“Apple’s brand is sizzingly hot, with iPhone being important factor. But none of this present would be anything if not for decisions made in the past,” Wilcox writes.
So, please, enter the Wayback machine for a trip to 2001:
• In January 2001, Apple unveiled the iTunes music player
• In March, Apple launched troubled Mac OS X 10.0 and relaunched as 10.1 in September
MacDailyNews Note: “Troubled?” 10.0 (Cheetah) was simply the first version of Mac OS X. It was not “relaunched” as 10.1. Mac OS X 10.1 (Puma) was just the next planned version of Mac OS X.
• In May, the company opened Apple Store, in two locations — California and Virginia
• In October, the first iPod debuted
Wilcox writes, “Is there another year important to Apple’s success? Absolutely”
But not just one:
• 2006, for the move to Intel processors
• 2007, for the launch of iPhone
• 2008, for App Store’s debut
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: For consideration, we also submit 1997 (Jobs II) and 2009, in which Jobs got a new liver and, quite possibly, a new lease on what we hope proves to be a very long and fruitful (pun intended) life.
More important Apple years are to come….be sure of that!
None of it would have been possible if it wasn’t for the iMac launch in 1998 at MacWorld NY.
2006, for the move to Intel processors
That’s what made me switch. That meant that I could install Windows and run apps that weren’t available on a Mac. But after learning OSX – I soon realized that Windows did indeed suck and I uninstalled Windows never to look back.
Since then I’ve purchased 6 iPhones, 4 iMacs, a 10K Macpro and talked countless others into switching. Including 5 minutes ago when my sister in law just emailed me asking which computer she should purchase.
Interesting… the importance of 2001 can only be fully realized in retrospect.
I have a feeling that, thanks to Apple’s current long-term planning approach, we’ll be looking back on other years which turn out to be more important than we realized at the time.
Let me hop in my iTimeMachine – – –
– – – yep, the future hold significant products too
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
Funny thing is the Apple Store in North Dallas used to sell HandSpring devices running Palm OS.
I’d contend, 1996-1997, one of THE most important year for Apple.
2001 was the year I switched. Bought a Powerbook 550 (that still works today) and then weeks later bought the iPod.
1997: Steve Jobs returns to Apple
All were important, but in 5 years we’ll probably look back and consider the launch of the iPhone to be the most important event in the history of the company. Ahead of both the Mac and the iPod even.
How about 1985, the year Jobs got canned from Apple.
By being forced out of Apple, Jobs was able to:
– Form NEXT which created the seed that blossomed into OS X.
– Using Pixar to learn the ins and outs of Hollywood, which enabled iTunes and the iPod to be successful.
– Have time to figure out why Microsoft was able to control the PC market, a lesson which he applied with a vengence to the iPhone and Touch, i.e., Developers, Developers, Developers.
– Learn humility, making him a better boss and a better human being and, thus, making Apple a better company.
@84 Mac guy
never thought of it, but I agree!
MDN
sounds like a good idea for a new poll?
The moral of the story is it took this reporter 8 years to realize Apple did something important. How long before Paul Thuroat, Mary Jo Foley & Rob Enderle get it?
Mac OS X wasn’t “troubled.” It was a beta, and was off by default.
I, among many others, loaded it up manually, to adore it in all it’s splendor, and use Classic for legacy apps.
It was a spectacular movement.
I’d have to agree that 2001 was an absolute watershed. The iPod and iTunes allowed Apple to completely undermine MS’s strategy for digital media. The resulting success allowed Apple to become the biggest retailer in digital media while gaining invaluable experience in developing mobile devices and a mobile OS. By the time the iPhone arrived, an entire ecosystem was practically already in place.
1. The iTunes store for managing music, apps, movies, syncing the device and a drop-dead simple micro-payment system. Just look at how many companies have NOT been able to copy the myriad functions of iTunes, starting with Palm and ending with Microsoft.
2. Hardware peripherals were already in place for the iPhone because of the “Made-for -iPod” licensing program. Right off the bat, iPhone users had all kinds of gizmos they could hook into their iPhones-stereo docks, car docks, boom boxes, chargers, FM transmitters, etc.
