Apple has managed to regain ground lost to Microsoft since the launch of personal computers (PCs) in the mid-1980s. In the early 1980s, one of Apple’s geeks decided to leave the company and started his own. The geek who left was Bill Gates. Bill Gates believed in open technology, which allowed his computer systems to be compatible with programs developed by third parties. That ushered in the technological revolution that has rocked the world since the early 1990s when the Internet was first launched for public consumption. As PC users swelled by the millions, Apple watched from the corners, unable to stop the rise of a behemoth called Microsoft.

It’s 2009, and while Microsoft still dominates the PC markets, Apple has managed to make a comeback.

Apple is now the symbol of style, reliability and freshness.

Apple’s comeback

Millions of consumers around the world now own an Apple product and it’s not a personal computer. It was obvious to Apple that trying to compete with mighty Microsoft for PC supremacy was not working. And in 2001, Apple’s strategy was redesigned to introduce a new product where the market was not well defined. The portable music player was the bet and in 2001 the first iPod was born.

The birth of the iPod

With only a 5 GB hard drive, Apple introduces the first iPod that sold for $399.00

The market strategy changed from marketing personal computers to how cool it is to have your “Complete CD Library with you all the time,” Steve Jobs (Apple’s CEO) told reporters at a press conference in 2001. While the iPod hits stores in November 2001, Apple sells 125,000 iPods during the holiday season. And while Apple was first seen as a potential threat to digital media products like music, with its “Rip, Mix, Burn” slogan, Steve Jobs assured the music giants that the iPod won’t break any laws because it was developed to “legally acquire music” and added, “you have the right to manage it on all other devices you own”

During the Mac Expoworld Expo, Jobs points out that Apple has sold more than 600,000 iPods in the 14 months since its launch. In April 2003, Apple added a four-button solid-state trackwheel to the device. In January 2004, Apple increased the number of iPods available to the public by introducing an entirely new line of “mini” iPods. The new iPods were the size of business cards with a 4GB storage capacity that retailed for $299 and included multiple colors like gold, blue, pink and green.

By the end of 2005, iPods were the most popular product in Apple’s lineup. And all of this was happening when the hard drive was still in place (this means the device had a slower response). In August 2006, Creative and Apple met in court. Creative and Apple exchange lawsuits in court claiming that they have both violated patents, Apple and Creative settle their disputes when Apple agrees to pay a $100 million settlement. Creative agrees to start manufacturing accessories for Apple’s iPod.

Microsoft strikes back at Apple with the Zune

Ironically, it was Microsoft’s turn to sit in the corner and watch Apple’s popularity grow faster than anyone anticipated. On November 14, 2006, Microsoft released its own MP3 player; The Zune. The long-awaited MP3 war between Microsoft and Apple had begun. Microsoft’s new MP3 player called the Zune sported an attractive 30-gigabyte storage capacity, FM radio, and a 3-inch screen, and its controls consisted of a circular shape below the 3-inch screen with four buttons (much like the iPod). ). The price was $249.95 at launch and millions upon thousands of Microsoft-loving fans thought Microsoft had an answer for the mainstream iPod. It wasn’t long after the Zune’s release date that consumers began to realize that the Zune couldn’t compete with the mighty iPod-iPhone combo. A year after its launch, the Zune began experiencing technical problems that doomed its sales. News about software problems flowed through the Internet like water in a river. Sales began to decline, and yet the iPod remained strong.

Apple and cellular technology: a rocky road

Apple’s ever-changing creative team joined forces with Motorola on December 16, 2004, and together they came up with a new device that allowed consumers to make phone calls and play music at the same time. This was the beginning of an evolutionary idea, the all-in-one idea.

At the end of September 2005, Apple and Motorola launch a cell phone under the name ROKR. Steve Jobs called this device an iPod Shuffle on his phone. In a bold statement in October 2005, Apple announces that more phones are yet to come out of production. Although the iPod was enjoying huge success at the time, Apple’s ambitious projects are focused on something much bigger than portable audio. By then, it was clear that Apple already had the idea for the iPhone, as on September 16, 2006, Apple filed for iPhone trademarks in New Zealand. And while everything seemed to be going smoothly for Apple, in September 2005, Ocean Telecom Services registered the iPhone trademark in the United States. Another battle was fought between Apple and Ocean Telecom, but this time Apple emerged victorious and the patent was granted to the Apple iPhone. Then in December 2006, Linksys which is a Cisco owned company launched a VoIP phone called Iphone. However, Cisco had owned the Iphone name since the year 2000.

Finally, on January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs announced at Macworld that Apple would release the iPhone and provided some of its capabilities as well. But just before the iPhone launch, Cisco suits Apple for the iPhone name and both corporations agree to share the iPhone name.

Amidst the turmoil of May 16, 2007, just before the launch of the iPhone, a rumor emerges that Apple will delay the release of the highly anticipated iPhone. These rumors cause Apple stock to falter and the company loses almost 4 billion in one day.

iPhone launch day

On a brilliant June 29, 2007, Apple’s iPhone debuts as a standalone cell phone and built-in iPod. The new device contained some very cool features, such as motion sensors that let you turn the iPhone on its side and it automatically moves the screen to the correct resolution, GPS, precise virtual keyboard, and a characteristic clownfish as wallpaper. Steve Jobs describes his new toy as “a complete computer that just makes phone calls.”

The only catch was Apple’s iPhone commitment to AT&T. At the time of launch, Apple’s iPhone could only be used on the AT&T network, limiting a large number of Apple-loving fans signed up to other phone networks. And while this commitment from Apple remains in place, there are some services that allow consumers to use an iPhone on other networks, such as T-Mobile.

Since 2007, Apple has retired its 2GB version of the iPhone and upgraded its original phone to a beefier, stronger device. Today’s device can now stream, download and create high-quality videos on the go and runs on a powerful 3G network that enables fast Internet connectivity.

Where is Apple going with this?

As we can imagine, Apple is not done yet. Currently, the iPhone-iPodTouch are the undisputed leaders in the MP3 player market and could very well (when Apple terminates its current engagement with AT&T) become the king of mobile technology as well.

Even though Apple has been closed to the idea of ​​allowing third-party apps to run on its proprietary hardware, those closed-minded ideas are starting to crack. In early 2008, Apple announced that it would allow third parties to develop applications for its iPhone/iPod touch.

This move by Apple is creating a huge success in the mobile gaming business, which is another feature that the iPhone/iPod takes advantage of well. iTunes (Apple’s media store) is loaded with hundreds of thousands of iPod and iPhone apps for a nominal fee.

Apple has managed to create a device that appeals to everyone. The newest iPhone currently works on a 3G wireless network and contains a large storage capacity of 32 gigabytes.

Apple challenges consumers to answer the following question; Where can you find a Mac mini computer that can fit in your hand and is capable of doing it? make phone calls, surf the Internet, carry a complete music catalog and allow you to play games? The simple answer to Apple’s question is the iPhone.