The origins of Apple

It was three entrepreneurs with brilliant minds that created one of the most successful businesses in the world, Apple Computer Inc. The company Apple Computer Inc started life in Cupertino, California in 1976. Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ron Wayne joined forces to combine their knowledge and proceeded to develop a brand that has revolutionised technology. 

Apple's beginnings were truly humble. From the initial project outset, the three founders had little financial investment. With the absence of sufficient resources, Steve Jobs sold his Volkswagen van and Steve Wozniak an HP-65 calculator to give the initial prototype Apple Computer some much needed capital investment to work with. 

Ron Wayne’s role in the Apple Computer project proved to be short. He did however create the first logo for the company, which was a drawing representing Isaac Newton supported by an apple tree. Two weeks after the creation of the company, Wayne decided to remove his investment of $800, out of fear that the project was a non-starter.

 



One year after the creation of Apple Computer Inc, Wayne’s logo was replaced by the now iconic bitten apple, but unlike today’s famous logo this one included coloured stripes.

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, were a perfect team. Wozniak was an engineering genius and Jobs a visionary in the business world, who understood the consumer. This collaboration was a key part of Apple's phenomenal success. It is simply not enough to create, you have to also know how to sell and ‘market’ the product - to achieve success. 

The first Apple product launched to the market on 11th April 1976 was the Apple I. Their idea was to create a computer that would be comfortable and affordable. It was designed by Steve Wozniak and it was basically a prototype. Only 175 units were sold and the price was $666.66. A copy of this model was recently auctioned for $375,000.

The world’s first personal computer

One year after the launch of Apple I, Apple II arrived on the market. This second edition had numerous technical improvements, including the ability to reproduce colour graphics and was equipped with ‘VisiCalc’ - a

spreadsheet like function. Apple II was intended particularly for the business market. It cost $1,298 to buy and sold around 5 million copies. The Apple II is considered the first personal computer (PC) in history.

The true Apple revolution came in 1984, with the launch of the Macintosh, designed by Jeff Raskin. This computer was revealed at the 1984 Super Bowl with an impactful ad directed by the famous film director Ridley Scott. The Super Bowl was an influential advertising spot, considered one of the best options available for a strong marketing campaign. One of the main novelties of the Macintosh was the incorporation of a mouse, along with a desktop publishing function, allowing the user to design a document before converting it onto paper. The market price was around $2,500. It was the first computer to truly reach the masses and became a fundamental piece of technology in offices around the world.

The world would simply not be the same without Apple. Steve Jobs revolutionised the world of technology by introducing such products as the iPhone, iPod, iPad and iWatch. It’s thanks to Apple that the PC that we know today became accessible to all, well beyond the complex world of computer science. 

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