- Steve Wozniak loved experimenting with electronic devices. He wanted to build his own computer and, with the help of computer kits, he could. When Steve Jobs got together with his friend, they both thought they could make a home computer that the average person could use without having to build it. They set to work.
- Using parts from Radio Shack and other sources, the two started building what would become the Apple I. They introduced their consumer computer in 1976 and launched the company. They got a deal to provide 100 computers to a local dealer in the South Bay area of California, but only if they would pre-assemble them. Soon, they were making the pre-built and complete Apple II. At the time, they were the only ones to have a pre-built home computer, so even at the steep price tag, they sold many.
- Other computers started to come on the market, so Apple Computer had to stay ahead of the rest. A tour of the Xerox Corp. allowed Jobs and others at Apple to see the potential of the graphical user interface. Apple bought the idea and software prototypes from Xerox and set to work to make its own version.
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This is a screenshot of the 1984 Superbowl ad that launched the Apple MacintoshAt the beginning of 1984, Apple introduced the Lisa and her little brother, the Macintosh. The Lisa was the first home computer to have the graphical user interface (GUI), but it was the simpler, easier-to-use Mac that made the big splash. It was introduced to the world at the Superbowl during a now-legendary commercial that used George Orwell's classic "1984" premise with a single, athletic woman running into the midst of oppression. She slings a large hammer through the screen containing "Big Brother." The iconic image still symbolizes the change the Mac brought. - During the rise of Apple, Jobs left the company. He started the NeXT Computer Corp. which introduced the expensive but innovative NeXT computer. Later, Jobs rejoined Apple and restarted its visionary quest for what would be next in computers. By 1989, the company had launched a line of portables and continued to innovate with style, design, speed and quality.
- Apple never had the majority of the home computer market, but consistently produced innovative products. In 2001, it launched the iPod, the first consumer MP3 player that caused another revolution. In 2007, Jobs introduced the iPhone. Wozniak has long since left the company, as have many of the early Apple pioneers. The company, however, continues to produce user-friendly software and hardware that Microsoft Corp. constantly tries to keep up with.
