The story of apple going online. Apple Founder Steve Jobs: A Brief History of Personality
Today, Apple is a leading manufacturer of mobile phones, software, players, tablets. Apple's story is bound up with Steve Jobs. Today, equipment manufactured by the corporation is highly regarded for its impeccable quality. Currently, the total value of the corporation is estimated above 500 billion US dollars. The company carefully monitors trends in IT-technologies and implements them in the production process. Surely the readers of the site will be interested in the history of the creation and development of the company.
Name history
The official date of birth of the organization is April 1, 1976. It was on this day that Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak manually assembled their first computer. He was named Apple Computer. You should understand how the company got the name Apple.
First Apple Computer
There are several versions. One of them is Jobs’s desire for a more convenient name in the telephone directory. So the "name" of the company occupied a line immediately under the name of the organization Atari, engaged in the development of computer games. In addition, the apple symbolizes the struggle for the preservation of nature and the environment, and the corporation for the first time in the world began to use old supplies for the production of new equipment.
Logo story
The story of creating the Apple logo is quite interesting. Its original symbol was a man who sits under a tree, and a falling apple is painted above his head. It becomes immediately clear that this picture depicted the great scientist Isaac Newton. Most likely, the Bible didn’t do anything, because a bitten apple symbolizes temptation. It is worth noting that Macintosh computer models were named after the sort of apples that the developer of this product line was very fond of.
Apple's first logo
However, the original logo was not memorable and was not suitable for mass sales. Then the story of creating the Apple logo goes into a different direction. The company’s designer (Rob Janov), walking along the street, looked at a local supermarket and bought some apples. Arriving home, he began to cut and examine them from various angles, after which he depicted one monochrome fruit. True, for some reason, he drew the apple slightly bitten.
Rob liked the sketch made by Rob, but he decided it was better to color the apple. The head of the advertising agency was against such a decision, because at that time printing with the use of color ink was several times more expensive than now. However, Steve insisted on his own, and soon on the computers appeared an apple known to everyone today.
Apple logo evolution
The colors for this were chosen in random order. The only thing Jobs insisted on was that the green hue should adorn the picture above. The type of fruit did not change until 1998. However, then logos painted in black, white and silver began to be placed on the devices. This is the story of the Apple logo.
First computers
In the spring of 1976, the Apple Computer I model, which cost $ 666.66, appeared in American appliance stores. For several months, its creators collect and sell 175 pieces of goods. Outwardly, it looked like a motherboard with no sound, no case, no keyboard. The next year, Michael Scott begins to take over as director of the company.
There is a new model, which was named Apple II. It was the first PC equipped with color graphics. At this point, Apple's development story takes on a new twist. In the technique there were special teams for working with sound, as well as a small built-in speaker. In addition, a power supply and keyboard were available. At that time, the computer was a real breakthrough, and its sales for the first time in the history of PCs exceeded the figure of a million pieces. It is worth mentioning that until 1993 more than 5 million models were assembled and sold. Initially, variants with an 8-bit operating system were developed, and a bit later 16-bit computers appeared on sale.
Model Apple II
Lisa and Macintosh
Since 1979, Apple brand employee Jeff Ruskin has begun work on a new PC called the Macintosh. In fact, this was the first technique, in a monoblock of which there was everything that was needed for the average user to work. At the same time, in 1983, another model appeared on the household appliance market. She was named Lisa - that was the name of Steve Jobs's daughter. However, unfortunately, it did not become popular and in demand.
Model Lisa
The beginning of the 80s turned out to be a rather difficult time for the company. Due to regular absenteeism, Steve Jobs was forced to fire forty employees of the company. At the same time, Apple Computer is making its initial IPO and owners are starting to sell their shares on one of the largest financial exchanges in the world - NASDAQ. However, this step did not give the desired effect, and articles began to appear in newspapers reporting the imminent decline of the corporation.
The situation began to change in 1983, when a talented top manager named Scully John became the president of the organization. Before working at Apple, he quite successfully dealt with the affairs of PepsiCo. True, friction immediately began between him and Steve Jobs.
On January 22, 1984, the first Macintosh was introduced to the public, which radically changed the way ordinary people see personal computers. This event was a new milestone in the pages of Apple's history. By the way, the advertising clip, specially made for the Macintosh release based on the plot of the work of D. Orwell, was awarded the Grand Prix at Cannes. Even today, he is considered one of the most original in the history of commercials.
The first Macintosh
The model received the prefix 512K and began to be sold at a price of 2495 US dollars. Its creators try to make a technique that can be mastered in a matter of minutes by any user who does not have the necessary qualifications. True, the first microprocessors of Mac OS did not differ in great power and performance. They lacked such things as, for example, the ability to simultaneously solve many problems and protected memory. However, over time, the developers eliminated these shortcomings, and the Macintosh was able to compete with other similar technology.
Time passed, and there was a need to create a new operating system. Having carefully considered all the nuances, the owners of the company in new computers decided to use modern developments of the company called NeXT. It used the OS under the general name UNIX. The next system was named Mac OS X and was designed so that users can seamlessly switch from older models to new ones.
The departure and return of Steve Jobs
In 1985, Apple's story is at a tipping point. It was at this time that the President of the United States of America, Ronald Reagan, presented Steve Wozniacki and Steve Jobs with a medal for a powerful breakthrough in IT technology. At the same time, Jobs, who is the ideological inspirer of the corporation, leaves it, quarreling with members of the board of directors. Along with this, sales of personal computers and the value of shares of the company are falling sharply. Experts attribute this precisely to Jobs's departure, because he was able to very creatively advertise the equipment being created. Many believe that Apple’s development story will be over.
