- Steve Jobs celebrated his comeback at
Apple in 1996 - Steve Jobs revived the company and led the launch of the new and improved iMac
- He later drove the development of the iPod,
iPhone and iPad
Apple recently announced its upcoming special event on September 9th called “It’s Glow Time.” The event guarantees us new iPhones, the Apple Watch Series 10, and the next generation of AirPods. And while all of the products mentioned have now achieved cult status, the roots of this euphoria go back to the late 1990s.
After Steve Jobs left Apple in the early 1980s, some people believed he would never return to his Palo Alto company. But as luck would have it, Apple acquired Steve Jobs’ company, NExt Computers, in the 1990s. Jobs eventually became CEO of Apple, which attempted to rise from the ashes in 1997.
That’s when Steve Jobs 2.0 came into play and we saw a product development and marketing offensive that set a benchmark for the consumer technology industry. This article traces the monumental products launched under Jobs’ watch during his second term that made Apple one of the most valuable companies in the world today.
Apple iMac G3 – 1998
Upon his return, Steve Jobs’ first mission was to bring back the Macintosh as the main character. And that’s where we saw the iMac G3. This colorful new edition of the iMac was unveiled on May 6, 1998. The place – the Flintz Center for the Performing Arts at De Anza College. The very same place where the Apple II was launched in 1984. Unveiled with the Hello text that is now standard on Apple products, this iMac changed Apple’s fortunes.
The iMac G3 was an instant hit with consumers, selling 278,000 units in its first six weeks and 800,000 units after 20 weeks. It was the best-selling desktop computer in U.S. stores in the first three months after its release.
iPods – 2001
The success of the iMac breathed new life into Apple, and Steve Jobs and his team decided to move into portable devices. This time with a product that no one had expected: the iPod. The iPod was the solution for music labels who wanted to keep piracy at bay and for consumers who wanted more songs on the go.
In a classic turtleneck sweater, jeans and New Balance shoes, Steve Jobs introduced the iPod on November 10, 2001. The idea was simple: 1,000 songs in your pocket. Thanks to the 5 GB hard drive, the scroll wheel and the display, listening to music has never been so popular.
The iPod paved the way for several generations and iterations, most notably the iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, and iPod touch. Although iPod production ended in 2022, its legacy lives on. If we look at the numbers, Apple sold over 450 million iPods by the time production ended.
MacBook-2006
After the success of the iMac and iPod, Steve Jobs and his team focused on laptops. The iBook and PowerBook were already on the market, but it was time for the Mac name to shine. The Macbook came out in 2006 and had decent specs – a 13.3-inch display, an Intel Core Duo processor, an integrated iSight camera and a MagSafe power adapter.
Apple eventually expanded its product range to include the Macbook Pro and Air models, the names we all know today.
By the way, this article was written on a Macbook Pro 2021 with Apple’s own Silicone M1 Pro.
iPhone-2007
But in 2007, Apple revolutionized another market: mobile phones. The presentation formula was the same: Steve Jobs in the spotlight, turtleneck sweater, jeans, white sneakers and a clicker.
In his famous words, he said: “We are introducing a widescreen touchscreen iPod, a revolutionary mobile phone and a breakthrough Internet communications device.”
And then the world was introduced to the iPhone. A device aimed at both business professionals and casual users, the iPhone changed the way the world communicated through mobile phones. A fully functional touch-enabled device that looked and worked unlike anything else on the market.
The iPhone needs no introduction considering there are now 1.46 billion iPhone users worldwide. It’s no wonder that every little leak, update or announcement surrounding the product makes big headlines.
After testing the iPhone 15 Pro myself, I agree that the iPhone has democratized content creation, which I highlighted in my review and my article iPhone & Media – Why the iPhone is important for content creators.
iPads – 2010
Steve Jobs then led the launch of the 1st generation iPad. After noticing the rise of tablet PCs, as they were then called, Apple wanted to get the product right. The device was announced and unveiled by Apple founder Steve Jobs at an Apple press event on January 27, 2010. The Wi-Fi version of the device was released in the United States on April 3, 2010, with the “Wi-Fi + 3G” version following on April 30.
The first-generation iPad, released in 2010, sold around 15 million units worldwide in its first year. This figure includes both the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models. The strong sales of the 1st generation iPad helped establish the tablet as an important new category in consumer electronics.
Steve Jobs cemented his legacy with the products that define consumer electronics and personal computers. And it all boils down to his wisdom and focus on the product. I wrote this article after coming across an email Steve Jobs shared with the team on May 26, 2010, the day Apple’s market capitalization surpassed Microsoft’s. In the email, reproduced below, Jobs referenced Walt Disney and said, “We are only as good as our next amazing product.”
Let’s see what Apple’s next iPhone offers us. I really hope it will be great.
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