Steve Jobs

Picture of Steve

In 1976, Jobs, at the age of 21, along with Steve Wozniak, 26, founded Apple Computer Company in his family garage. The first computer was sold for $666.66. By 1980, Apple had released three improved versions of this computer, and by this time both founders had become multi-millionaires! A slump in sales however had changed the dynamics of the Apple division, and in 1985, following an internal power struggle and a deterioration in working relations, Jobs resigned.

At this time, Jobs founded another computer company; NeXT Computer. This was marketed to the scientific and academic field, and was a commercial ‘wash-out’. It was, however, successful in object-oriented programming, and the experimental new technologies it incorporated, such as the built in Ethernet port. NeXT ended up concentrating fully on software development with the release of NeXTSTEP/Intel.

In 1986, Jobs took on a completely new project, which later was renamed Pixar. It had been contracted with Disney to produce a number of computer animated feature films, such as Toy Story, A Bugs Life, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo, and Up. Pixar was bought for $10 million (1986) and later sold in an all-stock transition in 2006 for $7.4 billion (Wikipedia). Jobs is still on the board of Directors, and helps oversee Disney and Pixar’s combined animation businesses. In 1996 Apple bought NeXT, and Jobs returned to the company he co-founded. NeXTSTEP evolved to become Mac OS X.

Post Pixar, Jobs wanted to revolutionise the music industry. He introduced the iPod in 2003, and iTunes, the digital music jukebox, along with the iTunes Store. Apple have also transformed the mobile phone industry, by introducing the iPhone. The latest addition to Apple’s family is the iPad. You can find out more about this by reading our article: ipad.

Steve Jobs has shown that with enough determination and knowledge, one can succeed in their personal goals. In his own words “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower”.

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