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The top 17 facts about Apple founder Steve Jobs

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9 min read
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  • In this article, you'll discover 17 surprising facts about Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc.
  • Learn about Jobs' personal life, from being adopted as a baby to almost becoming a Buddhist monk.
  • Explore his career journey, from founding Apple Inc. to being fired and starting NeXT Computer Inc.
  • Find out about Jobs' contributions to the technology industry and his philanthropic efforts.
  • Learn about his health struggles and his legacy after his passing in 2011.



Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc., is widely known for his contributions to the technology industry. But how much do you know about his personal life and career? Here are the top 17 facts about Steve Jobs that will inspire and surprise you.

Steve Jobs in front of a pink backgroundImage credit: Inc. Magazine
  1. Jobs was adopted as a baby. He was born on February 24, 1955, to Abdulfattah Jandali and Joanne Schieble, who were not married. Schieble put Jobs up for adoption, and he was later adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs.
  2. Jobs almost became a Buddhist monk. In 1974, he traveled to India to seek spiritual enlightenment at the Neem Karoli ashram. When he learned that Neem Karoli had passed away, he went to the ashram of Haidakhan Babaji, where he spent seven months.
  3. Jobs was a college dropout. He enrolled at Reed College in 1972 but dropped out after one semester, telling his parents that he did not want to waste their money on an education that was meaningless to him.
  4. Jobs founded Apple Inc. in 1976. Along with Steve Wozniak, he created the first Apple computer in March 1976, and by April 1, they set up Apple Computer Company as a business partnership.
  5. Steve Jobs young vs Steve Jobs in 2010Image credit: MacRumors
  6. The name "Apple" came from Jobs' time on the All One Farm commune in Oregon. He spent a lot of time in the apple orchard and decided that should be the company name.
  7. Jobs named an Apple computer after his daughter, Lisa. He denied publicly that he named the system after his daughter, but in later years, he admitted that the project was named after her.
  8. Jobs married one of his students. He met Laurene Powell during a lecture he was giving at Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1989. They married in 1991 and had three children together.
  9. Jobs' biological sister is author Mona Simpson. He met Simpson when he was 27 years old, and her first book, "Anywhere But Here," was about her relationship with her parents, Jobs' biological family.
  10. Jobs was a pescatarian. He became a pescatarian in his 20s and followed a strict diet that included fish, fruits, and vegetables.
  11. Jobs was notoriously difficult to work with. He was known for his perfectionism and had a reputation for being harsh with employees who did not meet his high standards.
  12. Steve Jobs in front of the Lisa personal computerImage credit: Inc. Magazine
  13. Jobs was fired from Apple Inc. in 1985. After a power struggle with the company's board of directors, he was ousted from the company he co-founded.
  14. Jobs founded NeXT Computer Inc. after leaving Apple. NeXT was a computer company that was eventually acquired by Apple in 1996, paving the way for Jobs' return to the company.
  15. Jobs was a major investor in Pixar Animation Studios. In 1986, he invested in the Graphics Group, which later became Pixar Animation Studios. He became the company's CEO in 1995.
  16. Jobs' contributions to the technology industry were recognized with numerous awards. He received the National Medal of Technology in 1985, the Jefferson Award for Public Service in 1987, and was inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2007.
  17. Jobs was a major philanthropist. He donated millions of dollars to charity and established the Steven P. Jobs Foundation, which supports education and social justice initiatives.
  18. Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003. He underwent a liver transplant in 2009 but continued to work until shortly before his death.
  19. Jobs passed away on October 5, 2011, at the age of 56.
Steve Jobs in front of a blue/green backgroundImage credit: Inc. Magazine




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