Ronald Reagan hands Steve Jobs a medal for a breakthrough in IT technology. 1985 year
In the period from 1995 to 1997, the development, assembly and sale of equipment began to bring serious losses. In the late 90's, their amount tends to 2 billion US dollars. The board of directors decides to ask Steve Jobs to return to the corporation.
Revolution in the 2000s
In 2001, the iPod audio player appeared on the computer market. Thanks to its capabilities, this compact media player instantly gained well-deserved popularity. In 2003, an online store was opened on the network that sold music and listen to it in the players of this manufacturer. The opened supermarket was called the iTunes Store. In 2007, the corporation demonstrated a new development - the company's first mobile phone, called the iPhone. Since then, the popularity of the device has been growing every year, and its sales are breaking all records. Since 2008, another online store appears on the network. It is called the App Store. The principle of operation and the payment system of the resource is not much different from iTunes.
First iPod audio player
Appearance of the first iPhone
At the time of the onset of 2010, the company has unquestioned authority among manufacturers of computer equipment. It was at this time that the first tablet computer, called the iPad, went on sale. In the first month of its implementation, more than 1 million copies were sold. From this moment, the success story of the corporation does not cause any doubt in the genius of the creators of the brand.
It looks like the first iPad
Since 2011, Apple has become the most expensive commercial organization in the world. True, for a long time its owners failed to build on this peak. In 2013, 64-bit chips designed to work with ARM architecture are launched at its plants. The company launches a 2-core microprocessor called the A7. In 2014, the Apple Electronics compact portable devices appeared on the electronics market.
Watch Apple Watch
Takeover and emergence in Russia
Naturally, such a large giant as Apple acquired shares in smaller organizations. So from 1996 to 2012, the corporation absorbed such companies as NeXT, P. A. Semi, Quattro Wireless, Siri, Anobit Technologies.
The success story of the concern in Russia begins in 2005, when the first Russian Apple Center store opens. Just two years later, in 2007 an official representative office of the company was opened in the country. In 2012, the owners of the corporation registered the company Apple Rus, which to this day is engaged in retail and wholesale of electronic equipment.
The first Apple store in Moscow
How is the company doing today?
During the development of the company, she experienced both successes and severe failures. Today, in order to lead such a giant, its own corporate culture has been specially developed. Before embarking on the creation of new device models, management clearly defines the responsibilities and roles of each employee. Any product of the company is developed in an atmosphere of strict secrecy.
The company also has its own sales concept. It clearly outlines how to design stores. For managers and sellers compiled the principles of trade in equipment and psychological techniques used by buyers.
Sellers are dressed in blue uniforms. Before starting their duties, they must complete a 14-day training course. In the process, managers additionally undergo training. In addition, they are trained in the use of services for device diagnostics.
While still alive, Steve Jobs independently developed the company's advertising strategy. Today, Apple’s production lines include tablet computers, mobile phones, audio players, and watches. In addition, specialists are constantly working on improving software.
In 2016, the company’s management made one interesting statement that the concern’s equipment will soon operate on the principle of end-to-end encryption. Its essence is in the signal transmission algorithm: data will be encoded on users' gadgets, after which it will be transmitted to the receiving equipment and decoded. This innovation is connected with the fact that more and more people began to talk about tracking citizens by the US government.
Apple is one of the largest and most commercially successful corporations in existence today. There are legends about the company's innovative aspirations and priorities, and any person wants to buy or receive a gift of "apple" production. This is a brand that in our era dictates fashion not only in the field of electronics, but also in the field of accessories. And you just need to come to terms with this, because you cannot dispute this fact.
But how did it all begin when the company was foundedApple ? We will talk about this below.
Base
Apple Computer was officially registered in 1976, although its founders, namesake Steve Wozniak and Jobs, worked on the creation of the first Apple personal computers in 1970.
If we talk about the version of their PC Apple II, then it is considered the first computer in history to become millions of copies. This led to the fact that during the 70-80 years, computers "apple" production became the most popular and used in the world of PCs. The number of copies sold totaled 5 million.
In the 80s, the corporation failed the Apple III project, which over time led to a deterioration in the economic and financial condition of the company, as well as to the dismissal of 40 employees of the company. Despite the fact that many specialists began to announce unfavorable forecasts about the corporation, it continued to exist and developed confidently. And in 1985, Jobs and Wozniak were even awarded medals for the development of technological progress from the hands of President Reagan.
90s and `00s
Apple’s activities during the nineties cannot be called unambiguously successful, because by the end of the century the corporation suffered losses reaching almost $ 2 billion. But in 1997, Steve Jobs returned to the company, becoming a “breath of fresh air”, if you will. After all, it was then that he began to discover the latest technologies for himself and the whole world that could be promoted to modern markets. These technologies were not directly related to computer technology, but became very popular.
Already in the first year of the new millennium, the corporation released, already legendary, an iPod, which did not require the use of CDs or tapes to listen to audio compositions. The device contained revolutionary for those times 5 and 10 gigabytes of memory.
Apple's iOS is
Cool!Sucks
After another 2 years, in 2003, the corporation created its own store of iTunes digital files. There, Internet users had the opportunity to purchase:
Finally, in 2007 there was a revolutionary presentation, about which we can safely and eloquently say that it changed the whole presentation of a modern smartphone - the company released the iPhone.