3. Then OS X proved capable of running a mobile device
4. And Apple retail stores made sure a big chunk of society (high income society!) was exposed to Apple products in the best light! Before Apple stores, you usually had to go out of your way to see working Apple products.
@84macguy really has it right.
For one thing, we forget that SJ never really RAN Apple until 1997. In 1985 he still needed to grow and he needed to do that outside Apple.
For the record OS X 10.0 was public beta and should not be called “Troubled”. That’s just a stupid comment on his part
1955: The year Steve Jobs was born…..
No doubt that the year Apple introduced the iPod and iTunes and the Apple Retail Stores was probably the most important times in Apple’s history. The next 8 years of dramatic progress was based
on those products and their retail strategy. I was honored to be part of that as an Apple employee.
@Oh Ex Ten,
You’re re-writing history. 10.0 (Cheetah) was a full version sold starting in March 2001. OS X was upgraded to 10.1 (Puma) in September. Prior to 10.0, Apple sold a Preview for $29.95 known as Kodiak (September 2000 and expired April 2001).
10.0 could be seen as “troubled”…it certainly wasn’t adopted by users in a meaningful way, other than to test and play with it. There were significant issues preventing it from being used full time…like lack of native apps. Then again, it was a first release OS and Apple did an amazing job with it. Had 10.1 not come out for a year, or had been a full priced upgrade, Apple would’ve felt some serious pain with trying to migrate user to OS X.
As someone who went to Staples and bought OS X 10.0 ( a few days before release) it was absolutely not ready for primetime. However, it was something Apple needed to release that was “real” and not vaporware. 10.1 wasn’t released for cheap cause Apple just didn’t want money.
Still have my original RevA bondi blue iMac, one of the 1st made. Used it marathon for years. The day Steve came back to Apple I celebrated. Had followed his doings at Next.
2010 — the iTab revolutionizes computing. Must-have, gets the whole globe into Apple’s core.
I’d say the key year was the year Steve announced the “digital hub” concept, because that led to iPods and iTunes and iPhones and AppleTVs and all that audio and video media.
Every year has been important for Apple — in Steve’s absence, it showed how fast a company can decline when marketeers run the company. Since Steve Jobs returned and re-focused the company on product excellence, every year has seen significant product or technology advancements.
2001 is notable for iTunes, however, the introduction of Cheetah was disastrous. 10.0 was NOT ready for prime time, and 10.1 should have been given to all Cheetah buyers for free. But that’s ancient history and now, finally, developers have seen how good OS X has become.
Wilcox recently announced he had switched back to Windows (where he “belonged”) from Macs. I find this quite bizarre and incomprehensible, so therefore do not pay any attention to anything he writes, one more human being with a butt on his neck.
I agree that 2007 is a watershed year.
I like to watch the 2007 iPhone keynote from time to time.
It’s amazing.
It will still be amazing in 20 years.
It’s a moment in history.
The most important years for Apple was the early 80’s, when they decided they weren’t competing against MS and IBM. Their focus would be on making insanely great products.
Nah, most important year was the year Jobs introduced the first iMac. That started the whole new era of the Second Coming of Steve Jobs. And that was a bit late but better than not at all. If he hadn’t returned, we’d all be typing in Winduhz XP, or worse.
Jobs returning in 1997 and the introduction of the iMac certainly saved the company from capitulation.
I would still say that the introduction of OSX in 2000/1 is the biggest thing for Apple in the long term. It may have not been flashy like the ipod but it provided Apple the opportunity to rewrite the Mac business.
I installed the Public beta back then and although it wasn’t much to look at it was amazing. You could feel the potential in that rough and ready OS. I put up with the issues in the early days because it was so wonderful not having the OS crash if an app went bad. We forget that now because we’re so used to the stability.
2000 – the year the Cube came out and I got one!!!
@TheConfuzed1,
I too remember my first OS X experience – booting up Jaguar and seeing the vastly improved graphics and how my speakers sounded twice as loud and twice as clear.
I never realized how much crap happened in 2001!