History of Steve Jobs (Full Documentary)
Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, revolutionized multiple industries from personal computers to music players and smartphones. His journey from a college dropout to a visionary leader was marked by both remarkable successes and painful failures, including being ousted from Apple in 1985. He returned in 1997 to save the company, leading it to unprecedented heights with products like the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad, before his death in 2011.
Key points
Detailed summary
Birth and Adoption
Steve Jobs was born on February 24, 1955, in San Francisco, California. His birth parents, who were too young and unprepared, gave him up for adoption. He was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs.
Early Life and Family
In 1961, the family moved to Mountain View, California, an area that was becoming a hub for electronics and was later called Silicon Valley. Paul Jobs, a machinist, built a workbench in his garage to pass along his love of mechanics to his son.
Early Schooling and Behavior
Jobs often struggled in traditional classrooms, resisted authority, and was suspended several times. His fourth-grade teacher turned him around by bribing him to finish a workbook. He skipped the 5th grade but was bullied at his new school, leading his parents to buy a new house in Los Altos.
Adolescence and Friendships
At Cupertino Junior High, Jobs met Bill Fernandez, who later introduced him to Steve Wozniak. Jobs preferred solitary activities and spent time at the Hewlett-Packard Explorer Club, where he saw his first computer at age 12. He boldly asked William Hewlett for parts and got a summer internship.
High School and Dual Interests
Jobs attended Homestead High School, where he developed two circles of friends: electronics/engineering and art/literature. His senior year best friends were Steve Wozniak and Chris Anne Brennan. A classmate described him as an outsider who was smart enough to be a nerd but too intellectual for hippies.
College Decision and Reed College
Jobs insisted on attending Reed College, a private liberal arts school in Oregon. He dropped out after one semester but continued to audit classes he enjoyed, like calligraphy. He later credited that calligraphy course for the Mac's multiple typefaces and proportionally spaced fonts.
Post-College Life and Blue Boxes
In 1972, Wozniak designed a digital blue box for free long-distance calls. Jobs decided to sell them, making about $6,000. Jobs said that if not for the blue boxes, there would have been no Apple.
Return to San Francisco and Atari
In 1973, Jobs moved back to the San Francisco area. Wozniak designed a version of Pong, which Jobs took to Atari, landing a job as a technician. Atari's co-founder described Jobs as difficult but valuable.
Trip to India and Spirituality
In early 1974, Jobs traveled to India seeking spiritual enlightenment. He spent seven months there, later saying that intuition is more powerful than intellect. He experimented with LSD, calling it a profound experience that reinforced his sense of creating great things rather than making money.
Return to Atari and the Breakout Deal
Jobs returned to Atari and was assigned to create a circuit board for Breakout. He enlisted Wozniak to minimize the number of chips, promising to split the fee. Wozniak reduced the chip count from 96 to 46, but Jobs told him Atari paid only $700 (instead of $5,000), giving Wozniak $350. Wozniak later learned the truth and was deeply hurt.
Founding of Apple Computer
In 1976, Wozniak designed the Apple I computer. Jobs suggested they sell it, and with Ronald Wayne, they founded Apple Computer in Jobs' garage. The name "Apple" came from Jobs' time at an apple orchard commune. The Byte Shop ordered 50 fully assembled machines, and Jobs persuaded Cramer Electronics to supply parts on credit.
Early Business and Investment
After the Apple I's success, the business needed investment. Co-founder Wayne dropped out. Jobs met Mike Markkula, who co-signed a $250,000 bank loan and became a one-third owner and employee number three.
Personal Life and Apple II
Chris Anne Brennan returned from India and rekindled her relationship with Jobs. The Apple II was introduced at the first West Coast Computer Fair in April 1977. Jobs insisted on a much-improved case and keyboard, making the machine complete and ready to run out of the box.
Relationship Deterioration and Lisa Brennan's Birth
As Jobs became more successful, his relationship with Brennan grew complex. In 1977, Brennan became pregnant. Jobs denied paternity and refused to discuss the pregnancy. Brennan gave birth to Lisa Brennan on May 17, 1978. Jobs later admitted the Apple Lisa computer was named after his daughter.
Apple's IPO and Wealth
On December 12, 1980, Apple launched its IPO, generating more capital than any IPO since Ford. It created about 300 millionaires. Jobs was worth over $1 million at age 23 and over $250 million by age 25.
