Photo via LookaNext

Apple Trivia: 25 Interesting Facts About Apple You Didn't Know

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Few companies have impacted the world like Apple Inc. From their iconic products to their game-changing innovations, the tech giant has firmly cemented its place in global culture. Everyone knows about the iPhone, but there's much more to Apple's fascinating history. Did you know that Apple’s origin story involves selling calculators? Or that the company was once nearly bankrupt?

Below, we will reveal 25 of the most surprising, little-known facts about Apple that highlight its journey from a small garage-based startup to one of the wealthiest corporations on the planet.

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1. The Name "Apple" Has Humble Origins
   The mystery behind Apple’s name isn’t as deep as some fans might think. Steve Jobs came up with it after a trip to an apple orchard. He simply liked the fruit, and since it sounded "fun, spirited, and not intimidating," it became the company’s name.
Photo via Tailor Brands // The history of Apple's iconic logo, from 1976 until 2017. Apple's logo has remained unchanged since 2017.
2. Ronald Wayne's Costly Exit
   Apple originally had three co-founders: Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. Wayne left the company just 12 days after its founding, selling his 10% stake for $800. Had he stayed, his shares would be worth over $60 billion today. Talk about a missed opportunity.
3. Apple's 'No Smoking' Rule
   As quirky as it sounds, Apple has a "no smoking" rule for its computers. If cigarette smoke damages your device, your warranty might be voided. Yes, seriously.
4. Apple's Employee Count Surpasses Small Cities
   Apple employs over 90,000 people worldwide, not counting the millions who earn from selling or developing for Apple products. If Apple were a city, it would be a bustling metropolis.
5. A Hidden Game on the iPod
   The original iPod had an Easter egg—if users navigated to the "About" menu and held the center button, they could unlock a game called *Breakout*, which was co-created by Jobs and Wozniak during their days at Atari.
Photo via Inc. Magazine // Steve Jobs announcing the original iPod in October 2001.
6. Apple’s Cash Reserves Are Larger Than Many Nations
   Apple has enough cash reserves to buy companies like Netflix, Tesla, or even Twitter outright. At one point, its liquid capital was double that of the U.S. Treasury.
7. The iPod Almost Wasn’t Apple’s
   Before Apple created the iPod, its inventor, Tony Fadell, pitched the idea to Sony, Real Networks, and Philips. All of them turned it down. Oops.
8. Buried Apple Computers?
   In 1983, Apple launched the failed Lisa line of computers. Legend has it that around 2,700 units are buried in a landfill in Utah. A bit of Apple history, literally underground.
Photo via Daily Mail // The Apple Lisa is now a prized piece of tech history, with a recent model being put on auction for almost USD $40,000.
9. Apple’s 2014 Revenue Shock
   In the first quarter of 2014, Apple’s earnings surpassed the combined revenue of Amazon, Google, and Facebook (Meta). Talk about dominating the tech space.
10. The Infamous $666.66 Apple I
    The Apple I originally retailed for $666.66—not for any satanic reason, but because Wozniak liked repeating digits. Apparently, the price just stuck. Only about 200 units were ever made.
Image credit: WIRED
11. Apple’s Original Logo Was Newton, Not an Apple
    The very first Apple logo wasn’t the sleek, bitten fruit we know today. Instead, it was an intricate drawing of Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree.
12. A Calculator Helped Fund Apple
    In the early days, Wozniak sold his prized HP-65 scientific calculator to fund Apple. It's hard to imagine now, but back then, calculators were so expensive they could finance a company.
13. The First Digital Color Camera
    Apple was ahead of its time when it released the QuickTake 100, the first commercially available digital color camera in 1994—years before competitors caught on.
14. iPod’s Name Was Inspired by Sci-Fi
    The name "iPod" was inspired by the iconic sci-fi film *2001: A Space Odyssey*. The line, "Open the pod bay doors, HAL," stuck with Apple’s branding team.
15. Apple Is America’s Largest Public Company
    Apple isn't just big—it's the largest publicly traded company in the U.S., with a market value hovering around the $3 trillion mark as of 2024.
16. Steve Jobs’ Iconic $1 Salary
    For over 15 years, Steve Jobs took only a $1 annual salary as CEO. His true fortune came from his shares in Apple and Pixar, rather than from a hefty paycheck.
17. Apple’s Color Scheme Changed History
    Apple's early marketing decisions had a profound effect on design trends. The original iMac, introduced in 1998, came in vibrant colors and helped make consumer electronics more aesthetically pleasing—no more beige boxes.
18. Apple Invented the "Slide to Unlock"
    That iconic "slide to unlock" feature on early iPhones? Apple holds the patent for it. This simple gesture was revolutionary in changing how we interact with touchscreens.
Photo via iClassic (via YouTube) // Remember slide to unlock? Yeah, well, Apple invented that. It was designed as a way to ensure you couldn't accidentally touch the screen and UI while it's in your pocket or not in use.
19. Apple’s Clothing Line Flop
    In 1986, Apple dabbled in fashion by launching a clothing line called "The Apple Collection." The experiment failed miserably, but at least they tried.
20. Microsoft Helped Save Apple
    In 1997, Apple was nearing bankruptcy when Microsoft made a $150 million investment in the company. Ironically, Apple’s biggest rival helped keep it alive when it was at its lowest point.
21. The iTunes Nuclear Agreement
    Buried in Apple’s iTunes End User License Agreement is a bizarre clause: you can’t use iTunes to create nuclear weapons. Just in case you were planning to.
22. Samsung’s Role in Apple’s Success
    Despite being one of Apple’s biggest rivals, Samsung manufactures many of the components used in Apple devices, including Retina displays and chips for iPhones.
23. The Mysterious 9:41 AM
    If you look at any official Apple promotional image for the iPhone, you'll notice the time is always set to 9:41 AM. This was the time Steve Jobs first revealed the iPhone in 2007.
24. Apple’s Overprotective Attitude Toward Privacy
    Apple has always been fiercely protective of user privacy. In 2016, they famously refused to unlock an iPhone for the FBI in a high-profile terrorism case, arguing it would set a dangerous precedent.
25. iPhone Sales Dominate Apple’s Revenue
    Although Apple has many products, the iPhone remains the company’s golden goose. In 2023, over half of Apple's revenue came from iPhone sales alone.

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Apple’s journey from a small-time operation started in a garage to the colossal force it is today is nothing short of remarkable. From the Apple I’s odd pricing to the futuristic naming of the iPod, the company’s history is peppered with unexpected twists and turns.

Their role in shaping modern technology can’t be overstated, and their continuous innovations, from the Apple Watch to the iPhone, ensure that Apple stays at the cutting edge of design and function. Every fact reveals a little more about the calculated brilliance, bold risks, and oddball decisions that propelled Apple to its iconic status.

So, the next time you pick up your iPhone, iPad or check the time on your Apple Watch, just remember that you’re holding a piece of history—one that was nearly snuffed out several times. Yet, against all odds, Apple remains a titan in the tech world, constantly innovating and surprising us with what’s next.

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Published to Apple Scoop on 20th September, 2024.