In his new book, Apple: The First 50 Years, David Pogue recounts an oft-told story about how Steve Jobs pushed engineers to make the iPod ever smaller. According to the tale, Jobs tossed a prototype into a fish tank; when air bubbles rose, he declared, “If there’s air bubbles in there, there’s still room. Make it smaller!” Pogue relays the anecdote to show Jobs’s perfectionism — then adds the twist: the fish-tank moment is Apple lore, not fact.
That mixture of myth and reality surrounds Apple Inc., a company whose story has spawned fan sites, films, books and even an opera. Apple (a financial supporter of NPR) has cultivated an aura of rebellion and creativity, epitomized by its 1997 “Think Different” campaign celebrating “the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels.” Tech writer Jason Snell says the mythmaking matters less than the effect: half a century after its April 1, 1976 founding, Apple still exerts a powerful cultural pull, framing itself as a force for change.
Museum curator Hansen Hsu argues that Apple’s renegade identity wasn’t only marketing. Early actions — such as flying a pirate flag at its first Cupertino headquarters — and products like the original Macintosh helped put technology into homes and studios, standing for creativity and individual expression. In the 21st century Apple kept reshaping culture and industry with devices and platforms such as the iPod, the iPhone and, crucially, the App Store. Pogue notes that the App Store helped launch entire industries and services — Uber, DoorDash, Tinder, Airbnb among them.
But with massive benefits have come consequences. Pogue points out that as smartphones and streaming made screens constant companions, screen time increases have coincided with rising feelings of isolation and depression among young people. Apple has responded publicly to concerns about device overuse; CEO Tim Cook has warned against “mindless scrolling,” saying he doesn’t want people staring at phones instead of looking into another person’s eyes.
At the same time, Apple still markets itself as a revolutionary company even as it has grown into one of the world’s most profitable corporations. That tension shows in critiques of corporate behavior: critics have seized on Cook’s willingness to engage with political leaders, including scrutiny over his relationship with former President Trump and reporting about a $1 million personal donation tied to a presidential inauguration. Cook has defended his approach as policy-focused rather than political.
Those who analyze public reaction say Apple often escapes the backlash other companies receive. Vulture critic Roxana Hadadi notes that consumers rarely mount the kind of cancellations or protests directed at rivals, suggesting Apple benefits from a “Teflon” effect that shields it from sustained criticism.
For many creators, Apple’s brand and tools remain essential. Digital artist Kyt Janae, who uses Apple hardware across projects including work on animated shows, says she understands Apple’s corporate realities but still identifies with the company’s creative promise. “I’m, like, locked in lifelong, no matter what happens,” she says — an illustration of the deep loyalty Apple continues to command.
The story of Apple at 50 is therefore twofold: a company that genuinely transformed how people create, communicate and consume media, and a brand wrapped in myth and contradictions. Its innovations have powered new economies and reshaped daily life, even as questions about cultural impact and corporate choices persist.
Jennifer Vanasco edited the audio and digital versions of this story. Chloee Weiner mixed the audio.