Mac360 Twitter TweetsSponsorship and Advertising on Mac360Forums Member LoginRegister for Mac360 ForumsFrequently Asked QuestionsYouTube Video WatchDashboard Widget WatchPolls & SurveysMac360 Power Search Options
RSS FeedThe Mac360 Article ArchiveThe Cheap MacWhat's New!Mac Tips & TricksMacintosh User ForumsMac360 Reviews

10 Years Ago: When Apple Bought Steve Jobs.

Jobs AmelioIt was just over 10 years ago when the daily death knells sounded for Apple Computer. Why?

The company was dying and needed help. What happened? Apple bought co-founder Steve Jobs and NeXT Software 10 years ago today.

Where were you 10 years ago? What computer were you using? Mac or Windows or DOS?

Let me summarize the history leading up to Apple’s historic decline, purchase of Jobs’ NeXT, and the history of the Mac since.

Apple lost its way during the early 1990s with a bewildering array of Mac models, a buggy black and white operating system, and more products on the shelves than Sam’s Club.

Apple wanted and needed a future operating system. The ill-fated Copland project, the new Mac OS, was going nowhere fast, sucking up resources and money at a time when Apple was bleeding itself dry. Why?

Windows. While Windows 3.x wasn’t much competition for the Mac, it owned the business market. Windows 95 was “good enough” to begin crushing the Mac’s market share (which didn’t begin rising for nearly a decade).

In came Apple board member Gil Amelio as the new CEO, searching for a turnaround and a new operating system for the Mac.

On December 20, 1996 Apple announced they bought Steve Jobs’ NeXT Software for $400-million.

Jobs came in as an advisor to Amelio. Within months, Amelio was out, Jobs was in and the “official” turnaround began. The iMac was a big success. Apple upgraded Mac OS (Classic) to match the coloful new iMac.

Years later, Apple launched Mac OS X, the Apple Store, the iPod, iLife, iTunes Store and much more.

Apple’s revenue and profits surged in recent years as did Mac and iPod market share, Apple mind share and future opportunities. Today, the picture is rosy for Apple. The company is swimming in cash, successfuly moved to Intel chips, and leads both in portable music players and legal digital online music sales.

How’s that for a quick summary?

Where were you in 1996 when Apple bought NeXT Software and brouight co-founder Steve Jobs back to the Mac? What Mac or PC were you using back then?

Did you think that Apple would survive? What do you think will happen to Apple over the next five years? What is the main reason that Apple survived and then prospered?

Click Here to see reader comments on this article in the Mac360 Forums.

Classy Mac360 PhotoBy Alexis Kayhill | I'm a 20 year Mac user veteran, writer, photographer, wife, and mommy. I live in sunny San Diego with my husband, three children, two dogs, one mean old cat, and an SUV with a back seat full of beach sand. Follow me on Twitter.

• Email This Article  •  Follow Mac360 on Twitter
• Posted in the Forum Topics Section

Mac360 posts daily Mac updates on Twitter, too. If you Twitter, give Alexis, Bambi, or Ron a tweet and follow Mac360 on Twitter to get daily Mac tips and tricks.

Safari
Need Safari to do more for you? Add a single plugin and go crazy.
Fri Mar 12 - Full Article »
Say No To Mac
Do Mac users need all that power and flexibility? Or, just convenience?
Thu Mar 11 - Full Article »
Dock
A new way to use what you already know how to use to find files.
Wed Mar 10 - Full Article »
Email
Hidden inside a Mac is an email monster. Turn it on with a click or two.
Tue Mar 9 - Full Article »
Database
Database users rejoice. FileMaker Pro is easier and more powerful.
Tue Mar 9 - Full Article »
Docks
Love the Dock? Hate the Dock? Here's how to make the Dock better.
Mon Mar 8 - Full Article »
Walmart
Apple's market value skyrockets ahead of the iPad launch.
Mon Mar 8 - Full Article »
Predictions
Can you predict Apple success or failure as well as technology pundits?
Fri Mar 5 - View Topic »
SyncMan
Keep your contacts fully synchronized online with the SyncMac.
Fri Mar 5 - Full Article »

Off Topic Note: Help support Mac360 by visiting the Mac360 Store (it’s really Amazon). We get a small commission on every purchase you make through the Mac360 Store (it’s really Amazon). Plus, you get Amazon’s best discounts on Mac software such as Snow Leopard, iWork ‘09, iLife ‘09, Adobe Photoshop Elements, all MacBook and iMac models, and all iPod models.  Check out more Mac software reviews on Page 2. Elsewhere around Mac360, Kate Mac is back on the Mac after flirting with and dumping Windows. Ron has updated the NoodleMac site to include more daily mini reviewsof Mac software, and launched Mac musings on McSolo.

Snow Leopard
What's in the FORUMS?
Mac360 Link Farm