Apple III and Competition
The Apple III, released in 1980, was prone to overheating because Jobs insisted on no fan. Thousands were recalled. In August 1981, IBM entered the PC market. Apple ran a full-page ad saying "Welcome, IBM. Seriously." But by 1983, the IBM PC surpassed the Apple II as the best-selling personal computer.
Hiring John Sculley
Apple's board wanted adult supervision. Jobs met John Sculley, CEO of Pepsi, and lured him with the question: "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?"
Xerox and the GUI
Xerox granted Apple access to its PARC facilities in return for pre-IPO stock. Apple came away with ideas that completed the foundation for its first graphical user interface computer.
The Macintosh Project and Jeff Raskin
Jeff Raskin started the Macintosh project in 1979. Jobs took over in 1981 and pushed for a graphical user interface. The Macintosh launched in 1984 with the iconic "1984" Super Bowl ad, positioning Apple as humanity's hope against IBM's Big Brother.
Conflict Between Jobs and Scully
Scully and Jobs clashed over management styles and the Macintosh's price. Scully raised the price to $2,500. Sales tailed off, and the board sided with Scully. In 1985, Scully stripped Jobs of his responsibilities. Jobs attempted a coup but failed, and on September 17, 1985, he resigned from Apple.
Founding of NeXT
After leaving Apple, Jobs founded NeXT Inc. The NeXT workstation was technologically advanced but cost-prohibitive. NeXT stopped manufacturing computers in 1993 and became a software company.
Pixar
In 1986, Jobs bought the Graphics Group from Lucasfilm for $10 million, renaming it Pixar. He let the team work at a slow pace, resulting in high-quality films like Toy Story. Pixar went public in 1996, making Jobs' 80% stake worth $1 billion.
Personal Life: Relationships and Family
After leaving Apple, Jobs apologized to Brennan and Lisa. He developed a strong relationship with Lisa and changed her birth certificate to Lisa Brennan-Jobs. He found his biological mother, Joanne Schieble, and his sister, Mona Simpson. In 1991, he married Laurene Powell; they had three children: Reed, Erin, and Eve.
Apple's Decline and Return of Jobs
Apple struggled in the 1990s. In 1996, Apple bought NeXT for $427 million, bringing Jobs back as an advisor. He became CEO in 2000. He killed projects like Newton, streamlined the product line, and partnered with Microsoft. The iMac, introduced in 1998, bought Apple time to restructure.
Apple's Entry into Portable Music Players (iPod)
In 2001, Apple introduced the iPod, a portable music player with a user-friendly interface and fast FireWire transfer. It became a massive success, with over 304 million units sold across four models.
iTunes Music Store
In 2003, Apple launched the iTunes Music Store, selling songs for 99 cents each. It sold 1 million songs in its first week, revolutionizing the music industry.
Steve Jobs' Health (2003-2004)
In October 2003, Jobs was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer. He resisted surgery for nine months, opting for alternative medicine. Experts believe this decision shortened his life.
Stanford Speech (2005)
In 2005, Jobs gave a commencement speech at Stanford, where he spoke about love for his work and the importance of "staying hungry, staying foolish." He reflected on leaving Apple as the best thing that happened to him.
Transition to Intel Processors (2005-2006)
In 2006, Apple began producing Intel-based Macs. The transition was completed a year earlier than expected.
Introduction of the iPhone (2007)
In January 2007, Apple introduced the iPhone, a smartphone with a multi-touch display and no physical keyboard. It sold 250,000 units on its first day and began the modern smartphone era.
Steve Jobs' Health Decline and Liver Transplant (2009)
In 2009, Jobs took a six-month medical leave and received a liver transplant in Tennessee. He returned to Apple in September 2009 to a standing ovation.
Introduction of the iPad (2010)
In 2010, Apple introduced the iPad, a tablet that ran the same operating system as the iPhone. Despite initial skepticism, it became the fastest-selling consumer product in history, selling 1 million units in 28 days.
Final Health Decline and Resignation (2011)
In early 2011, Jobs took a third medical leave. He resigned as CEO in August 2011, becoming chairman. He died on October 5, 2011, at his Palo Alto home. His final words were "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow."
Legacy
Jobs left a legacy of innovation and design philosophy that continues at Apple under Tim Cook. He revolutionized personal computing, music, smartphones, and animation, building the most valuable brand in the world.
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