The Apple Company – Brief History
Introduction
Apple is a gigantic, multi-national American company that produces electronics, computers, software and distributes digital media. Apple is one of the biggest IT companies along with Facebook and Google. Apple produces one of the most used mobile phones and tablets in the world.
Apple Inc. is a very big company whose profits have boosted billions of dollars in the previous years. It has become the first company to cross 2 trillion-dollar market cap. One of the major products of Apple is the iPhone. About 165 million iPhones have been sold so far.
It was found by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in 1976. Apple produced the first-ever computer with color graphics. (Previously known as Apple Computers, Inc.) Apple firstly only produced personal computers and software.
With more and more innovations in the field of technology, Apple has been successful in creating a loyal community.
Apple’s Products/Services
Apple has contributed many innovations to the field of technology. The major products/services by them are:
Basic Electronics like iPhone, iPad, iWatch, iPod, etc.
Personal Computers like the MacBook series
Servers like macOS server
Computer software – like Macintosh
Media (Music)– like iTunes
Vision
From the start till now, Apple’s owners (Mainly Steve Jobs) kepta single word in their mind which is “User-friendly”.
Apple’s vision is to utilize technology in such a way as to invent tools (phones, tablets, etc.) that can revolutionize the way humans spend their lives. At first, they wanted to create a computer that is compact enough for people to transport and keep with themselves as per need.
Today Apple has invented dozens of products that pair up with each other for good. From iPhone and iPad to iPod and iWatch, almost everything Apple introduced was a great success.
The User-friendly motto made a loyal and friendly customer base.
How Did This All Start?
The idea of Apple company was of both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Both of them graduated, in the same year (1975), but from different universities, at that time, they even didn’t kneweach other.
They met each other by a mutual friend, both Jobs and Wozniakhad the same amount of interest and zeal in technology, and how they could use technology to improve the standard of living.
First things first, they found the Apple company in 1976, after they became official. Each of them sold their personal items for financing this project.
After that Wozniak produced the initial products in Job’s garage.
Apple’s First Product
Apple Computers, Inc’s first product was Apple I. It was an assembled circuit board that was hand-made by Steve Wozniak.Steve Wozniak expected just a little more profit than the actual cost of the parts themselves. Steve Jobs signed a contract with Byte Shop for supplying them with 50 computers. All of these were made by hand. It was sold at a price of $500 each. Later they were successful in selling almost 200 computers to only computer-savvies.
Apple’s Second Product
After financial stability and all the formalities of establishing the company, Apple II was the second product of Apple Computers, Inc. The real success story started soon after the launch of their second product, which was rather made for the public and sold to the public (Apple II).
Apple II covered the majority of the issues that were encountered in Apple I. They started to add better functionalities by interacting with the public and knowing what they needed the most. Trying to keep everything compact, user-friendly, and inexpensive they introduced it.
The brand-new feature of color graphics (an innovation at that time) was the key to success.
Role of Ronald Wayne
Along with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, Ronald Wayne was the 3rd person who was involved in finding apple for developing and selling Apple I. Ronald Wayne is the third personality that played an important role in establishing Apple but later he backed off. More often his name is forgotten in these regards too!
Originally Apple’s shares were divided into the 3 namely; Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. With the two Steves having 45% while Wayne having the rest 10%. This 10% was given to Wayne in accordance with his documenting services in Apple.
But just after 12 days of this ownership, Ronald Wayne, keeping in view the possible risks, loans, and burdens of the business, he backed off and sold his share back to Jobs and Wozniak for a mere $800.
If he would have kept his share and didn’t backed off, having a 10% share in a trillion-dollar multi-national company could have made him a billionaire in a second. Surprisingly, Ronald Wayne is still happy with his decision.
Even after the disappointment of Wayne leaving the role, and having a $15000 debt, Jobs and Wozniak had a firm belief in their plan, and the rest is history!
Why Is It Called Apple?
Now an important question arises, why is Apple called Apple? When both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were struggling to find a tech-related name for their computer-manufacturing company, none of them found a constructive name at first. But later Steve Hobs proposed it to be Apple.
Steve Jobs used to work in the fruit orchards in Oregon and he randomly proposed the name Apple. And later, they could think of no better name than Apple as it was fun and full of spirit which was also said by Steve Jobs himself.
Apple is an intriguing name that can give call-to-action for something that is beyond the traditional slow and big computers.
Although it was not in the intention, the name also has the benefit of being listed first in any list as being started from “A”.
Changes In Company’s Official Name
Saying just “Apple” is not sufficient officially. In the beginning,the official name was Apple Computer, Inc. but now it has been changed to Apple Inc.
Changes In Company’s Logo
Every company is defined and recognized by its own unique logo. Logos are being constantly changed (or modified) to keep up with the modern world.Apple Inc. too has changed about 5-6 logos. Although the later logos had only minor color differences, the actual drastic change was in between the first and second logos. The first logo symbolized the event of Sir Isaac Newton whereas the second logo was a bitten apple.
Why Is the Apple Bitten?
Most people, even in 2021 are unaware of the fact that why is the Apple logo bitten. Although, there are many theories like; it was a sign of dedication to Alan Turing (a renowned computer scientist) or Sir Isaac Newton, but all these confusions were solved and made crystal clear by the designer of the logo (Mr. Rob Janoff) himself during an interview in 2009.
According to him, the actual reason for the apple to be bitten is to distinguish it from other round fruits like cherry, tomato, peach and prevent any false assumptions related to it.
Current Market Reputation
Apple has a great market reputation. With its two major products (the iPad, the iPhone) being listed in the top 10 most sold single products in the world, Apple is the world’s largest technology giant and the most valuable company in the world with a gigantic market capital of
2,252.3 billion US dollars, with Microsoft next on the list.
In most developed countries, the product of Apple can be seen on almost every hand. Apple is one of the companies to exceed 2 trillion US dollars valuation within 50 years of establishment.
Some Major Flaws
Nothing is made and could be made that is 100% perfect. With Apple changing the lifestyle of people and a huge contribution in development of technology, it also has some major flaws like:• Lesser changes in the newer models• Top-priced products• Gigantic Carbon Emission• Security Issues• Fragile designs• Costly repairments
Although there were many ups and downs for the company still, Apple had been successful in tactically solving the flaws and staying on the “TOP”.
Why Is Apple Expensive?
Is Apple expensive? The simple answer is Yes (as compared to other products with similar features).
Apple’s reputation in the market and the trust gained by it allows it to charge some really expensive costs for its products like the latest iPhone 12 Pro Max. Adding features like more ROM can make it bad on your pocket. Moreover, taxes on such premium technology products more often referred to as the Apple Tax makes it more expensive. The taxes like import taxes can vary from country to country. But the cost from Apple’s side is also defined;
Every company is launched for gaining profits, Apple, a multi-national company needs to market its newer products to the entire world by various means. Moreover, they make their products top-notch by using high-end material, all of whichrequires an extra charge.
Although Apple products are very expensive they are worth each dollar spent.
Conclusion
In this era of advancing technology, having a logo of Apple on your products (not a sticker though!) has become an extreme flex. Apple has become more a standard of living for some rather than a tech company.
Whether you are an iPhone user or a non-iPhone user nothing can stop you from admiring the positive impacts of Apple in technology. The vision of the founders has been accomplishedand much more is yet to come.
The company that started from nothing is now at its peak!