The co-founder of Apple was 56 years old. Jobs had been battling a rare form of pancreatic cancer for years. MAKING OF APPLE COMPUTERS : TIMELINE
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1976: In April 1976, 26-year old Steve Wozniak and 21 year-old Steve Jobs, both college dropouts found Apple Computer, Inc. Both partners had sold their most valuable possessions, a van and two calculators to raise USD 1,300 to start the company.
1980: Apple renewed itself into public ownership in December 1980. Its offering of 4.6 million shares at USD 22 each sold out in minutes. 1981’s second offering of 2.6 million shares too sold out almost immediately.
1982: By January 1982, Apple had sold 6,50,000 computers worldwide. And, in December 1982, it became the first personal computer company to reach the USD 1 billion mark in annual sales.
1984: Debut of the Macintosh — Apple sold 70,000 Macintosh computers in the first 100 days. However, Macintosh sales temporarily fell-off after a promising start, and the company was disturbed by internal problems.
1985: Internal strife continued, John Sculley assumed the helm post the departure of Jobs and other Apple executives. They founded a new computer company, NeXT Incorporated as a rival to Apple.
1991: 1990s saw the crippling an industry giant at the back of mismanagement. However, the PowerBook series released in 1991 garnered a 21% market share in less than six months —Apple was all set to ride the digital wave of the next century.
1996: Return of Jobs — In December 1996, Apple paid USD 377 million to buy NeXT, led by Steve Jobs. Jobs, Apple's visionary was back as a special advisor, 12-years after he had left.
1997: Steve Jobs was named interim chief executive officer and Apple now focused exclusively on desktop and portable Macintoshes. Jobs shut plants, laid off thousands of workers, and sold stock to rival Microsoft for receiving cash infusion of USD 150 million in exchange.
1998: Though Apple's organizational hierarchy underwent sweeping reorganization in 1997, the most visible indication of Jobs's return was unveiled in August 1998. The all-in-one massively successful iMac was released.
2000: Jobs well done — With Jobs’s restorative efforts, Apple was again a profitable company. The company gained 94% in net income, profits swelled to USD 601 million and stock climbed 140% in 1999. And, Jobs's returned to Apple on a permanent basis.
2008: Apple’s shares began a dramatic climb with soaring sales and earnings. From USD 119 in late-February 2008, the stocks were nearly USD 190 in May 2008 and then crashed with the market meltdown later that year.
2011: Reinforcing the rise since the start of 2009, Apple has been witnessing explosive growth in sales and profit from iPhones, iPods, iPads and Macs.
August 25, 2011: Apple shares tumbled as much as 7% today, as a knee-jerk reaction to Jobs’s resignation. The world's most valuable technology firm now has all eyes and every weight on the shoulders of Tim Cook, who earlier had stepped in as interim CEO numerous times. |
