Apple Computer, Inc.: People and Design Create Apple’s Future
CASE 1
APPLE COMPUTER, INC.: PEOPLE AND DESIGN CREATE APPLE’S FUTURE Apple Computer paradoxically exists as both one of America’s greatest successes and one of its greatest failures to achieve potential. It ignited the personal computer industry in the 1970’s (1), bringing such behemoths as IBM and Digital Equipment almost to their knees. At the same time, Apple is an example of opportunities lost. It represents a fascinating microcosm of American business as it continues to utilize its strengths while reinventing itself.
Corporate History (2) The history of Apple Computer is a history of passion among its founders, employees, and loyal users. A pair of Stevens, who from an early age had an interest in electronics, started it. Steven Wozniak and Steven Jobs initially utilized their skills at Hewlett Packard and Atari, respectively. Wozniak constructed his first personal computer, the Apple I, and along with Jobs, created Apple Computer on April 1, 1976. However, it wasn’t until 1977 and the introduction of the Apple II, with its plastic case and color graphics, that Apple really took off. The addition of a floppy drive in early 1978 added to the popularity of the new computer. By 1980, the release of the Apple III found the company with several thousand employees and Steven Jobs at the helm. Early on, Apple Computer exhibited an extreme emphasis on new and innovative styling in its computer offerings. Jobs took a personal interest in the development of new products, including the Lisa and the legendary MacIntosh, with its graphical interface and 3.5 inch floppy disk. The passion that Apple is so famous for was clearly evident in the design of the MacIntosh (Mac). Project teams worked around the clock to develop the machine and its graphical user interface (GUI) operating system (Mac OS). Based loosely on a design developed by the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, the use of graphical icons to create simplified user commands was
APPLE COMPUTER, INC.: PEOPLE AND DESIGN CREATE APPLE’S FUTURE Apple Computer paradoxically exists as both one of America’s greatest successes and one of its greatest failures to achieve potential. It ignited the personal computer industry in the 1970’s (1), bringing such behemoths as IBM and Digital Equipment almost to their knees. At the same time, Apple is an example of opportunities lost. It represents a fascinating microcosm of American business as it continues to utilize its strengths while reinventing itself.
Corporate History (2) The history of Apple Computer is a history of passion among its founders, employees, and loyal users. A pair of Stevens, who from an early age had an interest in electronics, started it. Steven Wozniak and Steven Jobs initially utilized their skills at Hewlett Packard and Atari, respectively. Wozniak constructed his first personal computer, the Apple I, and along with Jobs, created Apple Computer on April 1, 1976. However, it wasn’t until 1977 and the introduction of the Apple II, with its plastic case and color graphics, that Apple really took off. The addition of a floppy drive in early 1978 added to the popularity of the new computer. By 1980, the release of the Apple III found the company with several thousand employees and Steven Jobs at the helm. Early on, Apple Computer exhibited an extreme emphasis on new and innovative styling in its computer offerings. Jobs took a personal interest in the development of new products, including the Lisa and the legendary MacIntosh, with its graphical interface and 3.5 inch floppy disk. The passion that Apple is so famous for was clearly evident in the design of the MacIntosh (Mac). Project teams worked around the clock to develop the machine and its graphical user interface (GUI) operating system (Mac OS). Based loosely on a design developed by the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, the use of graphical icons to create simplified user commands was