Modern history
By 2010, Apple had expanded its line of devices with an iPad tablet computer, which arrived in time for the trend of such gadgets.
The tremendous demand for players, tablets and smartphones from Apple has led to an incredible improvement in Apple's financial condition, making the company one of the most expensive corporations in the world. The devices themselves have become a welcome, tidbit gadget for any modern person. That is why, from year to year, the corporation produces such gadgets of a new generation.
Starting from the 14th year, the Apple Watch, which became not just another high-tech novelty, but also a coveted, exclusive and elegant accessory, began to roll off the “apple” conveyor.
In general, the history of the corporation with a recognizable name and symbol, which began to exist in the garage of the Jobs family, continues. And the best part is that we are observing it and have the opportunity to use all the products that Apple creates for people.
Stephen Paul Jobs is a man who is one of the universally recognized authorities in the global computer industry, who largely determined the direction of its development. Steve Jobs, as he is known around the world, became one of the founders of Apple, Next, Pixar and created one of the most odious smartphones in history - the iPhone, for 6 generations of which remain among the leaders in popularity among mobile gadgets.
Apple Founder
The future star of the computer world was born in the small town of Mountain View on February 24, 1955.
Fate sometimes throws out very funny things. Coincidence or not, but this very city will become the heart of Silicon Valley in a few years. The biological parents of the newborn, an emigrant from Syria Steve Abdulfattah and an American graduate student Joan Carol Schieble, were not officially married and decided to give the boy up for adoption, setting future parents only one condition - to give the child a higher education. So Steve got into the family of Paul and Clara Jobs, in the childhood of Hakobyan.
Passion for electronics captured Steve in his school years. It was then that he met Steve Wozniak, who was also a little "crazy" in the world of technology.
This meeting became a kind of fateful, because it was after it that Steve began to think about his own business in the field of computer technology. Friends implemented their first project when Jobs was only 13 years old. It was a $ 150 BlueBox device that allows you to make long distance calls absolutely free. Wozniak was responsible for the technical side, and Jobs was selling finished products. Such a distribution of duties will continue for many years, only without the risk of ringing in the police for illegal actions.
Jobs graduated from high school in 1972 and enrolled at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Studying bored him very quickly, and he dropped out of college right after the first semester, but he was in no hurry to leave the walls of the school at all.
For another year and a half, Steve wandered around his friends' rooms, slept on the floor, handed over bottles from Coca-Cola and once a week dined for free in the Hare Krishna temple, which was located nearby.
Still, fate decided to turn to face Jobs and pushed him to sign up for calligraphy courses, a visit to which made him think about how to equip the Mac OS system with scalable fonts.
A little later, Steve got a job at Atari, where he was responsible for the development of computer games.
Four years will pass, and Wozniak will create his first computer, and Jobs, by an old habit, will be engaged in its sales.
Apple
The creative union of talented computer scientists very soon developed into a business strategy. April 1, 1976, on the well-known Fool's Day, they founded Apple, whose office is located in the garage of Jobs's parents. An interesting story is the choice of company name. It seems to many that behind it lies some very deep meaning. But, unfortunately, bitter disappointment awaits such people.
Jobs suggested the name Apple, because in the phone book it will be located right in front of Atari.
Apple was officially registered in early 1977.
The technical side of the work, as before, remained with Wozniak, Jobs was responsible for marketing. Although, in fairness, it must be said that it was Jobs who convinced his partner to finalize the microcomputer circuit, which later served as the beginning of the creation of a new market for personal computers.
The first computer model got a logical name - Apple I, whose sales for the first year amounted to 200 pieces at $ 666.66 cents each (witty, isn't it?).
It's quite a good result, but Apple II, released in 1977, was a real breakthrough.
The stunning success of the two Apple computer models attracted serious investors to the young company, which helped it to take a leading position in the computer market, and made its founders real millionaires. An interesting fact: Microsoft was formed six months later, and it was she who was engaged in the development of software for Apple. This was the first, but far from the last meeting of Jobs and Gates.
Macintosh
After some time, Apple and Xerox entered into a contract between themselves, which largely determined the future of computer technology. The development of Xerox could then be called revolutionary, but the management of the company could not find practical application for them. The alliance with Apple helped solve this problem. Its result was the launch of the Macintosh project, in which a line of personal computers was developed. The entire process, from design to marketing to the end consumer, was handled by Apple Inc. This project can be safely called the period of the emergence of the modern computer interface with its windows and virtual buttons.
The first Macintosh, or simply Mac, was released on January 24, 1984. In fact, it was the first personal computer, the main working tool of which was a mouse, which made controlling the machine extremely simple and convenient.
Prior to this, only “initiates” who knew the intricate “machine” language could cope with this task.
Macintosh simply did not have competitors who could even be remotely closer in terms of their technological potential and sales volume. For Apple, the release of these computers was a huge success, as a result of which it completely stopped the development and release of the Apple II family.
Jobs Care
In the early 80s, Apple turned into a huge corporation, over and over again introducing successful new products to the market. But it was at this time that Jobs began to lose his position in the leadership of the company. Not everyone liked his authoritarian management style, or rather, no one liked it.
An open conflict with the board of directors led to the fact that in 1985, when Jobs was only 30 years old, he was simply fired.
Having lost his high post, Jobs did not give up, but, on the contrary, went headlong into the development of new projects. The first of these was the company NeXT, which was engaged in the production of complex computers for higher education and business structures. The low capacity of this market segment did not allow for serious sales. So this project cannot be called super successful.
