Steve Jobs launched his ambitious company, NeXT, on September 12, 1985, following his departure from Apple. This move came after a significant internal power struggle with Apple CEO John Sculley, resulting in Jobs being ousted from the very company he co-founded. NeXT was Jobs’s new endeavor, aimed at creating high-quality computing solutions, and he assembled a notable team, including several former Apple executives.
NeXT aimed to establish itself as a noteworthy contender in the computer hardware industry. It was known for its innovative approach, particularly with the introduction of the NeXTSTEP operating system. This operating system laid the groundwork for what would eventually evolve into the modern MacOS. The flagship product, the NeXT Computer, was marketed primarily towards educational institutions and came with a hefty price tag of $6,500, equivalent to approximately $17,700 in 2025 dollars. Despite its cost, Byte magazine praised the workstation as “worth every penny” during its annual awards in 1989.
A Closer Look at the NeXT Computer
The NeXT Computer, often referred to as “The Cube” due to its distinctive shape, featured a 17-inch MegaPixel monitor with integrated speakers. It was powered by a Motorola 68030 CPU, which had been released the previous year. The device also included a Motorola 68882 Floating-Point Unit (FPU), specifically designed to enhance mathematical processing speeds. Following the NeXT Computer, the company expanded its lineup with the NeXTcube and NeXTstation, both launched in September 1990.
Despite its innovative features, the NeXT Computer did not dominate the market. Nevertheless, the impact of the NeXTSTEP operating system was profound. In December 1996, Apple acquired NeXT for $427 million, which facilitated Jobs’s return to the company. The acquisition was largely motivated by the appeal of the NeXTSTEP operating system, which became the foundation for Mac OS X, later rebranded as MacOS.
Legacy and Influence
The NeXT Computer played a crucial role in the development of the early web. Notably, Tim Berners-Lee created the world’s first web server on a NeXT machine while working at CERN. Additionally, influential video games such as Quake and Doom were developed using NeXT technology, with game studio id Software investing around $100,000 in equipment for their developers.
While NeXT faced challenges in the competitive landscape of computing, its innovations and the eventual integration of its technology into Apple products have left an indelible mark on the technology industry. The story of NeXT serves as a testament to how one visionary’s setback can lead to groundbreaking advancements in technology, forever changing the way we engage with computers.