Without Bill Gates, today’s Apple probably wouldn’t exist. Let’s go back to Aug 6th, 1997 … In 1997, Microsoft rescued one-time and future nemesis Apple with a $150 million investment that breathe new life into a struggling Silicon Alley icon.
In a remarkable feat of negotiating legerdemain, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs got the much-needed cash, in return for non-voting shares, and an assurance that Microsoft would support Office for the Mac for five years.
Microsoft would invest $150 million in Apple and also promised to continue publishing Office for Mac for another five years, which Apple badly needed to survive. Apple then was losing money, and Microsoft killing Office for Mac looked to be the final blow. On conclusion of this understanding, Apple and Microsoft announced the end of legal hostilities.
This is a story some have forgotten, some would like to forget and some who are still in a state of denial!
If Microsoft had not rescued Apple, iMac, iTunes, iPod, iPhone, iPad would probably never have happened.