15 Years Ago Today, Apple Bought NeXT

Looking in to the rear view mirror we just found out 15 years ago, Today ie On December 20, 1996 Apple announced that it would acquire NeXT. In $429 million deal Apple also bought CEO Steve Jobs back to the company he co-founded.

Apple shares worth $1.5 million went to Steve Jobs. He was deliberately not given cash for his part in the deal.

Here’s a video in which Steve Jobs interviewed just before returning to Apple.

The main purpose of the acquisition was to use NeXTSTEP as a foundation to replace the dated Mac OS instead of BeOS or the in-development Copland.

Jobs returned to Apple as a consultant in 1997 and then after the 4th of July weekend the same year became interim CEO. In 2000 Jobs took the CEO position as a permanent assignment.

Best part of the story is that Apple’s move of acquiring NeXT worked.

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