With the graphics studio The Graphics Group (later renamed Pixar), which Jobs bought from LucasFilm for just $ 5 million (when its real value was estimated at 10 million), things were completely different.
During the management period of Jobs, the company released several full-length animated films, which with great success were at the box office. Among them can be called the "Monster Corporation" and "Toy Story." In 2006, Jobs sold Pixar to Walt Disney for $ 7.5 million and a 7% stake in Walt Disney, while Disney heirs themselves owned only 1%.
Return to Apple
In 1997, 12 years after his exile, Steve Jobs returned to Apple as interim director. Three years later he became a full manager. Jobs managed to bring the company to a new level of development, closing several unprofitable areas and completing with great success the development of a new iMac computer.
In subsequent years, Apple will become a true trendsetter in the high-tech market.
Her designs have invariably become bestsellers: an iPhone phone, an iPod, an iPad. As a result, the company reached the third largest capitalization in the world, even surpassing Microsoft.
Steve Jobs: Speech to Stanford Alumni
Disease
In October 2003, during a medical examination, the doctors diagnosed Jobs with a disappointing pancreatic cancer.
The disease, which in the vast majority of cases is fatal, the head of Apple developed in a very rare form, which can be treated by surgery. But Jobs had his own personal convictions against interference with the human body, so at first he refused the operation.
The treatment lasted 9 months, during which none of Apple's investors even suspected the founder of the company was deadly sick. But it did not give any positive results. Therefore, Jobs still decided to undergo surgery, having previously publicly announced his state of health. The operation took place on July 31, 2004 at the Stanford Institute Medical Center, and was very successful.
But this was not the end of Steve Jobs’s health problems. In December 2008, he discovered a hormonal imbalance. In the summer of 2009, he underwent a liver transplant, as reported by representatives of the Methodist Hospital at the University of Tennessee.
Steve Jobs Quotes
Late night from Wednesday to Thursday brought us big news - Steve Jobs resigned as Apple CEO (now he will become chairman of the company), and Tim Cook is now officially appointed in his place. Admittedly, Tim has already served Jobs since January this year, when Steve went on vacation for health reasons. Yesterday we dedicated it to this, so we won’t repeat it. Today we will talk about a man who begins a new era.
Unlike Steve, who is a prominent person in social activities, Tim Cook is rather unknown in wide circles. Therefore, from the first days, when he began working as CEO of Apple, we are pleased to present you a personal article about Tim. Be sure that this informative biography, including all the main stages of his life, and several video clips of presentations with Cook will give you pleasure.
Tim Cook was born on November 1, 1960 (he is now about 51 years old and Jobs is 56) in the town of Robertsdale, Alabama, in the family of a shipyard worker and a housewife. After receiving a bachelor's degree from Auburn University in industrial production in 1982, he then worked at IBM for 12 years.
During this period, Tim also simultaneously began his studies at Duke University, which he graduated in 1988. Cook showed his dedication to hard work while staying at IBM - he always volunteered to work for Christmas and New Year holidays, only to complete the annual plan company. However, despite such a deep zeal for work, former IBM CEO Richard Dougherty said in an interview: Tim behaved in such a way, only to make people happy to work with him».
Following his retirement from IBM in 1994, Cook joined Intelligent Electronics, where he initially worked as a computer reseller and ultimately became chief operating officer. When he sold part of Ingram Micro in 1997, he switched to Compaq for a short period of six months, until he was eventually hired by Steve Jobs to work for Apple in 1998.
Joining the Apple Team
Tim Cook began his career at Apple at the office next to Steve as senior vice president of international operations. However, instead of strengthening cooperation with external manufacturers, he quickly directed Apple towards the production of components on its own. Tim diligently respected the strict discipline of the company’s leadership, playing a crucial role in rebuilding Apple in the period that seemed to be an eternity ago.
As a result, Apple’s inventory, measured by the amount of time and located on the company's balance sheet, quickly fell from a few months to a few days. The stock of goods, as Tim put it, "was fundamentally doomed." “At such a moment, managing a company is about the same as managing a dairy business,” Cook once said, “If you don’t have fresh milk today, you will have problems.” [Fortune Magazine]
Tim’s particular success in operational management is even mentioned on the Apple website, where he says that he plays “a key role in further developing product sales and maintaining relationships with suppliers, providing adaptability in response to an increasingly demanding market.” Cook can be said to be a master conductor who runs the huge Apple orchestra and also manages the supply of components and the production of millions of Macs, iPhones, iPods and iPads in an almost flawless manner, despite such significant demand.
Over the years of his work at Apple, Tim Cook gradually assumes more and more responsibility over time, including managing sales, customer support, Macintosh since 2004, and finally becoming the company's chief operating officer in 2007. These responsibilities played a big role. role in his choice as CEO, but three short-term previous experience with Apple made him the obvious successor to Steve.
For the first time, Cook was temporarily appointed to the acting CEO for two months in 2004, when he replaced Jobs, who underwent pancreatic surgery. In 2009, Tim again took over the reins of the company for several months, while Steve was recovering from a liver transplant. And finally, since January of this year, when Jobs took an indefinite sick-list, Tim Cook was again the acting CEO of Apple until these days, until Steve himself resigned, and the company's board of directors did not officially proclaim Tim as CEO.
These three periods totaled more than a year of experience as CEO for Tim Cook. Now he is faced with the task of continuing to lead the company and working on the improvement process for many years to come. Tim previously could not even imagine that he would be at the helm of Apple and replace Jobs:
C'mon, replace Steve? No, it is irreplaceable. This is what mankind cannot create. I see Steve Jobs with his gray hair in the 70s, long after my retirement.
