmed from internal disagreements aggravated by his aggressive management style in the mid-1980s. With the company in a relatively strong financial position, then-CEO John Sculley and the board removed Jobs from managerial duties in 1985.
This ousting freed Jobs to found NeXT Inc. focused on advanced education/business computer systems as well as purchasing Pixar Studios from George Lucas. Meanwhile, Apple struggled through slumping sales, failed operating systems, and a series of mismatched CEOs lacking Jobs‘ product vision.
1997 and Beyond: The Jobs Resurgence and Beyond
After 12 years apart, Apple acquired NeXT‘s operating system and Jobs himself returned to lead Apple‘s resurgence. He was named interim CEO in July 1997. He immediately forged key software alliances with Microsoft, rejuvenated Apple‘s failing marketing, and focused the company on innovative disruptive hardware.
At the 2000 Macworld event, Jobs summarized the think different mentality needed to revive Apple against all odds:
Here‘s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels — the troublemakers. The people who push the human race forward.
This renegade spirit conceived generation-defining products like the iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, making Apple the tech titan it remains today.
Table: Key Innovations
| Year | Product | Impact | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | iPod + iTunes | Revolutionized music consumption | $5.4 billion |
| 2007 | iPhone | Ushered in smartphone era | $24.5 billion |
| 2010 | iPad | Created tablet market | $65.2 billion |
After battling cancer and a liver transplant for years, Jobs resigned as CEO in August 2011, naming Tim Cook his successor before passing in October at just 56 years old.
Under Cook, Apple has continued unprecedented growth towards Jobs‘ vision of "making our lives better through technology." The company broke a $3 trillion valuation under Cook‘s leadership in January 2022.
Conclusion: Lasting Influence
Starting from garage origins over four remarkable decades ago, Apple has unleashed world-changing creativity, design prowess and technological capability upon the world. Generation after generation, the company has answered founder Steve Jobs‘ rallying cry:
People with passion can change the world for the better.
Rekindled by both Wozniak‘s technical genius and Jobs‘ visionary leadership, Apple‘s spark continues to ignite transformative inspiration today. The company remains a definitive example of humble beginnings birthing profound human progress.
