Bill Gates and Microsoft, arguably, have saved Apple and Steve Jobs from adversity. Yes, Apple was struggling before Steve Jobs regained control as CEO.
Turning back time, the 1990s were arguably the bleakest period for Apple. At that time, the iPhone manufacturer almost went bankrupt because its product failed in the market and made its stock price plummet.
The tempest that plagued Apple made Steve Jobs have to intervene to return to his responsibility as CEO. Previously, in 1985, he had left Apple.
Steve Jobs was appointed CEO of Apple in August 1997. He had to rack his brains to revive Apple and one of the ways he took was to approach Microsoft and Bill Gates.
The relationship between Steve and Bill Gates was actually colored by hostility in the past. The peak occurred when Microsoft released the first Windows in 1985, which used a graphical interface. An angry Jobs accused Microsoft of copying the Macintosh.
Gates didn't care. He was sure the idea of this interface would be great, and did not feel that Apple had exclusive rights to it. After all, Gates knew that Apple's graphical user interface was inspired by Xerox, which was developed by the Palo Alto Research Center, an institution they both adored.
"I think it's like we both have a rich neighbor named Xerox and I broke into his house to steal the television but it turns out you stole it first," Gates said in response to Steve Jobs' accusations.
Time flies. Microsoft is getting better and Apple is falling behind. Steve Jobs also considered that there was a big problem at Apple, namely they were trying to beat Microsoft and instead lost their identity.
"There are too many people at Apple and in the Apple ecosystem for Apple to win, Microsoft has to lose. And obviously you don't have to play it because Apple isn't going to beat Microsoft. Apple doesn't have to beat Apple. Apple has to remember who Apple really is because they forgot about it," he said. Steve Jobs at that time.
Quoted from 9t05Mac, Steve then spoke to Bill Gates about the possibility of Microsoft investing in Apple. In the end, Microsoft agreed to invest $150 million into Apple stock.
Under the contract, Microsoft agreed to provide Microsoft Office software for Mac devices. Instead, Internet Explorer becomes the default browser on Apple devices.
"Bill, thank you. The world is a better place," Steve said after the Microsoft founder agreed to provide the investment.
In addition, Apple agreed to stop accusations against Microsoft regarding plagiarism of its operating system. On the other hand, this contract was said to be a way for Microsoft to avoid being penalized for monopolizing the market, as well as making it look very competitive at the time.
Steve used the investment from Microsoft to overcome the sluggish Mac business by producing the iPod. After that, the iPhone and iPad were born which made Apple's name soar.
Microsoft itself at this time no longer owns the Apple shares it bought because they sold everything in 2003.