The world has changed quite a bit since Apple Computer was founded by Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs in a Silicon Valley garage in 1976. Since then, computers, phones, and the internet have radically transformed when, where, and how we work and play in the office or at home.
Who would’ve known, back then, the incredible footprint that two friends would leave on the consumer electronics landscape? Imagine a world where these two didn’t meet? It’s an impossible thing to even contemplate.
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Jobs and Woz built and marketed the first personal computer that generated color graphics, known as the Apple II. They took their design and debuted it at the West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco on April 16–17, 1977, where it became a hit because of its open architecture that allowed for expansion and third-party development. Cue the song “Roll with the Changes” by REO Speedwagon was featured in the 2013 biographical film
Jobs, starring Ashton Kutcher as Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.
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Although the two didn’t stay together forever, they remained in touch over the years. Jobs would eventually go on to become the showman and the mastermind behind revolutionary products such as the iPod, iPhone and iPad. Woz would stay on at Apple until late 1981, but his genius for the wizardry with the codes and motherboards remains legendary. Wozniak has remained, officially, an Apple employee to this day. He has gone onto to inspire countless people to achieve great heights.
Jobs would depart later in September of 1985 after a power struggle and his removal from his management duties. Eventually though he returned in 1997 as interim CEO after Apple, then in dire financial dire straits, bought Next, a computer company he started. This was the start of Apple’s amazing upswing, which continues today with the popularity of many products.
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Despite a great deal of business-related conflicts and different life paths, Wozniak has always maintained that they were friends and that he had forgiven Jobs for their past issues. I’m not saying everything was always roses between the two, but it’s been slightly overblown, in my humble opinion, over the years.
In a recent interview at ABC, Woz said that in the early days of their friendship, they had listened to records at his house and gone together to Bob Dylan concerts. And although he says there was never any tension between him and Jobs, “not right to the end of life,” long ago they had stopped being close.
“The day we started Apple he changed.” Woz said. “He changed his personality forever because he now was a founder of a company that had money. He wanted so strongly to find the way to be an important person in the world.” Woz continued. “He became very serious, and would always speak as though he was the one on top of running Apple. That was good with me. I was the shy engineer who wanted to go into the laboratory and keep inventing things and building them.” He concluded.
Jobs also went on to say some nice things about Woz over the years. This is why I have always said that they’re lifelong pals despite their business differences. I don’t believe the media’s and recent film portraying their friendship.
“I met Woz when I was 13, at a friend’s garage. He was about 18. He was, like, the first person I met who knew more electronics than I did at that point. We became good friends, because we shared an interest in computers and we had a sense of humor. We pulled all kinds of pranks together.”Steve Jobs said in an interview in the early 2000’s.
Shortly after Jobs death in 2011, Wozniak said on “The Early Show” that Steve Jobs “We’ve lost something we won’t get back,” Wozniak said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.
Woz would later elaborate on the relationship and his feelings toward Jobs.
“gets a reputation for being a strong leader and for being brash. But to me he was always so kind, such a good friend,” he said.
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You see, the pranks that Jobs spoke about when he met Woz were mischievous in a way: building a so-called “blue box” that emitted tones at the right frequencies in order to trick phones into allowing users to make free calls anywhere in the world. It launched a friendship that stands the test of time.
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In the years that passed, they weren’t as close — Jobs reportedly declined to write the forward for Wozniak’s autobiography, iWoz, likely due to their complicated and strained relationship over the years.
Though they parted ways professionally, Steve Wozniak and Steven Jobs remained on good terms. Wozniak once told the BBC that he and Jobs “were friends to the end.” In a Reddit AMA, he said that the door at Apple was always open for him even after he left the company. “I could come by, Steve Jobs would always make sure I had a badge that could get me into any building,” he said. “I didn’t use it much, but I can go there. The only trouble is I’ll get mobbed.”
Their business relationship wasn’t over yet! Jobs and Woz would reunite to the public one last time in 1997, onstage at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco. The reunion provided just the jolt of life the event needed. Despite the reunion, Wozniak’s return didn’t pan out as many had hoped. Still, for Apple fans watching, it was a moment to be savored! You can see their reunion below.
Wozniak would later say that said he last seen Jobs about three before his death, when Jobs briefly emerged from a medical leave to unveil the company’s latest software and syncing service. “Jobs looked ill and sounded weak at the time.”
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Interestingly enough , Jobs told Wozniak around the time he left Apple in 1985 that he had a feeling he would die before the age of 40.
“a lot of his life was focused on trying to get things done quickly,” Wozniak said. “I think what made Apple products special was very much one person, but he left a legacy,” he also said.
You see, Steven Jobs and Steve Wozniak weren’t just co-founders — they were dreamers who took a risk and reshaped the way we live, work, and how we communicate. Their story and friendship are a reminder that bold ideas, when fueled by passion and collaboration, can truly change the world.
Jobs and Woz reamin my personal heroes to this day. I have read everything ever written about them. Seen countless hours of recording about them. They had an ability to see things others didn’t. They operated at a deeper levels. And they had the courage of conviction. They simply thought different.
“THINK DIFFERENT”
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