Tim Cook on 50 years of Apple: “every invention is just the beginning of a story… we’re always focused on the next thing”
Apple is 50 years old on 1 April and to mark the occasion, CEO Tim Cook has been doing some select interviews as well as writing an open letter to its users, employees and developers
Apple is 50 years old on 1 April and to mark the occasion, CEO Tim Cook has been doing some select interviews as well as writing an open letter to its users, employees and those who develop for its platforms including the iPhone.
“Apple was founded on the simple notion that technology should be personal, and that belief — radical at the time — changed everything,” starts Cook in the letter.
“We’ve spent five decades rethinking what’s possible and putting powerful tools into people’s hands. Through every breakthrough, one idea has guided us — that the world is moved forward by people who think different.
“That’s because progress always begins with someone — an inventor or scientist, a student or storyteller — who imagines a better way, a new idea, a different path. That spirit has guided Apple from the start. But it has never belonged to us alone.
“Every invention we bring into the world is just the beginning of a story. The most meaningful chapters are written by all of you — the people who use our technology to work, learn, dream, and discover.”
Jobs’ advice to Cook
In a revealing interview with the CBS Sunday Morning programme this last weekend (watch the video below), Cook talks about Steve Jobs, the legendary founder and CEO who returned to Apple in 1997 and reinvigorated the company, starting with the iMac G3 and then forged the path to the iPhone, iPad and beyond.
In particular, Cook also spoke about what Steve Jobs told him when he was about to take over as CEO: “[His] advice to me was ‘Never ask what I would do, just do the right thing.’” The quote is especially enlightening given that whenever Apple does something new – like the recent budget MacBook Neo – there are always comments on whether Jobs would have done the same thing.
Cook also spoke about how difficult it is for Apple to look back, since it is a forward-thinking company. “We don’t look back… so we’ve had to build a new muscle, honestly. It’s something we just don’t do. We’re always focused on the next thing and improving something that exists today”.
That’s a theme also reflected in the letter: “At Apple, we’re more focused on building tomorrow than remembering yesterday. But we couldn’t let this milestone pass without thanking the millions of people who make Apple what it is today — our incredible teams around the world, our developer community, and every customer who has joined us on this journey. Your ideas inspire our work.
Cook finishes the letter with a quote from Jobs himself: “So here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently,” before finishing with a line of his own: “Here’s to you.”
Apple says it will celebrate the anniversary in other ways, and don’t put it past the company to launch more products to add to the recent MacBook Neo and refreshes of its iPad Air, MacBook Air and Pro as well as the iPhone 17e.
A press note says that: “In the coming weeks, Apple and its global community will celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary, recognizing the creativity, innovation, and impact that people around the world have made possible with Apple technology.” But there are no details of what exactly that might entail… yet. Watch this space.
Dan Grabham
Editor-in-Chief 
