Apple, the company responsible for the iconic iPhone, commemorates its 50th anniversary on April 1. Since its establishment in 1976, the California-based tech giant has made a significant impact on both popular culture and the technology sector. Here are five interesting stories from Apple’s history.
When designer Rob Janoff was tasked by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs in January 1977 to create a new logo, Jobs simply instructed him, “Don’t make it cute.” Janoff aimed to design a computer that was both user-friendly and enjoyable. He decided to incorporate a bite mark into the apple logo to distinguish it from other round fruits like cherries, later realizing it also symbolized the computer term “byte.”
Contrary to rumors, the apple logo was not linked to the Biblical tale of Adam and Eve or the death of computing pioneer Alan Turing. Janoff revealed that presenting a single solution to a client, as he did with Apple, was a rare occurrence in his career. He emphasized that it felt just right.
During the 1984 Super Bowl, millions of Americans witnessed Ridley Scott’s one-minute Apple commercial, where a hammer-wielding athlete shattered a “Big Brother” figure addressing brainwashed citizens on a huge screen in a totalitarian sci-fi setting. The ad, inspired by George Orwell’s novel, advertised the release of the Apple computer, promising consumers a new era of freedom through home computers without directly showcasing the product.
Apple has utilized color to distinguish its products from competitors over the years. The first-generation iMacs in 1998 featured transparent shells in vibrant blue, green, and other colors, offering a peek into the advanced technology inside. The iPod, initially available in metallic grey, later expanded to include a variety of bright colors. The introduction of the “rose gold” iPhone 6S in 2015 sparked a trend known as “millennial pink,” inspiring numerous imitations.
A peculiar observation made by many during Apple product launches or on its website is that almost every screen displays the time as 9:41 am. Australian game developer Jon Manning inquired about this to Scott Forstall, then head of Apple’s iOS, who explained that it was a deliberate choice by Steve Jobs to structure keynotes so that the product reveal occurs around 40 minutes into the presentation, aligning with the audience’s watch time.
While Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak are commonly recognized as Apple’s co-founders, a third individual, Ronald Wayne, also played a crucial role in the company’s inception on April 1, 1976. Wayne, an engineer at Atari, oversaw hardware engineering and documentation in the early days of Apple. Despite his initial involvement, Wayne relinquished his co-founder position just 11 days later, selling his 10% stake for two payments totaling $800 and $1,500. That 10% share in Apple would have been valued at approximately $370 billion by 2026.