Public performance
When asked his opinion about the option, if Apple lowered the price of their products to increase sales, Cook immediately rejected the idea and said that Apple makes the devices desired by users, and not that attract attention at a low price. In fact, Tim Cook believes that part of Apple’s work includes convincing people that it’s better to spend a little more money and get significantly better products. Finally, he pointed to China, where such a strategy was successful.
Add to all that has been said that over the past year he participated in only three public events where Apple was represented. His first event was a performance at the Antennagate with Steve Jobs and Bob Masfield in a journalism session. The second event for him last year was the October presentation of Back to the Mac, where Tim presented a short summary of State of the Mac. Then, earlier this year, Cook introduced the Verizon version of the iPhone along with Lowell McAdam, CEO of Verizon.
Personality and dedication to work
Tim Cook is not Steve Jobs. This fact, of course, will force a little change in the principles of work at Apple, because Cook is not and is not going to be a clone of Jobs, as well as copy his style of behavior. However, in his first letter to the company's employees, Tim claims that Apple will not change.
Despite the differences between the two leaders of Apple, Fortune magazine notes how they are both “equally intrusive and demanding of work.” There is a funny joke about Tim Cook's behavior when it comes to verifying work done and correcting flaws. Shortly after Tim joined Apple, he was discussing a problem in China and said, "This is really bad, someone has to manage it." For the next thirty minutes, he watched Sabih Khan, who was the operations manager at the time, and then asked, "Why are you still here?" After that, Khan, without even changing his clothes, took a ticket and went to China.
Unlike Steve Jobs, Tim Cook is a quiet, shy and calm person who never raises his voice. However, despite his calm performances, he is almost cruel in his intensity to work, some will call him a workaholic. They say that he begins to answer executives by e-mail at 4:30 in the morning and often attends telephone meetings in the evenings on Sunday in order to prepare more meetings on Monday.
Former Apple senior manager said that he had the habit of repeating the prepared speech in his mind, to be in the elevator with Steve Jobs for him did not turn into real horror. Was there the same blank for Tim Cook? "No, because he will not talk to you." [Fortune Magazine]
Tim's shyness led to the fact that he basically remained in the shadows, and almost nothing is known about his 50-year life outside the old place of work. Fortune Magazine describes Cook as “ a lifelong bachelor ... [who] rests in places like Yosemite and Zion National Parks, as well as his wealth give out just a few signs, despite selling Apple stocks worth more than $ 100 million". Apparently, he is a kind of fitness enthusiast, he often visits the gym, enjoys mountain climbing and cycling.
The only thing we definitely won't see in Apple’s new CEO is the famous black turtleneck that Steve Jobs loves to wear so often. Tim Cook prefers more casual business clothes, a simple shirt with jeans. Although he really often wears Nike shoes when he is among the directors of the company (it is interesting that Steve prefers New Balance more).
Video featuring Tim Cook
As we already wrote, Tim is a rather modest person. Nevertheless, we present to you several videos of presentations and events with his participation so that you can appreciate his talent for speaking in public.
“An apple doesn’t fall far from an apple tree,” says folk wisdom. We have a great reason to investigate how right the Russian proverb is. After all, today's article is devoted to legendary Apple (from the English. "apple"), which was founded by no less famous.
We introduced this person to our readers earlier, and now it's time to get acquainted with his “brainchild” - Apple, the largest manufacturer of personal and tablet computers, audio players, mobile phones and software.
Apple was founded in 1976 Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. She has already crossed her 35-year milestone and boasts certain achievements.
At the time of the founding of the company, Steve Jobs was 21 years old, Steve Wozniak was 25 years old and Ronald Wayne was 41 years old. This significant event took place in the house of foster parents of Steve Jobs, or rather in the garage:
Please pay particular attention to this fact. Many well-known global brands that cost billions of dollars began their journey in an ordinary garage.
Many newcomers who want to open their own business think that opening up their own business requires huge money, that you need to rent a room for a business, purchase goods or equipment, and hire a bunch of staff.
As a result, even at the start, a rather large amount runs up, which the beginner simply does not have. And this amount usually scares the person. Of course, there are types of businesses that require fabulous money to open from the first days.
Look for ideas that you don’t need a lot of money to implement, so that you can start this business in your parents ’garage or even right in your room. But back to Apple.
Apple is the most influential brand in the world and the most expensive company in the world.
In May 2011, according to the rating of research agency Millward Brown, the Apple brand was named the most expensive brand in the world. According to Forbes data for October 2012, the Apple brand has become a leader in the ranking of "most influential", ahead of brands such as, and IBM.
In November 2013, the market capitalization of the company, that is, its actual value is about 472 billion dollars, and the company reached its maximum capitalization in September 2012, when its market value was estimated at more than $ 700 billion., making Apple the most expensive company in history!
Apple is headquartered in the small town of Cupertinothat is 75 miles from San Francisco, California. Interestingly, the number of Cupertino residents is even less than the number of Apple employees - the company currently employs 60,400 employees!
What distinguishes the many thousands of Apple from its competitors and allows it to earn billions of dollars?
The company, historically a manufacturer of PCs and software, expanded its market segments in the 21st century, entering the next development orbit with new audio players, smartphones and tablet computers.
Apple, of course, is a leading company, an innovative company, and in this it is very similar to its co-founder Steve Jobs.
