Key Messages
The Story Of Steve Jobs: From Visionary Entrepreneur To Mythological Figure
The Becoming Steve Jobs book is an epic story behind one of tech’s true innovators, the enigmatic Steve Jobs.
This is the chance to learn about how this man created one of the most valuable and admired companies in the world.
As well as being a major player in innovation and immaculate design, Jobs was also responsible for the creation of iconic products such as the iPhone.
You will find out about what made him stand out from all other tech entrepreneurs, his strong leadership skills and his ability to think outside of the box.
As well as uncovering insights on personal aspects of his life, such as his tenure at Pixar and how he chose Apple’s name.
Finally, discover how he made some impressive last products while facing death.
The Becoming Steve Jobs book gives readers an amazing opportunity to learn more about one of tech’s leading icons and get a glimpse into the inner workings of one of our generation’s most significant innovators.
The Story Of How Steve Jobs And Stephen Wozniak Founded Apple In A Garage
It’s no secret that Steve Jobs had an early knack for technology.
From a very young age, his understanding and appreciation of the complexities of technology was impressive.
This was due in part to his adoptive father Paul, who had worked as a car mechanic and craftsman and introduced him to the pleasure of working with his hands – building, constructing, taking apart and putting back together all types of projects.
Jobs’ ability to easily take things apart truly showed when he met Stephen Wozniak at age 21.
Wozniak was an engineering genius and son of a Lockheed Martin engineer; recognizing the shortcomings of computers at the time, Jobs saw immense opportunity and suggested they create a better computer for home use- thus Apple was born!
His experience with tinkering came in handy when the pair set up their own miniature assembly line in Jobs’ parents’ garage- hence the creation of the first Apple 1 model!
The Apple 1 And A.C. Markkula: How Apple Found Success With A Helping Hand From An Angel Investor
The Apple 1 wasn’t just the spark of inspiration that propelled Steve Jobs and his business partner Wozniak to create their own computer engineering company – it also provided enough success for them to keep going.
With this newfound motivation, and Wozniak’s confidence that he could create a better machine, they set out to make the Apple II computer.
To supercharge the development process, Jobs leveraged an investment from A.C.
“Mike” Markkula – who handed over a then astonishing $92,000 and set up a $250,000 line of credit for the young company.
Armed with this financial backing and some new professional support in CEO Michael “Scotty” Scott came onboard, work on the Apple II began quickly in 1977.
When released, it came equipped with a faster microprocessor for optimal performance, audio amplifier and speaker inputs alongside gaming joystick capabilities.
Its sleek design made things even more impressive so far as personal computers went; it was smaller than other models on the market and produced no industrial-style sound when turned on.
The Apple Dream Shatters: Steve Jobs’S Early Struggles At Technology Superpower
The career of Steve Jobs in the late 1970s was marked by successes and failures.
When Apple went public in 1980, Jobs’ shares made him worth $256 million.
But he also alienated many, especially those who contributed to his success such as Bill Fernandez and Daniel Kottke.
Unfortunately, the product launches of Apple which followed showed that even the creative genius of Steve Jobs could not always get it right.
In 1980 it released the Apple III with an exorbitant price tag and terrible overheating problems.
Next came the Lisa computer designed for businesses in 1983 but unsuitable for individual users; a critical mistake on Jobs’ part as he wanted this product to be more user-friendly.
To add to these issues, the Macintosh was introduced in 1984 with beautiful graphics but its performance lacked power, meaning sales numbers couldn’t reach targets set out by Jpbs
With all these consecutive product flops, it resulted in a forced exile for Steve Jobs from his own company.
He then tried to have John Sculley fired, CEO at the time, however failed due to lack of support from Apple’s board and was then faced with having to walk away himself.
Nevertheless, this didn’t put a stop to Job’s ambition as he was determined than ever to come up with something new and revolutionary after being faced with a bitter disappointment at Apple.
Jobs’S Driven Vision Leads Him To Failure At Next, Success At Pixar And A Return To Apple
When Jobs left Apple in 1985, he was determined to pursue his tech revolution.
So he established NeXT Computer Company with the intention of creating a computer that caters to the needs of universities and academic professionals.
Unfortunately, when it was released in 1988, the retail cost was an eye-watering $6,500, with a total cost for full functionality even higher at $10,000!
This is an example of Jobs’ tendency to let his focus on innovation blind him from accounting for certain trade-offs, such as choosing an optical disk drive instead of traditional hard drive due to its capacity and option for removal; while it did provide some benefits, accessing information off an optical disk was incredibly slow and a removable drive wasn’t really necessary.
His endeavors following his departure from Apple weren’t entirely unsuccessful though; he had gained majority ownership of Pixar and worked with them on developing software that manipulates 3D images.
It’s ultimately this experience with Pixar that would eventually lead him back to Apple where revolutionizing technology would become successsful once again.
How Toy Story Revived Steve Jobs And Solidified Bill Gates’ Dominance In The Tech Industry
In the early 1990s, Microsoft dominated the computer industry with its operating system, Windows.
Bill Gates had become a tech superstar and his software was becoming the industry standard for almost every personal computer that wasn’t produced by Apple or NeXT – the two companies belonging to Steve Jobs.
Jobs’ efforts were floating dangerously in the wrong direction and it seemed impossible that he would be able to revive either of his companies.
However, when Pixar’s first animated film ‘Toy Story’ came out in 1995 and was received with critical acclaim, it provided Jobs with a glimmer of hope.
His 80 percent shareholding in Pixar also made him an overnight billionaire.
The success at Pixar reinvigorated Steve Jobs and gave him renewed confidence.
