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Why did Steve Jobs have to return to Apple? Why didn't he make the iPhone at NeXT?
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NeXT was not doing well. Apple bought it. Microsoft also helped Apple (patent dispute) around the same time Jobs returned to Apple. To say SJ wanted his baby back is revisionist talk. It was Apple who booted him out. And the Apple II was the only product that was commercially successful pre-iMac era. The first Mac was a flop which led to SJ being ousted. The Apple II is Wozniak's baby. Then the iMac got the ball rolling. Then iPod/iTunes. Then iPhone. Then iPad. In a way, the original Apple died a long time ago. The current Apple is the evolution of NeXT. Apple lives and dies by software now. NeXT was much better at software and SJ was never a technical guy. The Woz was that guy. Thanks to OSX and iOS, Apple would not be where they are today. And iTunes was huge for them. Perhaps moreso than iPod which was just an mp3 player with greater storage. It was iTunes that locked many users to their ecosystem which spawned the App Store which brought in more consumers.
Don't know. Wait, I'll ask him
What? He passed away on October 2011, you can't ask him!
You didn't know?
What? He passed away on October 2011, you can't ask him!
You didn't know?
Wait he is not alive...how does apple still exist?
What? He passed away on October 2011, you can't ask him!
You didn't know?
"Why did Steve Jobs have to return to Apple? Why didn't he make the iPhone at NeXT?"
Of course I did. Evidently you did not, and that is why you posted those words above asking us about something only Steve Jobs could possibly answer.
I think that foremost Steve just wanted to be with Apple, and he wanted to be a part of Apple's rise to glory.
Secondly, I think that Steve knew, even back then, that there was no room for NeXT. When it comes to both computers and high profile portable devices, there can only be so many companies that are going to actually make a killing. Microsoft and Apple don't really compete with other operating systems on the computer level. Apple and Google aren't really competing with other mobile platforms. Even from a hardware angle, when it comes to mobile it is basically Apple and Samsung. As big as HTC and LG are, they don't represent any kind of serious threat to Apple or Samsung- those are the two big guns right now.
I think that Steve's visions would have drowned at NeXT. As niche as Apple was back then, they were infinitely more popular than NeXT ever was.
Secondly, I think that Steve knew, even back then, that there was no room for NeXT. When it comes to both computers and high profile portable devices, there can only be so many companies that are going to actually make a killing. Microsoft and Apple don't really compete with other operating systems on the computer level. Apple and Google aren't really competing with other mobile platforms. Even from a hardware angle, when it comes to mobile it is basically Apple and Samsung. As big as HTC and LG are, they don't represent any kind of serious threat to Apple or Samsung- those are the two big guns right now.
I think that Steve's visions would have drowned at NeXT. As niche as Apple was back then, they were infinitely more popular than NeXT ever was.
Why would you think that NeXT would have been ideal? They produced high end workstations and were acquired in 1996. The iPhone wasn't released until over a decade later. You might as well ask why any other nonexistent company didn't produce whatever product you want to discuss.
I might like to point out even SJ said him being fired was a good thing for the company. Jobs would of killed Apple and it forced him to grow up a lot.
It is slightly ironic that Apple WAS producing a device like that at the time - The Newton. Beyond the poor performance and fragmentation of the device, Jobs really killed it because Sculley had developed it. I think it would be hard to argue that the Newton didn't directly lead to the iPhone/iPad line.
I don't think, nor do I suspect that a majority of people think he did all of that himself, but what he did do, was what no one else at that time could, he pushed, pulled, reality distorted the contacts and people needed to make the first iPhone happen. Did you know that none of the carriers wanted to carry the iPhone because of how it seemed to lock them out of the profits on the device? He had to practically beg and wheedle Sprint to carry it. I am doubtful that anyone else on the team had the experience and presence to carry every little detail off that was needed for it to all come together. Even things like managing the teams and QC etc.
No. He really couldn't Microsoft wasn't about to infuse a non-voting investment into NeXT. NeXT wouldn't have made it from purchase to 2007.