Apple's merits are undeniable, because iPod audio player made a real breakthrough in the world of digital music, iPhone smartphone turned our vision of mobile phones, and iPad tablet set the vector for the development of the digital devices market.
All these “gadgets” have become an integral part of the image of a business, respectable and successful person. I won’t be surprised if intelligent “Apple” devices with an “ai” set-top box generally supplant such names as “audio player”, “phone” and “tablet computer”.
Tim Cook, Apple's CEO since 2011, said he was very proud that the company is entering the pre-holiday season “with the best iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod and complete confidence in the potential of our new product line.”
The production of these new products, which are in high demand all over the world, has really dramatically improved Apple's financial position.
As Steve Jobs said at the presentation of the first iPhone in 2007: “We did not create a new phone, we invented it again”
And at the presentation of the iPad 2 Internet tablet in 2011, he announced the advent of the era of post-computer devices.
According to him, they are simpler and more understandable than conventional PCs and it is for them that he sees the future, while his competitors are only "trying to find the optimal balance in new PC models."
And even though these very competitors, represented by the founder of Microsoft, call the iPad just “a good reader and nothing more,” time will tell who is right.
And this is the highlight of Apple. More precisely, one of many. After all, if you unravel the secret formula for the success of the apple company and master the art of creating such popular and beloved by everyone products and devices, you can fabulously enrich yourself.
I note that after the advent of the tablet, part of online publications began developing special applications for it, for example, Time magazine, the most popular magazine in the USA, developed a whole concept for its iPad version.
However, was it only innovation and high technology that helped Apple achieve the podium that the company has comfortably accommodated today?
Indeed, now Apple is more than new IT technologies and modern production. Apple is an aesthetic design, a unique reputation, a recognizable style, a successful image and a whole culture in the consumer electronics industry. In a word, Apple is a legend.
And let them say that "to find out if a person has an iPhone is easy - he himself boasts it in the first five minutes of his acquaintance" and "the main purpose of the iPad is to show that you can afford an iPad."
There is some truth in every joke, and the fact that “apple” anecdotes appeared indicates that all these “ai-pieces” have leaked onto our market, got accustomed there and fell in love.
Although this is true. Today, Apple products - it is more likely in the first place - a symbol of the wealth and prosperity of its owner. People who buy an iPhone for the first time do this not because of its technical features, but because of the status.
After all, if you understand this, then for the same price you can buy a more sophisticated gadget in technical terms, but whose name is not so well known. Perhaps this feature should be adopted.
If you are engaged in a business or plan to create it, then you need to aim not only at the technical parameters of your product or service, but also at its social aspects. If you manage to create a product that will be cool to own, then your business will go as it should.
To dot the “i” in this “Apple” prefix, I’ll say that Apple is even more than an i-gadget manufacturer.
After all, the company stood at the origins of the creation of personal computers, its history is not simple and interesting.
One of the merits of Apple is that it was this company that paved the way for the production of personal computers with its Apple II series of PCs. In addition, Apple before others saw the great features of the graphical interface and computer mouse, introducing them into its products.
Let us, in order, outline the important steps of Apple’s long journey:
1976 - the year the company was founded.
One version of the origin of the name says that Steve Jobs wanted to see the company on the first pages of the telephone directory, hence the name on "a", and according to the second version, he simply fulfilled his threat to call the company "Apple", because nothing better was invented.
By the way, this is what the first Apple Computer logo looked like
By the way, it was this logo that was invented by the third apple co-founder Ronald Wayne (Ronald Gerald Wayne). He is also called one of the biggest losers in the world, because he lost a tenth of the company for only 2,300 dollars.
The fact is that when they opened Apple, then Ronald Wayne did not have confidence in the favorable future of this company. In addition, he had property, which he risked if things in this business went wrong.
Legally, all members of the company were responsible for any debts of the company, even if they arose through the fault of another partner. Jobs and Wozniak still had nothing at that time. They practically did not risk anything, and Wayne could lose his property, which could go in favor of creditors if things went bad.
Let me remind you, officially the company Apple Computer, Inc was registered on April 1, 1976, and Wayne gave up his share on April 12, that is, in less than 2 weeks. Thus, he deprived himself of a potential fortune of $ 70 billion!
Let me remind you that in September 2012, Apple cost more than $ 700 billion, and 10% of this amount is $ 70 billion. Well, as they say: “I would know a purchase, I would live in Sochi.” And we will return to the history of the company, or rather the logo.
The logo created by Ron Wayne did not take root in the company. It was used for about a year, after which they decided to replace it with something simpler and more understandable. As a result, Steve Jobs turned to designer Rob Janoff, who created this logo:
This logo was created in just a week, and it was bitten so that it was firmly associated with an apple, because without a bite it could be confused with a tomato.
The Apple logo is simple, clear and recognizable. It flashes in films, in places of meeting of successful people and increasingly in everyday life. They say that even the president of Samsung, Apple’s main competitor in the smartphone market, is afraid to eat apples in crowded places: what if the paparazzi take a picture of him with a bite?
By the way, this logo existed in the company from 1976 to 1998, after which it was replaced with a monochrome one:
Now let's get back to the history of Apple. In 1976, the release of the Apple I programmable computer began.
1977-93 - release of various models of Apple II computers. He became the first mass-produced computer company.
1980 - Apple holds the largest in history after 1956 (Ford entered the stock exchange that year) initial public offering.
