Apple's 50th: from polystyrene mockups to a $4 trillion empire
Fifty years ago, a fledgling Apple Computer was barely clinging to life. Today, the company stands as a $4 trillion behemoth, celebrating a milestone marked by relentless innovation and a near-religious devotion to secrecy. But the journey, as recounted by key players, was far from smooth – a fact punctuated by a rather alarming incident involving a prototype iPhone and an airplane seat.
The birth of the ipod: a nine-month dream
The story begins long before the iPhone, with Tony Fadell, who joined Apple in 2001 tasked with building a device compatible with the fledgling iTunes platform. Fadell, already a veteran of the portable electronics scene, presented Steve Jobs and other executives with a polystyrene mockup that would eventually become the iPod. “It was a really incredible moment for me,” Fadell told Business Insider. “The original iPod—the simple fact of having it finished—was a project of nine months from start to finish. It was my dream.” Initially, the iPod’s reception wasn’t stellar, but Apple’s shrewd move to support Windows compatibility, alongside other key features, fueled its ascent to cultural icon status. Fadell recalled seeing the device in the hands of celebrities like Shaquille O’Neal, a testament to its burgeoning popularity.
The iPod Nano, a smaller iteration, proved particularly transformative. “It really revolutionized the market with its portability,” Fadell stated, calling it his favorite Apple product. But even amidst the successes, there were moments of sheer panic. Fadell recounted a particularly harrowing episode preceding the iPhone's unveiling.
The lost iphone: a near-disaster
“The first iPhone fell out of my pocket onto the seat of an airplane before it was officially announced,” Fadell admitted. The relief he felt when someone returned it roughly 40 minutes after he disembarked was palpable. “Nobody knew what it was. Thank God, but I literally lost control.” It's a story that underscores the extraordinary lengths Apple went to maintain its secrecy, even at the risk of a catastrophic leak.
Imovie and the rescue mission
The narrative extends beyond the iPod, highlighting the pivotal role played by Glenn Reid, the former engineering director who spearheaded Apple’s iMovie and iPhoto applications. Reid, who had previously worked with Steve Jobs at NeXT Computer, was brought on board during a period of intense financial turmoil for Apple. “He contacted me to develop iMovie, and it was at a time when Apple was struggling, almost finished at that moment,” Reid explained. The development of iMovie, shrouded in secrecy—Reid even papered his office windows to prevent prying eyes—proved instrumental in keeping the company afloat as it searched for its next breakthrough product.
The return of Steve Jobs in 1996 marked a turning point, and Reid’s team, working in near-total isolation, played a vital role in the company’s subsequent resurgence. The iMovie project, alongside iPhoto, helped to redefine Apple’s image and ultimately paved the way for the innovation that would define the next half-century. From polystyrene prototypes to a $4 trillion valuation, Apple’s story is a testament to the power of relentless pursuit, unwavering secrecy, and occasionally, a bit of luck – and a returned iPhone.