Apple 50th Anniversary

Apple was founded 50 years ago today, and the company has celebrated the milestone in a variety of ways over the past few weeks, as outlined below. Apple's CEO Tim Cook kicked things off by sharing a letter titled "50 Years of Thinking Different" on Apple's website. The letter touches on the 50th anniversary and says that "the world is moved forward by people who think different." "Think...

Apple's website homepage is doing its part for the company's 50th anniversary celebrations today, showcasing a special animated video that references some of Apple's most memorable products. The sketch-style animation outlines the original Mac, iMac, iPod, MacBook, AirPods, iPhone 17 Pro, and Vision Pro, as well as the Finder icon, App Store, Apple Music, and more. Beneath the video, the...

Paul McCartney performed a concert for Apple employees at Apple Park in Cupertino last night, capping the company's 50th anniversary celebrations with a career-spanning set that included songs from The Beatles, Wings, and his solo career. Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced McCartney to the crowd, calling him "a songwriter, a pioneer and one of the most influential artists of all time" and adding...

Apple was founded on April 1, 1976, meaning the company is officially 50 years old as of today. To honor the occasion, we have reflected on some of Apple's biggest moments of each decade, from the 1970s through to the 2020s. Apple has an extensive history, so this list is far from comprehensive, but it captures some of the pivotal events over the company's first 50 years. 1970s While the ...

Apple is providing employees with a special gift in honor of its 50th anniversary, which takes place on Wednesday, April 1. Employees will receive a commemorative t-shirt, enamel pin, and limited-edition poster, all of which have the scribble-style rainbow Apple logo that Apple has been using for its 50th anniversary artwork. An Apple Park sign says that products are "crafted by hand" and...

Apple has been celebrating its upcoming 50th anniversary by hosting surprise performances and other events around the world over the past few weeks, and now Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has revealed details about the company's grand finale. In a social media post, Gurman said Apple's celebrations will conclude this week with a finale at its Apple Park headquarters for employees. A special...

Apple is into its final days of hosting 50th-anniversary celebrations around the world, making stops in Washington D.C., Mexico City, Shanghai, Tokyo, and beyond. On Tuesday, March 24, actor Troy Kotsur and Gallaudet University president Roberta Cordano sat down for a discussion with Apple's accessibility chief Sarah Herrlinger about how accessible technology helps to foster creativity....

Apple continues to celebrate its upcoming 50th anniversary by hosting events around the world, with the latest two held in the UK and Australia today. Mumford & Sons at Apple Battersea Outside of its UK headquarters at the former Battersea Power Station in London, Apple hosted British folk-rock band Mumford & Sons for an under-the-radar performance that was open to the public. Apple invited Ma...

Apple has been celebrating its upcoming 50th anniversary by hosting special events around the world, making stops in the United States, China, South Korea, and Thailand so far. Over the coming days, the celebrations will continue in the UK, France, Canada, Mexico, India, Japan, and Australia, while China will get an encore performance. MacRumors has been invited to attend one of Apple's...

Apple has been celebrating its upcoming 50th anniversary by hosting events around the world, and a grand finale will likely take place in California. In an in-depth profile of Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus, who is widely viewed as the leading candidate to become Apple's next CEO, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the company is planning "an elaborate 50th birthday party" at its...

Apple and the Sydney Opera House in Australia recently announced a collaboration, and it turns out this will tie into Apple's 50th-anniversary celebrations. On his Instagram page earlier this week, Australian composer Bailey Pickles said Apple asked him to compose and perform music for its upcoming 50th-anniversary celebration at the Opera House, where Apple will soon be illuminating...

Apple kicked off its 50th anniversary celebrations with a surprise Alicia Keys performance at its Grand Central store in New York last week, and it has since hosted similar events in China and South Korea. Next up, we have discovered that Apple is planning to host additional celebrations in Canada, France, and Thailand. On its Canadian website, Apple says it will be hosting a talk with...

Apple CEO Tim Cook is in China, where he attended one of the company's 50th anniversary events outside of its Taikoo Li retail store in Chengdu today. The event revolved around a performance by Chinese singer Li Yuchun, and it comes after Apple hosted a surprise Alicia Keys concert at its Grand Central store in New York last week. According to the China Daily, Cook is scheduled to attend the ...

After hosting a surprise Alicia Keys concert at its Grand Central store in New York last week, Apple is turning to Asia for more 50th-anniversary celebrations. So far, it has been discovered that there will be events held in China and South Korea. Apple's retail store at Taikoo Li in Chengdu, China is temporarily closed this Wednesday, March 18, according to the store's page. While nothing...

Apple today announced that it will be celebrating its upcoming 50th anniversary by hosting gatherings "around the world" throughout the month of March. Apple's 50th anniversary is on April 1, 2026. The company has yet to reveal exactly where and when it will be hosting additional celebrations, but possibilities include major cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tokyo. ...

Apple mysteriously shut down its Grand Central Terminal store in New York City today, and it turns out it was for an impromptu Alicia Keys concert to celebrate Apple's upcoming 50th anniversary. Apple quietly invited select YouTubers and members of the media (including MacRumors) to the store location, but kept the performer secret until Alicia Keys took the stage. Preparations for the...

Apple today announced that it will celebrate the company's 50th anniversary over the coming weeks, but it has yet to reveal any specific plans. Apple was founded on April 1, 1976, so the company will turn 50 on April 1, 2026. "While Apple is known for looking forward, this milestone offers a special moment to reflect on the journey that has brought the company here, to celebrate the...

Apple CEO Tim Cook today shared a "50 Years of Thinking Different" letter, ahead of the company's 50th anniversary on April 1, 2026. The letter touches on the upcoming 50th anniversary and says that "the world is moved forward by people who think different." For those unaware, "Think Different" was a famous advertising slogan used by Apple in the late 1990s to early 2000s. "At Apple,...

Tech columnist David Pogue's new book Apple: The First 50 Years is available in hardcover and digital formats starting today. In time for Apple's 50th anniversary on April 1, the 608-page book explores the first five decades of the company's history. Pogue interviewed 150 key people who shaped Apple into what it is today, including the company's co-founder Steve Wozniak, former CEO John...

CBS Sunday Morning correspondent David Pogue interviewed Apple's CEO Tim Cook ahead of the company's 50th anniversary on April 1, 2026. In the interview, Cook revealed the two things that are "essential" to Apple: people and culture. "Yes, we have a lot of intellectual property and so forth, and that is important, but it's people that create that intellectual property," said Cook. "It's...