Thus, Apple becomes a public company, and now its shares are traded on the NASDAQ stock market and the London Stock Exchange. In 2012, the company's shares exceeded the $ 500 mark for the first time, and in the same year they reached $ 700 in electronic trading on the NASDAQ.
1980 - Characterized by the failed release of the Apple III PC. This computer turned out quite crude. He constantly broke down and besides, there were very few offers for him in the computer software market.
Problems with their sales lead to the fact that Jobs dismisses 40 employees, and the media talk about the imminent collapse of the company.
By that time, Jobs had cooled to the Apple III project and turned his full attention to the Apple Lisa project. And around the same time, Jobs began the first “graters” with other co-owners of the company and the board of directors.
Jobs was a tough enough person. He always wanted it to be as he wants, which is why conflicts arose with employees, engineers and partners.
The fact is that for the development of a project in companies like Apple create special working groups that solve the tasks. Each group has its own leader. And Jobs used to get into the affairs of a particular group and make significant amendments to previously developed projects.
Something like this happened with the Lisa project. Imagine that a computer project has been developed and work is in full swing. Then Jobs appears and orders everything to be done differently. Naturally, all this terribly slowed down the work, and since Jobs was a perfectionist, he did not calm down until he brought every little thing to perfect condition.
This led to disruption in the deadlines for the completion of projects and, consequently, to a loss of profit for the company, which the shareholders did not like very much. As a result, Jobs was removed from the Lisa project. what terribly upset him.
1983 - Steve Jobs invites the experienced John Scully, the then CEO of PepsiCo, to the post of president of the company. The phrase, with the help of which Jobs managed to “lure” Pepsi's top manager into the Apple director’s chair, became one of the most famous sayings in business - “Do you intend to sell soda for the rest of your life or want to come with me and change the world?” Scully chooses Apple and leads the company until 1993.
True, Jobs will soon regret it, saying that Scully's invitation to work was the most unfortunate decision in his life.
1984 - Apple introduces the new 32-bit Macintosh computer, named by developer Jeff Raskin in honor of his favorite apple variety. True, Jeff led the project at first, and then he was sent on a forced vacation, and the project was led by Steve Jobs.
The release of Macintosh computers strengthened Jobs’s position in the company, as thanks to the release of this model it was possible to increase the company's profit.
After that, the company ceases production of an uncompetitive PC of the Apple III family. The Macintosh series is becoming the company's core business.
1985 - Due to conflicts in management, the company leaves its co-founder Steve Jobs. Although leaving the company does not sound quite true. In fact, he was fired from his own company.
Despite the fact that the Macintosh sold, but not as good as planned. Shareholders accused Steve Jobs of not creating competitive computers, and Jobs accused shareholders and company executives of raising the price of a Macintosh.
Jobs considered Scully to be the main villain, who had once been dragged from Pepsi. As a result of this confrontation, the board of directors selected John Scully as a more experienced leader capable of improving Apple's affairs.
In the same year, Jobs founds NeXT. Later, in 2005, speaking to Stanford graduates, Jobs said that dismissal from Apple was the best and right decision at that moment.
Collaboration with Scully does not bring Apple much success. All this time the company is balancing on the brink of survival. As a result, after a significant drop in Apple's market value, the board of directors dismisses John Scully.
Jobs at NeXT is also doing a shaky job. As a result, Apple’s new management decides that the company needs dramatic changes and that only Jobs can initiate these changes.
It is worth noting that NeXT was doing so badly that Jobs had to shut down all computer production, leaving only software development afloat.
Subsequently, the work done became the basis of the Mac OS.
1996 - Returns to the director's chair Apple. The company buys the Jobs company NeXT, paying for it no less than 430 million dollars. I note that over the years of its existence, Apple has repeatedly absorbed various companies operating in the IT technology market - Siri, Anobit Technologies, etc.
From 1996 to 1998 Apple has undergone dramatic changes. It was decided to abandon many projects. More than 3,000 employees were laid off. The company focused its efforts on four main areas:
- desktop models for professionals Power Macintosh G3
- portable computer models for professionals PowerBook G3
- stationary models of computers for ordinary iMac consumers
- portable computer models for ordinary iBook consumers
1998 - As a result of the work done in the arena of computer technology, a new futuristic model iMac G3 appears, which became the fastest-selling computer in the history of Apple.
In parallel, Jobs begins to harbor the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating his own chain of stores in which apple products will be sold. He was not happy with the fact that Apple products are on the same shelf with other brands.
He wanted his products to be sold in a special way. So that sellers do not put it on a par with other goods.
And this is another highlight that makes Apple products superior to their competitors. When you believe that your product is special and try to make it so, then it will be so. Jobs did not like mediocrity. And he always tried to combine elegant design and the latest technology in his products.
2000 - the collapse of the dotcoms. Dotcom literally translates as “.com”. Dotcoms are companies related to the Internet. Apple has never been a dotcom company. But it was very dependent on this market, because Apple products are aimed at PC users, and with the advent of the Internet, “computer and the Internet” became practically inseparable words.
So, in 2000, the United States collapsed companies related to the Internet. The value of shares of such companies began to fall, including the value of Apple shares.
This crisis has spread to other sectors of the economy. In general, there is an opinion that it was the collapse of the dotcoms that provoked the subsequent collapse of the world economy in 2007-2008, the consequences of which we still feel.
In more detail about the collapse of the dotcoms and the crisis, I wrote here:
Why am I now writing about the crisis? What does the crisis, dotcoms and Apple have to do with it, you might ask?
