10 Things You Didn't Know About Apple

The Humble Beginnings of a Tech Giant

As far as companies go, few will ever achieve the status and influence that Apple has amassed over the decades. However, despite their global dominance, there are still many lesser-known facts scattered throughout Apple's history that are not as widely known as their more celebrated achievements.

1. Funded by Selling a Scientific Calculator

In the early days, Apple faced significant financial challenges just to gather the necessary funds to build their first few orders of the Apple I. Steve Jobs had to sell his Volkswagen van, while co-founder Steve Wozniak had to sell his prized Hewlett-Packard 65 scientific calculator to raise the capital. At the time, a high-end scientific calculator like the HP 65 could fetch up to $799, making it a valuable asset to help kickstart the company.

2. The Longstanding Dispute with The Beatles

Before Apple Computers was founded in 1976, the Apple brand was already being used by the legendary rock band The Beatles through their company Apple Corps. This led to a long-running legal battle between the two Apples, with the tech company eventually agreeing to pay $80,000 to the music company and licensing some of the trademarks back. It wasn't until 2010 that the two companies finally reached an agreement to allow Apple to sell The Beatles' music on iTunes.

3. The Evolution of the Apple Logo

The iconic Apple logo we know today, with its simple silhouette of a bitten apple, wasn't the company's original branding. In the first year of its existence, Apple's logo featured an illustration of Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree. It wasn't until a year later that graphic designer Rob Janoff created the now-famous apple design, with the bite taken out to prevent it from being mistaken for a cherry.

4. The Mysterious "John Appleseed"

The name "John Appleseed" has become a recurring motif within Apple's branding and communications, with the character often appearing in software mockups and contact cards. The origins of this can be traced back to Apple investor and former CEO Mike Markkula, who used the pseudonym when writing programs for the Apple II. The name is a nod to the real-life 18th century pioneer Johnny Appleseed, who was known for his work in cultivating apple trees across America.

5. The Macintosh Almost Wasn't Called the Macintosh

When it came time to name Apple's revolutionary new computer, the Macintosh, the project was initially codenamed "Bicycle" by Steve Jobs. However, the team grew to love the "Macintosh" codename, which was inspired by Apple employee Jeff Raskin's favorite variety of apples. Jobs eventually relented and allowed the Macintosh name to stick, a decision that has become a cornerstone of Apple's branding.

6. The Surprisingly High Prices of Early Apple Products

While Apple is known today for its premium pricing, this trend actually dates back to the company's earliest days. The original Apple I computer, when adjusted for inflation, would have cost more than a modern-day MacBook Air or 17-inch MacBook Pro. The company even intentionally priced the Apple I at $666.66, a decision driven by co-founder Steve Wozniak's fondness for repeating digits.

7. The Hidden Easter Eggs in Apple Products

Apple has a history of incorporating fun, hidden features and Easter eggs into their products. One notable example is the original iPod, which included a secret Breakout game that could be accessed by pressing the right buttons in the menu. This was a nod to the classic Atari game that was co-developed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak during their time at Atari.

8. The Significance of 9:41

If you've ever noticed that the time displayed on iPhones in Apple's promotional images is consistently set to 9:41, there's a reason for that. When the original iPhone was unveiled in 2007, Steve Jobs took the stage to present it at around 9:41 AM. Ever since then, Apple has made a point of setting the time in their product images to 9:41, a subtle nod to the moment the iPhone was first revealed to the world.

9. Apple's Odd and Unsuccessful Product Experiments

While Apple is renowned for its innovative and successful products, the company has also had its fair share of odd and unsuccessful experiments over the years. These include the Pippin gaming console, the 10th Anniversary Macintosh (a high-end Mac Pro delivered by limousine), the QuickTake digital camera, and even an Apple-branded clothing line called the "Apple Collection".

10. Apple Was Founded on April Fool's Day

Perhaps the most surprising fact about Apple is that the company was founded on April 1, 1976, the same day as the annual April Fool's Day celebration. While the company wasn't officially incorporated until January 1977, the original founding date of April 1, 1976, in Steve Jobs' garage, marks the true birth of the tech giant we know today.