Apple officially turned 50 this week, and it’s hard to picture a world without a glowing fruit logo in our pockets. The journey has been anything but boring, from a small two-man business in a California garage to a global powerhouse that sets the standard for modern living.
About a third of the world’s people use an Apple device today. But experts like Emma Wall from Hargreaves Lansdown say that Apple’s secret sauce wasn’t just its sleek aluminium and glass. It was the “dream” they sold. They showed that a brand’s identity is just as important as the technology inside the box.
The “wow factor” may have faded a little since Steve Jobs died, and the company is now focused on making what they already have better. But current CEO Tim Cook has kept the ship very profitable. Ken Segall, who worked as a creative lead for Jobs for a long time, says that Cook has done a great job of keeping up with the times, even though some purists still miss the unpredictable magic of the Jobs era.
As Apple enters its next fifty years, let’s look at the big names that changed our lives and a few that didn’t quite make it.
1. The iPod: The Revolution in Your Pocket (2001)
It wasn’t the first MP3 player, but it was the one that made music digital for everyone. There were a lot of clunky devices and small storage before the iPod came out. With its famous click wheel and easy connection to iTunes, the iPod made a chore into an experience. Not only did it play music, but it also killed the CD and made the iPhone possible. Apple might not have had the money to make the smartphone better without the iPod.
2. The iPhone: The “Hotel California” of Technology (2007)
Steve Jobs changed the world forever when he stood on stage in 2007 and said, “three devices in one.” Apple wasn’t the first company to make touchscreens or the mobile internet, though. But as tech journalist Kara Swisher points out, their advertising turned a useful device into a “device of romance.” Apple sells about seven iPhones every second these days. Once you’re in the ecosystem, you don’t want to leave. It’s the ultimate “Hotel California” device.
3. The Apple Watch: The Health Hero (2015)
Tim Cook took a big risk with the Apple Watch, which was the first big product to come out after Steve Jobs died. It’s now the best-selling watch in the world, and it sells more than all of the Swiss watch industry. But the real effect is in our wallets and on our wrists, not just the $15 billion in sales. Apple made a luxury item into a life-saving health tool by adding features like ECGs and fall detection.
The “Almosts”: Times When Apple Didn’t Get It Right
Not every swing, of course, was a home run. The hits of the past defined an era, but Apple has had its share of “What were they thinking?” moments. Even the biggest companies make mistakes, like the Apple Lisa, which was too expensive for its own good, and the Newton MessagePad, which was a PDA that came out ten years too early.
But that’s what makes Apple great at 50: they aren’t afraid to fail in front of everyone if it means they can find the next thing that changes how we live. Have a great birthday, Apple! Here’s to the next fifty.