Fact 1: How the Name "Apple" Came to Be
Apple, one of the most iconic and successful tech companies, was named quite randomly. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were trying to decide on a name for their new venture and couldn't settle on any. As a last resort, Steve Jobs suggested 'Apple' - a fruit he had been eating earlier in the day. If they couldn't think of anything better by the end of the day, they would stick with Apple. Interestingly, they couldn't, and thus, one of the greatest tech giants was named after a fruit!
Fact 2: Apple's First Logo Wasn't an Apple
When you think Apple, you instantly visualize its iconic bitten apple logo; but this wasn’t the company's original branding. Apple’s first logo was an intricate drawing of Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree, designed by Ron Wayne. A year later, it was changed to the simple and slick apple design because Steve Jobs agreed that the initial logo was too complicated.
Fact 3: Apple's Situation During 1997
Believe it or not, Apple was on the brink of bankruptcy in 1997. It only managed to bounce back because of a $150 million investment from their rival, Microsoft. Since then, the company has grown exponentially and now has a net worth greater than the GDP of many countries.
Fact 4: Apple's Iconic "1984" Commercial
Apple’s groundbreaking “1984” Super Bowl commercial, introducing the Macintosh, only aired once. Nevertheless, it made a significant impact and was once named the greatest commercial of all time by TV Guide.
Fact 5: Smoking near Apple Computers Void the Warranty!
As bizarre as it sounds, if you smoke while using an Apple computer, your warranty is void. Apple considers it a biohazard to have their technicians exposed to the inside of a computer where smoke particles have settled.
Fact 6: Apple's Employees Secrecy
Apple is a company known for its secrecy. The company even has an induction boot camp called Apple University, where employees are taught the ways and culture of Apple, including confidentiality practices. Such is the secrecy that some departments don’t even talk to each other about projects they are working on.
Fact 7: The Most Expensive iPhone
The most expensive iPhone isn't one of Apple's latest models, but a customized version of the iPhone 4 called the 'iPhone 4 Diamond Rose Edition', by Stuart Hughes. The device, costing about $8 million, is made of rose gold, boasts hundreds of diamonds totaling more than 100 carats, and the home button is one rare 7.4-carat pink diamond.
Fact 8: Apple's Sweatshop Controversy
Unfortunately, Apple has also faced some controversy. It was revealed that the giant was using China's factories, where workers were subject to poor treatment and working conditions to produce iPhones.
Fact 9: Apple vs. NYC
Apple once filed a lawsuit against the city of New York, attempting to stop them from using a logo for their 'GreeNYC' environmental initiative since it resembled their own. Unfortunately, the court did not rule in their favor.
Fact 10: Apple's iPhone Profits
The iPhone is Apple's most profitable product. As of 2020, over 2.2 billion iPhones had been sold worldwide. The revenue from these sales accounted for over 60% of Apple’s total income.
Fact 11: The Code Name for the Macintosh Project
The original Macintosh project was code-named 'Macintosh' after the popular 'McIntosh' apple. The spelling was slightly altered for copyright reasons.
Fact 12: Steve Jobs' Salary
Steve Jobs, the co-founder, and CEO of Apple, took a $1 annual salary for much of his reign. However, it is worth noting that he had a stake in the company's stock, which was worth billions.
Fact 13: Apple III: A Self-Destruction Feature?
When the Apple III was released in 1980, it had a serious design flaw—it didn’t have a cooling fan or vents. Jobs wanted a computer that was silent, but this led to heat building up and causing the chips to unseat and destroy the computer.
Fact 14: The First Apple Retail Store
Apple opened its first two retail stores in 2001. On the very first day, the stores saw nearly 8,000 people and sold $599,000 worth of merchandise.
Fact 15: The Silence of an Apple's Operation
Apple has designed its physical stores for maximum quietness. The tables are even made of wood to reduce noise, providing a soothing, serene environment compared to the typically loud tech retailers.
Fact 16: Siri's Unexpected Origins
The voice-activated assistant Siri wasn’t initially developed by Apple but bought from a startup of the same name in 2010. 'Siri' means "beautiful woman who leads you to victory" in Norwegian.
Fact 17: Apple's Custom Typeface
Apple created its own typeface, San Francisco, in 2015. It’s the official system font for all Apple devices.
Fact 18: Apple Trade-In Program’s Environmental Awareness
To combat electronic waste, Apple has a Trade-In program that lets you exchange your old Apple devices for store credit, or Apple Gift Cards. If the device isn’t eligible for credit, they’ll recycle it for free, emphasizing their commitment to environmental sustainability.
Fact 19: The iPhone: Almost 'iPad' or 'Telepod'?
Before settling on the name 'iPhone', Apple considered names like 'Telepod', 'Mobi', 'Tripod', and even 'iPad'.
Fact 20: Apple's iPhones: Strong Against Beer?
In an interesting note, Apple's devices are resistant to beer. Many tests and videos confirm that iPhones can resist beer damage to a surprising degree. Cheers to that!