25 Years Ago, Apple Acquired NeXT and Brought Back Steve Jobs

[MacRumors]

This week marks the 25th anniversary of Apple announcing that it had agreed to acquire NeXT for $400 million. The stunning move brought Steve Jobs back to Apple over a decade after he left the company following an internal power struggle.

"The acquisition of NeXT is the start of a new chapter in Apple's history and represents a milestone in our transformation as a corporation," said former Apple CEO Gil Amelio, when the deal was announced December 20, 1996. "Today Apple welcomed back its most talented visionary Steve Jobs, someone who can inspire a new generation of customers and software developers and show that Apple remains the industry home for innovation and excitement."

A key reason Apple acquired NeXT was to gain access to its Unix-based NeXTSTEP operating system, which served as the foundation of Mac OS X.

"With this merger, the advanced software from NeXT will be married with Apple's very high-volume hardware platforms and marketing channels to create another breakthrough, leapfrogging existing platforms, and fueling Apple and the industry copy cats for the next ten years and beyond," said Jobs. "I still have very deep feelings for Apple, and it gives me great joy to play a role in architecting Apple's future."

Jobs initially returned to Apple as an advisor, making his first appearance at Macworld San Francisco in January 1997 to announce details of how Apple planned to incorporate NeXT technology into future releases of Mac OS. Jobs went on to replace Amelio as the company's interim CEO just nine months later, and he ended up dropping the interim title and remaining CEO until stepping down in August 2011 due to health issues.

Under the leadership of Jobs, Apple went from near bankruptcy to becoming the world's most valuable company, introducing iconic products like the iPod, iPhone, and iPad along the way. Without acquiring NeXT, Apple's fate may have been far different.

Steve Hayman, a longtime Apple and NeXT employee, reflected on the 25th anniversary of the two companies merging in a blog post earlier this week.

Article Link: 25 Years Ago, Apple Acquired NeXT and Brought Back Steve Jobs

 

[Realityck]

The most important change for the good of Apple occurred. Unix-based NeXTSTEP became the basis of MacOS and Steve Jobs returned to steer the company back to being a technology marketplace leader.

 

[zoomp]

I remember reading about this and feeling like it was the wrong move. BeOS seemed a better fit.

Apparently, I was wrong.

 

[macsplusmacs]

???? Long Live Apple! ????

 

[dmr727]

I remember those years - I was in college at the time and Apple certainly seemed to be a rudderless ship. It was a massive change in direction - and in hindsight a great move - but a lot of folks didn't think Apple would survive.

Oh how fortunes have changed!

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Long live. How time flies. This is iconic history over here.

 

[JMacHack]

I’m amazed at not only the fundamental way Jobs transformed Apple, but CEO culture as well.

It seems to me that it’s in vogue to be in the Jobsian mold. To be seen as a “visionary” rather than a bureaucrat. I think it’s safe to say that Jobs “made a dent in the universe.”

Also, inb4 Tim Cook haters. Tim’s a good CEO.

 

[frenchcamp49er]

Best thing any company has ever done.

 

[daanodinot]

One of the greatest decisions in the history of business.

 

[julesme]

This heralded what is arguably the greatest turnaround in the history of American business.

 

[macsplusmacs]

I remember reading about this and feeling like it was the wrong move. BeOS seemed a better fit.

Apparently, I was wrong.

at the time, I would say BeOS would have been a great choice.

The problem with BeOS was that it did not come bundled with Steve Jobs 2.0

 

[dannyyankou]

Gil Amelio doesn't get enough credit for saving Apple.

 

[emmab2006]

Imagine an WHAT IF episode about Steve jobs never returning to Apple…

 

[daanodinot]

Interesting read: https://tidbits.com/1997/01/06/the-next-thing-for-apple/

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Your legacy will live forever Steve! RIP. We miss you every day. You changed the WORLD! 🌎

 

[TrapDoorSpider]

And it was the best decision ever.

 

[ChromeAce]

The decision to acquire NeXT as Apple was on the verge of bankruptcy was the single most important and lucrative move any company has ever made in the history of capitalism. Gil Amelio as such was Apple’s greatest CEO by far, enabling all the incredible record-breaking successes that followed.

 

[JMacHack]

Imagine an WHAT IF episode about Steve jobs never returning to Apple…

Immediate changes:
Microsoft gets broken up (remember they gave Apple money to have a competitor), into Windows and IE divisions.

“The Mac” continues for awhile, possibly with the IP of Apple being gobbled up by another buyer. The landscape remains fractured with different companies making Mac Clones. But it eventually dies out since there’s no AIM alliance and Motorola cannot compete with Intel.

Mac marketshare was basically hobbyists and Desktop publishing, which would probably go windows or have Quark and Adobe fold.

PCs would probably stagnate in design, firewire wouldn’t take off, and USB might never get off the ground.

Further than that and the world as we know it would be completely Alien.

 

[44267547]

Imagine an WHAT IF episode about Steve jobs never returning to Apple…

……Which likely means, Tim Cook would have never been appointed CEO. Imagine who would be in charge of Apples standing today.

Side note:

I’m glad it worked for Tim Cook is in charge today based off Steve’s decision, there was no one else better fit for Apple than him. Jobs was a visionary, he knew Cook would be the most suitable successor.

 

[Morod]

Certainly the best thing Amelio ever did, while at Apple or not.

 

[KevMo7dFo]

Great things happen when Apple brings things back.

 

[BeefCake 15]

Is the code base still there as they transitioned through the years with the OS?

 

[God of Biscuits]

I remember reading about this and feeling like it was the wrong move. BeOS seemed a better fit.

Apparently, I was wrong.

I was rooting for BeOS at the beginning as well, but after seeing NeXTSTEP/OPENSTEP, BeOS wasn't even *close* in power and polish. The programming tools and language weren't close. Nearly everything was better from NeXT.

 

[God of Biscuits]

Gil Amelio doesn't get enough credit for saving Apple.

He gets the appropriate amount. He was obvi clueless about what he was inviting into the henhouse.

 

[psac]

Immediate changes:
Microsoft gets broken up (remember they gave Apple money to have a competitor), into Windows and IE divisions.

“The Mac” continues for awhile, possibly with the IP of Apple being gobbled up by another buyer. The landscape remains fractured with different companies making Mac Clones. But it eventually dies out since there’s no AIM alliance and Motorola cannot compete with Intel.

Mac marketshare was basically hobbyists and Desktop publishing, which would probably go windows or have Quark and Adobe fold.

PCs would probably stagnate in design, firewire wouldn’t take off, and USB might never get off the ground.

Further than that and the world as we know it would be completely Alien.

You didn't mention the phones. I would think if anything, Blackberries, Sidekicks, and other phones with physical keyboards would still be a thing now.