He thanks Pixar’s creative masterminds—John Lasseter and Ed Catmull—for showing him how good management works; giving employees freedom to create without micromanagement.
This new found confidence was what ultimately revived his standing in the industry, as well as Apple and NeXT.
How Steve Jobs Saved Apple From Financial Disaster
When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, the company desperately needed a lifeline.
The computer-industry leader had been struggling immensely.
Their no promising products were in their pipeline and their operating system was woefully outdated.
Beyond that, Apple had too many employees for them to afford – resulting in a $750 million loss in the first quarter alone!
Jobs was determined to restore this company back to its former glory.
So he made a radical move – by forcing out Chief Executive Officer Gil Amelio who he deemed “a bozo” – he convinced Apple’s board of directors to give him another chance as CEO.
From there, Jobs got straight to work devising an ambitious plan that would revolutionize the tech industry: Developing groundbreaking products like the iMac and Power Mac.
After years of troubleshooting and innovation, it was these technological marvels that brought Apple back into the black and propelled them out of their downward spiral.
Thanks to Steve’s vision, hard work and dedication, today Apple is one of the most successful tech companies in history!
How Steve Jobs Turned Apple Into A Successful Business Through Focus, Innovation And Tenacity
The development of iTunes and the iPod marked a turning point for Apple – it allowed them to rebuild their company from the inside out.
They began by trimming down their business, laying off thousands of employees but also inspiring those who remained to create an incredible lineup of products.
Instead of producing a ton of different models, Jobs implemented a strategy that focused solely on four basic products.
Then, in 2001, Apple released iTunes; an incredibly successful software which allowed users to easily manage digital music archives and put together personal playlists.
The launch was swiftly followed by the even more successful iPod in 2003 – a truly usable MP3 player with an intuitive user interface and thumb-wheel controls.
Customers everywhere fell in love with the device, leading to huge sales numbers that only kept on rising.
Then came 2003 when Apple built an iTunes music store into the software and opened up iTunes for Windows users as well, giving people access to fairly priced albums and singles instead of risking downloading illegally.
All these changes enabled Apple to completely enter the mass market and embark successfully on their journey back up after near bankruptcy
How Steve Jobs’ Near-Death Experience Gave Birth To The Iphone
Even when Steve Jobs was dealing with cancer, Apple didn’t miss a beat.
His diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor in 2003 was initially scary but it turned out to be slow-growing and more treatable than first thought.
He opted for an augmented diet over surgery – until he had no other options and finally went through the invasive operation in 2004.
The good news is that while Jobs was fighting his cancer, Apple experienced rapid growth.
Sales from iTunes and iPod kept surging and they already made up 19% of Apple’s total sales by 2004.
That year, 4.4 million iPods were sold making $276 million in net income – quite a dramatic jump from the $69 million of the previous year!
Apple also upgraded their product line, released a new internet browser (Safari) and application (GarageBand), all during the same two years that Jobs was away for much of it due to his illness and the subsequent operation.
When he finally came back to the office, Steve Jobs returned with a vengeance – ready to create something amazing: The iPhone!
The Iphone Revolutionizes The Way We Communicate Through Revolutionary Touchscreen And App Technology
When the iPhone hit shelves in 2007, it changed technology forever – in ways that no one had seen before.
Its full-sized touch screen enabled users to make a call with just the swipe of a finger and view full-featured websites, photos and videos on the device’s larger screen.
Plus, it didn’t have the massive physical keyboard that many of its contemporaries relied on, instead having keys that only displayed when necessary.
Apple had already been tinkering with touch screen technology since 2002 for different purposes, but it was the release of their multi-touch project for mobile devices that truly revolutionized technology.
Uniting both a computer, phone and iPod into one product made it incredibly desirable and popular as well as combining user experience that was both fun and efficient.
However, this wasn’t without its original problems; when released Apple did not allow outside developers to build applications – essentially limiting what you could do with the phone itself – this changed in November 2007 when they revealed their intention to release a software development kit which exploded its capabilities further than ever before and allowed users to utilize apps developed by third parties to customize their iPhones use even further.
Steve Jobs: Faithfully Leading The Way To Innovation And Success Even Through Adversity
Before his untimely death in 2011, Steve Jobs was able to finish two incredible accomplishments with Apple: the MacBook Air and the iPad.
The MacBook Air was released in 2008 and amazed fans with its thin design, making it “the computer equivalent of a supermodel.”
The revolutionizing iPad was released just two years later in 2010.
Wowing consumers, Jobs showcased its capabilities while sitting on a couch – easily demonstrating just how user-friendly it was.
It offered a more intimate computing experience than laptops and brought computers into people’s living rooms with ease.
Jobs’ dedication and hard work allowed him to finish these two products even as his health deteriorated; he received a liver transplant in 2009 but it wasn’t enough to save him.
We can look back fondly now knowing that even though Jobs passed away, he left us with two terrific products as part of his lasting legacy.
Wrap Up
The Becoming Steve Jobs book provides a comprehensive look at the life and accomplishments of tech pioneer Steve Jobs.
It goes to great lengths to illustrate how, despite being impulsive and difficult, Jobs was driven by his dreams and showcased an unprecedented innovation that inspired millions around the world.
The key message in this book is that no matter what obstacles Steve Jobs faced, he always found success.
His remarkable vision for computers at an early age, resulting in Apple’s founding in his twenties, sparked exponential progress and began a revolution of modern technology as we know it today.
As a final summary, the lessons we can all take away from Steve Jobs are immense: have faith in yourself no matter the odds, take risks and never settle for anything less than greatness.
