Apple’s Founding, Early Milestones, and Return of Steve Jobs

Apple Inc. was founded on April 1, 1976 in Cupertino, California by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. The first product, the Apple I, was sold as a motherboard and attracted hobbyists, while the Apple II launched in 1977 as one of the first mass‑produced microcomputers with color graphics, gaining popularity in schools and small businesses.

In 1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh, marketed with a Super Bowl commercial directed by Ridley Scott. The Macintosh brought a graphical user interface and mouse to a broad audience. After internal conflict, Jobs left the company in 1985, and Apple struggled through the late 1980s and early 1990s against rising competition from Microsoft.

Apple acquired NeXT in 1997, bringing Jobs back as CEO. He streamlined the product line and in 1998 released the colorful iMac, designed by Jony Ive, which revived Apple’s brand. The company then expanded into consumer electronics with the iPod in 2001, marking the start of a new era beyond personal computers.