Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak Founded Apple Computer in 1976

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak started Apple Computer Company on April 1, 1976, in Los Altos, California. Wozniak designed and built the first Apple computer — the Apple I — largely by himself in his garage. Jobs handled business decisions, marketing, and finding the first customers. The two met in high school through a mutual friend and discovered they shared an interest in electronics and pranks.

The Apple I was a circuit board that hobbyists could buy and assemble themselves. It sold for $666.66. The pair sold about 50 units before moving on to the Apple II, which Wozniak also designed. The Apple II, released in 1977, was the first personal computer sold as a complete, ready-to-use machine. It came in a plastic case, had a keyboard, and could connect to a monitor and cassette drive. This machine is what made Apple a real business.

Jobs and Wozniak were not the only people involved. Ronald Wayne, an engineer who worked with both men, was a third co-founder and wrote the Apple I manual. He left the company after 12 days and sold his share for $800, a decision he later called a mistake. Wayne's role is often overlooked, but he contributed to the earliest design and documentation.

Key Takeaways

  • Steve Wozniak designed the Apple I and Apple II computers; Steve Jobs handled business and marketing, and the two founded the company together in 1976.
  • Ronald Wayne was a third co-founder who wrote the Apple I manual and left the company after two weeks.
  • The Apple I was a circuit board sold to hobbyists for $666.66; the Apple II, released in 1977, was the first complete personal computer Apple sold.
  • Wozniak's technical skill and Jobs's business sense created a partnership that turned a garage project into a major computer manufacturer.

Wozniak's Role as the Technical Designer

Steve Wozniak did the engineering work that made the early Apple computers possible. He taught himself electronics as a child and was already skilled in circuit design before he met Jobs. Wozniak worked at Hewlett-Packard as an engineer and designed the Apple I in his spare time, using his own money to buy parts.

Wozniak's achievement was making a working computer from fewer chips than competitors used. He reduced the number of components, which lowered the cost and made the design elegant. He also wrote the BASIC interpreter — the programming language that came with the Apple II — so users could write their own programs without needing to understand machine code.

After the Apple II launched, Wozniak continued designing computers for the company. He worked on the Apple III and contributed to later machines, though he left Apple in 1985 to pursue other interests. His technical decisions in those early years shaped what personal computers could do and how affordable they could be.

Jobs's Role in Building the Business

Steve Jobs did not design the computers, but he made the decisions that turned Wozniak's designs into a business. Jobs convinced Wozniak to start a company instead of just selling circuit boards to friends. He found the first investor, Nolan Bushnell (founder of Atari), who gave them $50,000. Jobs also negotiated with Paul Terrell, owner of the Byte Shop computer store in Mountain View, to buy 50 Apple I computers — the first real sales order.

Jobs focused on how computers looked and felt to users, not just how they worked. He pushed for the Apple II to come in a plastic case and have a keyboard built in, rather than being a bare circuit board. He believed personal computers should be straightforward enough for anyone to use, not just engineers. This philosophy shaped Apple's products for decades.

Jobs also made the decision to hire experienced managers and engineers as Apple grew. In 1981, he brought in John Sculley from PepsiCo to be CEO, using the famous pitch: "Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to come with me and change the world?" Sculley's experience helped Apple become a larger, more organized company.

The Garage Workshop and Early Funding

The Apple I was built in Jobs's parents' garage in Los Altos, a detail that has become part of Apple's founding story. The garage was not glamorous — it was a small workspace where Wozniak soldered circuit boards and tested designs. Jobs and Wozniak worked there with Ronald Wayne and a few others, assembling computers by hand.

The company's first real funding came from Nolan Bushnell's $50,000 investment in 1976. This money allowed them to buy parts in larger quantities and hire a few employees. In 1977, before the Apple II launched, Jobs and Wozniak brought in venture capitalists Arthur Levenson and Mike Markkula. Markkula invested $250,000 and became the company's third employee and first chairman. His investment and business experience were crucial to Apple's survival and growth.

The garage phase lasted only about a year. By 1977, Apple had moved to a real office in Cupertino, California, and was hiring engineers and manufacturing staff. The garage story is memorable, but Apple became a serious company once it had real funding and space to grow.

What Made the Apple II Different from Other Computers

In the mid-1970s, most personal computers were kits that hobbyists had to assemble themselves. The Apple II, released in April 1977, was different: it came fully assembled, in a case, with a keyboard and power supply. You could plug it in and start using it when ready. This made it accessible to people who were not electronics experts.

The Apple II also had color graphics, which was rare at the time. It could display text and straightforward pictures on a color television, making it more interesting to use than machines that only showed text on a black screen. The computer had expansion slots, so users could add cards to increase memory or add new features like a printer connection.

Wozniak's design was efficient and clever. He used fewer chips than competitors, which made the computer cheaper to manufacture and more reliable. The Apple II cost $1,298 when it launched — expensive by today's standards, but less than many competitors charged. The combination of affordability, ease of use, and expandability made the Apple II successful with both hobbyists and small businesses.

How Apple Grew After the First Computers

The Apple II was a commercial success. Schools began buying them because they were affordable and could run educational software. Businesses used them for accounting and word processing. By 1980, Apple was selling thousands of computers per month and had become a real competitor to established computer makers like Commodore and Radio Shack.

In December 1980, Apple went public — the company sold shares to the public for the first time. The stock offering raised $101 million and made Jobs and Wozniak wealthy. The money allowed Apple to invest in new products, hire more engineers, and build manufacturing facilities.

Jobs and Wozniak's partnership did not last forever. Wozniak left Apple in 1985 to pursue other interests, though he remained an employee and ambassador for the company. Jobs remained CEO and continued to shape Apple's direction. The company went on to create the Macintosh, the iMac, the iPod, and the iPhone — products that defined personal computing and mobile technology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Steve Jobs actually invent the Apple computer?

No. Steve Wozniak designed and built the Apple I and Apple II computers. Jobs co-founded the company and made business decisions, but he was not an engineer. Jobs's contribution was recognizing the potential of Wozniak's designs and building a company around them.

What happened to Ronald Wayne, the third co-founder?

Ronald Wayne left Apple after 12 days and sold his share back to Jobs and Wozniak for $800. He went on to work in other fields and later said he regretted the decision. His early departure meant he did not benefit from Apple's later success.

Why was the Apple I so expensive if it was just a circuit board?

The Apple I cost $666.66 because it included all the electronic components needed to build a working computer. Buyers still had to add their own keyboard, monitor, and power supply. The price was reasonable for the time, though only hobbyists and early adopters could afford it.

How much did the Apple II cost when it came out?

The Apple II launched at $1,298 in 1977. This was expensive — equivalent to about $6,000 in today's money — but cheaper than many competing computers. The price made it accessible to small businesses and schools, which helped drive its success.

Is the Apple garage still standing?

Yes. The garage where Apple was founded, located at 2066 Crist Drive in Los Altos, still exists. It is now a private residence, but it has become a landmark in the history of Silicon Valley and personal computing.