Apple, which has changed the world of computing and electronics in many ways, will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2016. Since its inception, a small company of several people has grown to the most profitable and successful corporation in the world, and its founders became legends during their lifetime.
Apple's founding story
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, big fans of electronics, have known each other since their school days. In the early 70s, they built several devices called Blue Boxes that allowed free phone calls. Wozniak was the mastermind and actual executor of this project, and Jobs took over the advertising functions, managing to sell a fairly large number of devices for a decent amount. In 1975, young inventors begin to design their first computer. The work was completed in early 1976, and the computer was named Apple I. On April 1 of the same year, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne founded Apple Computer.
Steve Jobs
Largely due to his entrepreneurial acumen, Steve Jobs managed to sell about 200 Apple I computers. This success and confidence in the great future of computer technology helped the company to develop further. In 1977, an even more successful project was implemented - the Apple II computers. So the company under the leadership of Steve Jobs managed to rise to the leading positions in the computer equipment market and hold them for about 10 years. In 1985, due to a series of setbacks and disagreements within the company, Jobs left Apple and co-founded the Pixar animation studio. In 1996, he returned to the corporation he created as interim manager, and in 2000 he again became a permanent director. Under his leadership, the iPod player was developed and presented to the public in 2001, the iPhone in 2007, and the iPad in 2010. In parallel with this, Macintosh computers continue to enter the market. The production of high-tech devices helped Apple become the most valuable company in the world in August 2011. At the same time, Steve Jobs voluntarily left the post of CEO. The great inventor passed away on September 5, 2011. The cause of death of Steve Jobs was respiratory arrest caused by pancreatic cancer.
Steve Wozniak
Steve Wozniak was appointed vice president of Apple Computer, founded in 1976. He was responsible for the research and development of the company's products. Wozniak created hardware for the first models of Apple computers and wrote the software language for his computing devices. His Apple II computer made Wozniak and Jobs millionaires. In 1987, he left the company, retaining his shareholding. Nominally, Steve Wozniak is still listed as an employee of the corporation and receives a salary there.
Ronald Wayne
Ronald Wayne was a friend of Steve Jobs, and it was Jobs who invited him to become another founder of a new computer company. Peru Ronald Wayne owns the text of the trilateral agreement on the creation of the company, he also came up with the first company logo (Newton sitting under an apple tree) and wrote the operating instructions for the Apple I. However, two weeks later Wayne refused to participate in the development of production, sold his 10% shares for 800 dollars, for another 1500 dollars, he wrote a written waiver of all claims to the created company. By some estimates, Wayne's 10% stake today would be worth tens of billions of dollars.
