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Why Is Apple So Successful? A Brief History of Success

Why Is Apple So Successful? A Brief History of Success

Posted by Team Recompute on 29th Jun 2020

You probably know at least a handful of people with an iPhone, right? If you're in public, you're probably surrounded by Apple products. You might even be using one right now to read this post!

There are over 1.4 billion active Apple devices in the world, making them incredibly popular and widespread. Between phones, tablets, watches, and computers, they have a solid foothold in the popular tech market.  How did Apple reach this point? Why is Apple so successful?

If you want to know a brief history that leads to the success of Apple as a company, keep reading!

The Man Behind Apple: Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs was a brand in and of himself. He's a primary figure to the success of the brand.

Steve Jobs is the face of Apple. While once briefly ousted from the company, he was invited back with open arms when the brand needed a renewed image, and he provided it. 

Steve Jobs is the mind behind the "i" in everything. While tech companies all around were making computers, phones, and some were even making music players, that branded "i" was a sticky enough icon to put Apple on the map. 

Jobs was a Buddhist and a vegan, things that may not seem obvious in the ethos of Apple products, but come through in the minimalist and user-friendly nature of the design. All aspects of his life came together to create the products that people know and love today.

Though he has since passed, the company still sees the impact of Jobs' role. Apple has a distinct look and feel that he created and it continues to stick with all of their most recent products.

Apple's Success: A Timeline 

Apple didn't become the superpower that it is now overnight. While it was immediately successful from its founding in 1976, it didn't truly blossom until much later. How much do you really know about Apple? Here are some of the more crucial moments.

1976

Apple is launched. While Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak met a few years prior, they didn't launch their first product until the mid-70s. This was the Apple I. At the time it was advanced, but now it has several million times less memory than our present-day computers.

1980

The company goes public. At this point, the third generation of Apple computers has been released to the world and Apple was ready to open to shareholders at $22USD per share (as you can imagine, this was a great investment).

1985

Steve Jobs leaves. He worked on some of his own projects which never really took off. 

1989

A portable computer arrives to the show. This isn't what we would consider portable (it weighed 7.5 kg, wow!) but it did create a path to the future lightweight Macbooks

1991

The birth of QuickTime. If you have Apple products, you still use QuickTime today. This digital media player was revolutionary. 

1997

Jobs returns. Steve Jobs returns to Apple to play a role as "interim CEO" while the company goes through a transitional period. He later becomes CEO.

1998

The "i" is born. The iMac arrives with a modern design and paves the way for the future. 

2001

The iPod, iTunes, and massive success. Apple releases the chunky music player, the iPod, and their music system. The company blows up in popularity. 

2007

The iPhone. This is the product we all know and love. Born from the work on the various iPods, the iPhone combined the music player with the phones.

2011

Tim Cook takes over. Steve Jobs resigned for health reasons and Tim Cook continues to run the show today. 

Present Day

Apple has created too many innovative products to list in a timeline. They've both kept up with trends and set them and they're the gold-standard for the smart-objects worldwide. Where will they go next? 

Why is Apple So Successful? They Constantly Innovate

From its foundations, Apple has been morphing to fit the needs and lifestyles of the public. Their products are innovative and appeal to all ages. Apple was born from innovation and far ahead of its time. So why is Apple so successful? They did it first and they do it well. 

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