In fact, this is very important, because it was the crisis that changed the vector of Apple's development. It was the collapse of the dotcoms that made Steve Jobs look for new markets, thanks to which his company could not only survive, but also prosper.
As a result of the search for new technological solutions, such devices as iPod, iPhone, iPad appeared, and various software appeared that users of apple products love so much.
As planned by Jobs, the computer in the future should become a multifunctional complex, consisting not only of a monitor, system unit and keyboard, but also of various peripheral devices, such as a player, phone, etc.
Jobs began to implement his idea with the creation of high-quality software. among which I especially want to note the emergence of a universal iTunes media player.
It was with the advent of this software that Apple turned into one of the key players in the music market. The fact is that the music market was also going through hard times.
With the development of the Internet and the advent of the mp-3 format, pirates have bitten the music market. And the appearance of iTunes, or rather the iTunes Store. which will be discussed below, allowed to increase sales of legal content.
With the advent of iTunes, there was an urgent need for a music device that will work with this software. So there was an iPod.
2001 - Presentation of the iPod music player.
In parallel with the launch of the iPod, Apple opens the first two Apple Store. Experts predicted the failure of this idea, but as of September 2013, 413 stores were open and successfully operating in 14 countries of the world.
The Apple Store is not just a hardware store - it is a paradise for geeks!
2003 - presentation of the iTunes Store online music store.
The key feature of this store was that there it was possible to buy songs by the piece, and not the whole album, as was previously accepted, as well as the fact that the main buyers were owners of apple products.
the iTunes Store predicted a million sales in its first 6 months of operation. As a result, a million songs were sold in 6 days of work.
2007 - The release of the iPhone smartphone, which was announced by Steve Jobs himself.
It was under his leadership that Apple was able to discover new market segments. In the same year, the company changed its official name from Apple Computer to just Apple, due to the entry into the consumer electronics market.
The appearance of the iPhone is due to the fact that with the development of mobile technology, the demand for cameras and digital cameras has fallen. The developers of mobile devices began to combine a phone, a camera and audio players.
Jobs understood that the market for audio players was doomed and would soon be consumed by phones that combined all of these devices. And then he set the task for his subordinates to develop a new phone that would combine all these functions and, according to the Apple tradition, it would be elegant and convenient.
Time magazine subsequently recognizes the iPhone as the invention of the year!
2008 - iPhone ranks 2nd in the ranking of the most useful modern technologies, according to PCWorld.
2008 - Apple launches the world's thinnest laptop called MacBook Air
Two thousandth became a real triumph for Jobs and his team. Almost every year, Apple surprises the world with something and makes its army of fans more and more.
2010 - Apple launches iPad tablet computer.
The most interesting thing is that the idea of \u200b\u200btablet computers with a touch screen was proposed back in 1988 by students of the University of Illinois. They then worked on the theme of “What will be the personal computer of 2000” as part of a contest held by Apple.
By the way, he looked like this:
In the same 2010, IPhone 4 takes 1st place in the list of the best phones in the nominations "Best Seller" and "Image" according to Mobile-Review.com.
2011 - In August, Steve Jobs leaves for health reasons, and in November he was gone.
The love of his work has largely ensured the company such success. The “parent” inherited part of his individual character traits to his “apple” - this is a love of innovation, creativity, courage and style.
Since september 2012 years on the official sale goes iPhone 5.
They joke that the iPhone is the smartest phone, and it has the highest percentage of owners who are much dumber than their phone)
I don’t know about the IQ of the smartphone owners, but the fact that there are many of them is a fact. The number of pre-orders for the fifth iPhone per day has reached 2 million!
Probably among the lucky owners of the smartphone is Evgeny Chichvarkin, the former founder of Euroset, now living in London. According to him, he intended to change the iPhone 4S to iPhone 5 as soon as its sales begin in Foggy Albion.
As for Russia, here Apple smartphones have won a wide audience. Although some argue that the iPhone would sell better if it went under the translated name “iMobilko” in the Russian market
However, Apple is already widely known in our territory. She positions herself as a manufacturer of simple devices designed for the convenience, communication and entertainment of people. Although all this technology of the future, sold already in the present, is very, very expensive.
If you look at the official Russian website www.apple.com/ru, you can see that the keywords in the description of the company's products are not dry technical specifications, but enthusiastic glossy epithets.
Apple is not just “12 megapixels, 17 inches, 3 GB”, it has unlimited possibilities, amazing quality, excellent display and the most advanced operating system in the world!
Everything from Apple works automatically, easily and seamlessly - laptops are “faster than you can imagine,” iPhones “do everything for you” and iPods with which “sword fights are becoming more acute, and zombie hunting is more effective!”
Apple protects its technical development very zealously. The company monitors the quality of its brand, opens branded stores and creates an entire ecosystem of software and numerous applications.
Regarding Apple, they say that the company "has patented a patent to patent a patent." It’s a completely true remark, because as of October 2012, the company received 5440 patents for its inventions and design projects!
Protecting intellectual property rights, Apple is suing either one company or the other, while winning trials or losing them. So, Nokia accused Apple of violating 10 patents, and Apple filed a lawsuit against Samsung. She, however, was found not guilty by a British court, but patent battles continue.
Now Apple has the highest profitability, both in terms of sales, and in terms of prestige and design. The company is not going to stop there. In fact, Apple “bears fruit” with real “golden apples”, and I will wait with interest to see what other “i-gadget” the company’s developers will surprise us with. So, Apple, a step after you.
P.S. By the way, do you know what the prefix “i” means in the name of Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac)? The answer is simple - internet