- Steve Jobs made his comeback at
Apple in 1996 - Reviving the company, Steve Jobs led the launch of the new & improved iMac
- Later on, he drove the development of iPod,
iPhone , and iPad
After Steve Jobs exited Apple in the early 1980s, some people believed his return to his Palo Alto firm would never happen. But as time would have it, Apple acquired Steve Jobs company ‘NExt Computers’ in the 90s. Eventually, Jobs became the CEO of Apple which was trying to rise up from the ashes in 1997.
This is when Steve Jobs 2.0 came into the picture and we saw an onslaught of product development and marketing that set a benchmark for the consumer tech industry. This article traces the monumental products launched under Jobs' supervision in his second coming, products that have made Apple one of the most valuable companies in the world today.
Apple iMac G3 - 1998
After his return, Steve Jobs’ first mission was to bring the Macintosh back as the main character. And that's when we saw the iMac G3. This colourful new rendition of the iMac was introduced on May 6, 1998. The location - Flintz Center for the Performing Arts at De Anza College. Exactly where the Apple II was launched in 1984. Unveiled with the Hello text, which is now unanimous with Apple products, this iMac changed the fortune for Apple.
The iMac G3 was an immediate hit with consumers, with 278,000 units sold in the first six weeks, and 800,000 units after 20 weeks. It was the top-selling desktop computer in US stores for the first three months of its release.
iPod - 2001
With the success of iMac breathing new life into Apple, Steve Jobs and the team decided to go portable. This time on a product that no one saw coming, the iPod. The iPod was the solution for music labels struggling to keep piracy at bay and consumers who wanted more songs on the go.
In his classic manner wearing a turtleneck, jeans and New Balance shoes, Steve Jobs unveiled the iPod on November 10th, 2001. The pitch was simple, 1000 songs in your pocket. Thanks to its 5GB hard disk, a scroll wheel, and a display, listening to music had never been so hip.
iPod paved the way for multiple generations and iterations most famously - the iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, and the iPod touch. Discontinued in 2022, the iPod’s legacy still lives on. If we talk numbers by the end of its production run, Apple sold over 450 million iPods.
Macbook - 2006
After the success of the iMac and iPod, Steve Jobs and the team brought their focus to laptops. iBook and PowerBook had been in the market but it was time for the ‘Mac’ name to shine. Macbook was launched in 2006, with decent specs - a 13.3-inch display, Intel Core Duo processor, integrated iSight camera, and a MagSafe power adapter.
Apple eventually increased the line-up with Macbook Pro and Air models, the monikers that we all know today.
For that matter, this article has been written on a Macbook Pro 2021 with Apple's own Silicone the M1 Pro.
iPhone - 2007
But it was in 2007 when Apple disrupted another market — cell phones. The presentation formula was the same: Steve Jobs, in the spotlight, turtle neck, jeans, white sneakers and a clicker.
In his famous words, he said, “We are introducing a widescreen iPod with touch controls; a revolutionary mobile phone; and a breakthrough Internet communications device.”
And that's when the world was introduced to the iPhone. A device aimed at both business professionals and casual users, iPhones changed the way the world communicated on cell phones. A fully functional touch-sensitive device that looked and worked like nothing in the market so far.
The iPhone needs no introduction, considering there are 1.46 billion iPhone users in the world now. No wonder any small leak, update or announcement around the product makes big news.
Having reviewed the iPhone 15 Pro myself, I also feel the iPhone democratized content creation. Something that I have highlighted in my review and my article iPhone & Media - Why the iPhone matters for content creators.
iPad - 2010
Steve Jobs then led the launch of the 1st generation iPad. After noticing the rise of tablet PCs as they were called back in the day, Apple wanted to get the product right. The device was announced and revealed 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 approximately 15 million units worldwide in its first year on the market. This figure includes both the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models. The strong sales performance of the iPad 1st generation helped establish the tablet as a major new category in consumer electronics.
Steve Jobs cemented his legacy with the products that define consumer electronics and personal computing. And it all boils down to his wisdom and focus on the product. I wrote this article after coming across an email that Steve Jobs had shared with the team on May 26, 2010. The day when Apple's market cap surpassed Microsoft. In the email, shared below, Jobs referenced Walt Disney and said “We are only as good as our amazing next product”
Let’s see what Apple’s next iPhone offers to us. I sure hope it's amazing.
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