Apple at 50: Tim Cook pens 'thank you' note ahead of 1 April anniversary— 'world is moved forward by people who…'

Apple Inc on Thursday (local time) announced that it will mark the company's 50th anniversary on 1 April, celebrating five decades of thinking differently and the innovations that “have helped shape the way people connect, create, learn, and experience the world.”

Earlier in the day, Apple's Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook penned a note ahead of the anniversary, reflecting on the company's journey in the last five decades. In his note, Cook recalled how the company started in just a small garage, with the notion that “technology should be personal”.

According to a press release, Apple said that in the upcoming weeks, the tech giant, along with its global community, will mark its 50th anniversary and celebrate the creativity, innovation, and influence made possible by people across the world who use Apple's technology.

Tim Cook pens a note

Recalling Apple's journey, Cook noted that the tech giant has introduced products that have reshaped technology, from its early computer and the Mac to devices such as iPod, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and AirPods. He added that along with this wide range of products, Apple's services such as the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV have also become part of people's everyday lives.

"Through every breakthrough, one idea has guided us — that the world is moved forward by people who think differently," said Cook.

Apple challenges what is possible

He further went on to say that Apple's goal in the last five decades has been to challenge what is possible and introduce powerful tools for people. At the heart of it all has been a belief that progress is driven by individuals who dare to think differently.

Cook noted that real change often begins with someone who imagines a new possibility, whether it is an inventor, a scientist, a student, or a storyteller, and added that this spirit of curiosity has shaped the company from its initial days.

While Apple remains focused on building the future rather than looking back, this milestone is an opportunity to express gratitude to everyone who has played a role in the journey, from employees across the world and the global developer community to the millions of customers who use its products every day, Cook said.

Ending his note, Cook said, "If you’ve taught us anything, it’s that the people crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do."

Apple's history

According to a CBS News report, over 2.5 billion people, a population bigger than China and India, now own Apple products. However, it all started on a sidewalk near Cupertino in California in 1971, when Steve Wozniak met Steve Jobs. Reflecting on that moment, Wozniak later said no one could have predicted that the encounter would eventually lead to the creation of a major technology company.

By 1975, computers were still unfamiliar to most people. Around that time, Wozniak built an early machine that was essentially a simple circuit board. Jobs soon suggested that they should try to sell it. Laughing about the moment later, Wozniak said Jobs was determined to create a company, while he provided the technical expertise.