Apple’s long game: How it started, almost failed and is "shaping the future"

It’s been a busy week for the tech titan Applewhich reported Thursday that its global sales rose 6% in the fourth quarter and regained its throne as most valuable company in the world after Nvidia briefly snatched it away last week.

Apple is on track to possibly become the first company with a $4 trillion valuation (3.6 billion euros). Part of its secret sauce has been in how it has positioned its products. Instead of inventing technology, such as personal computers or smartphones, the company produced some of the first well-designed versions that were easy to use and worked.

‘Euronews Next’ looks at Apple’s history and growth since its launch, as well as its influential gadgets and software, and what’s next for the company.

The history of Apple

In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple. There was a third founder, Ronald Wayne, but he sold his ownership to Jobs and Wozniak. The first product was the Apple I microcomputer, built in Jobs’ garage. It had no keyboard or monitor.

A year later, in 1977, the Apple II went on sale, and the company experienced its first great success, as it led Apple to become the leading computer manufacturer in the United States and one of the largest IPOs of its time. .

But Apple’s success collapsed after Jobs invested too much of the company’s time and money in the apple smooth: The expensive desktop computer was not successful after its launch in 1983.

Jobs then went on to Macintosh computerwhich challenged IBM, the market leader at that time. The Macintosh announcement was presented at 1984 Super Bowl and depicted a rebellion against a dystopian world of conformity, supposedly depicting the struggle for control of computer technology as a struggle of the few against the many.

However, a conflict between Jobs and Apple CEO John Sculley over the Lisa and Macintosh not meeting sales expectations led the board of directors to strip Jobs of all his duties. Steve left and started a new company, NeXT Computers. Its co-founder Wozniak also left Apple for personal reasons.

Apple did well until the mid-nineties, but then it was about to go bankrupt after facing competition from cheaper Microsoft PCs and failed product launches such as the Newton tablet.

Apple then bought Jobs’ new company, NeXT, and appointed Jobs as interim CEO after the previous CEO was fired. Jobs refocused Apple on its computer business and saved it from bankruptcy.

“People rarely think about it now, but when Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, it was in a dangerous situation: at the time, it had just lost $50 million (€46 million) in a single quarter. Since then, he has made a series of bets that have paid off,” Tim Danton, editor-in-chief of PC Pro and author of The Computers That Made Britain, tells ‘Euronews Next’.

A year later, in 1998, the iMac was introduced and, a few years later, the Mac OS X operating system. That same year, in 2001, Apple launched its first iPodwhich established the company’s reputation as a technology trendsetter.

Apple’s secret “comes down to one word: design” says Danton. “Apple is never the first to bring technology to market, but when they do, they make sure it looks great and works great. For example, the iPod. MP3 players had been around for a few years, but Apple created a attractive and easy to use version for non-tech experts,” he adds.

The following years saw the launch of the iPhone in 2007 and the App Store and the iPad in 2010. In 2011, Jobs took a leave of absence and appointed Tim Cook as CEO of Apple. Jobs died that same year from pancreatic cancer.

The Tim Cook era

Since Cook took over, Apple has adapted and expanded its services to include its multimedia streaming service Apple TV+ and Apple Music and a headset mixed reality that combines augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), the Apple Vision Pro.

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Apple has also entered the race artificial intelligence (AI) with an update to the iOS 18 operating system and four iPhone 16 models that have a special computing chip necessary to power AI functions.

While companies like Samsung and Google They rushed to get their technology out of AI, Apple It took a little more time, something you can afford.

“In part, Apple can wait to make sure it offers users a better experience, which is paramount,” says Paolo Pescatore, a technology analyst. “With this in mind, you don’t have to be first or keep pace. However, you can’t rest on your laurels and need to consider a solid roadmap that goes beyond incremental updates for your broad portfolio,” he told ‘Euronews Next’.

Among the devices that Apple could introduce in the future are foldable ones, connected/smart glasses and a smart ringto name just a few, according to Pescatore. “As we move towards a future driven by software and artificial intelligence, everyone will try to dethrone the king of the hill,” he added.

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Can Apple keep up?

Cook has been able to successfully navigate current challenges, such as geopolitical tensions between the US and China and slowing demand from its Chinese market. But Apple has had another problem with European regulators, since the Digital Markets Act (DMA) has meant that European users of Apple devices can download software from outside the App Store.

Apple’s Vision Pro glasses have also had some failure, as they are expensive and heavy products to wear for long periods of time. But experts are optimistic about Apple’s long-term future.

“I have much more confidence in Apple’s future than any other technology company, because it is brilliant at engaging people in its ecosystem,” says Danton. “Although there are many detractors of Apple, in general people love the brand. Even those who hate it grudgingly respect Apple,” he adds.

That is partly because business model It’s not based on things people hate, like advertising and invasion of privacy, Danton explained. “This means Apple can say it is the brand that cares about privacy, which could be even more important in the next decade,” he added.

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Although some technologies have not come to fruition, most recently the Vision Pro, whose sales have been slower than expected, Danton said the company is “not afraid to play the long game” and “plan for years to come.” “, and added that “probably [Apple] have a much better idea of ​​what the future holds than the futurists; “At the end of the day, she will be the one who helps shape the future.”