- Report this article
Amerlina Muratovic 
Amerlina Muratovic
"Stopping advertising to save money is like stopping your watch to save time." H. Ford
Published Oct 25, 2023
+ Follow
By the late 1990s, Apple was a sinking ship without a captain after Steve Jobs left in 1985. Around the same time, Jobs founded a new tech company called NeXT.
In a desperate attempt to make money, Apple began licensing macOS in 1995 so it could be installed on any computer.
Apple's board bought NeXT in late 1996 for $400 million and brought back Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The company ended the first quarter of 1997 with a loss of $708 million.
Meanwhile, Microsoft was celebrating immense success with a 98% market share in the operating system industry ( PC ).
Aware of the company's current position, Jobs left his competitive perspective and called Gates to find a solution.
Recognizing the potential for a win-win scenario, Microsoft agreed to invest a substantial $150 million in Apple, acquiring non-voting shares.
In return, Apple dropped a lawsuit against Microsoft and made Internet Explorer the default browser on its computers, increasing Microsoft's reach and influence.
Microsoft also agreed to support Office for the Mac for a generous five-year period.
Microsoft was not concerned about Apple's potential success because Apple competed primarily in the high-end computer market, which typically had lower sales volumes.
In contrast, Microsoft focused primarily on the mass market, where the company received the same license fee regardless of the retail price of a PC.
This strategic alliance formed the basis for the iconic iPod, the revolutionary iPhone and the groundbreaking iPad, and catapulted Apple back to the top.🚀
Like
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
21
20 Comments
Arpita Jena
Content Creator | Content Writer | Freelancer | HR Diploma | MBA Finance'25
10mo
- Report this comment
Absolutely, collaboration and partnerships can yield incredible results, even between companies that are typically seen as competitors. The Microsoft and Apple partnership is a prime example of how forward-thinking leaders can come together to create innovative solutions that benefit the entire industry.
1Reaction
Bharath Ram
I help Founders/CEOs/CXOs & Solopreneurs to drive more online leads & $$$ through Organic Content | Personal Branding Strategist | LinkedIn Management | Social Media Contents | Sales Expertise - Generated $50K
10mo
- Report this comment
That's an insightful story, Great share - I know Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were working together but not in a deeper scenario Thanks for sharing my friend Amerlina Muratovic
1Reaction 2Reactions
Muna Hassan
Want more Customers? Boost your visibility Online | Digital Marketing Consultant | Founder of Muna Hassan Digital
10mo
- Report this comment
It's an inspiring story of collaboration and innovation, demonstrating how even fierce competitors can find common ground to achieve remarkable success.
1Reaction 2Reactions
Shashwat Rai
I Turn PEOPLE into BRAND and BRAND into BUSINESS | Branding Strategist | Marketing Strategist | Speaker and Consultant
10mo
- Report this comment
Every time I think about Steve Jobs, I remember how he was ousted from the company in 1985. Apple died that day in September 1985 and became just another computer company and didn’t return until Steve returned to Apple.It was only Steve who saved apple and also Bill Gates because he was adamant on lending helping hands to his and his company's biggest rivals and offered a $150 million investment in exchange for shares.There's is so much to learn no Amerlina?
2Reactions 3Reactions
Talha X
Helping you secure 1-3 clients consistently from Upwork.
10mo
- Report this comment
Did you know that Microsoft saved Apple from bankruptcy? 👍 YES - I knew this remarkable story!❤️ NO - This is news to me!
2Reactions 3Reactions
See more comments
To view or add a comment, sign in
More articles by this author
No more previous content
- Why Tesla became so successful? Oct 18, 2023
No more next content
Sign in
Stay updated on your professional world
Sign in
By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.
New to LinkedIn? Join now
Insights from the community
- Computer Hardware What are the differences between HDD, SSD, and hybrid drives in terms of performance and reliability?
- Computer Maintenance How do you benchmark and compare SSD and HDD performance using reliable tools and metrics?
- Software Development How does Android OS performance on PC differ from that on mobile devices?
- Operating Systems How can you evaluate and optimize mobile operating system performance?
- Consumer Electronics You’re in the market for new computer peripherals. How can you make sure you’re getting the best value?
- Hardware Diagnostics How do you choose the best BIOS and chipset drivers for your hardware?
Others also viewed
- Will Apple (AAPL) Collapse? Daniel Jennings 1y
- This will be the year Apple pivots definitively toward services Enrique Dans 5y
- A blast from the past Guy Kawasaki 11y
- What Apple *Should* Talk About At WWDC Patrick Moorhead 8y
- From Bankruptcy to a Trillion Dollar Valuation Vivekanandhan M PMP® CISM® MCT® MVP®🎗️ 4y
- “Apple”..The Bitten Apple of Technology and a Story of 4 Decades of Excellence Yahya SAYEDOMAR, Ph.D 5y
- The role of Steve Jobs in Building Apple as a trillion dollar brand YUVA TEJA 1y
- My Best Mistake: Betting On Apple and Others—And Nearly Going Under Shai Agassi 11y
- Good Strategy/Bad Strategy, Some Quick Examples Jim Zitek 5y
Explore topics
- Sales
- Marketing
- IT Services
- Business Administration
- HR Management
- Engineering
- Soft Skills
- See All
