NeXT

NeXT. Founded by Steve Jobs after his departure from Apple Inc. in 1985, NeXT, Inc. was a pioneering computer company that developed high-end workstations for the higher-education and business markets. The company was known for its innovative hardware, sophisticated object-oriented programming environment, and the NeXTSTEP operating system, which would later form the foundation for key Apple Inc. technologies. Despite limited commercial success for its hardware, NeXT's software legacy profoundly influenced the development of modern computing platforms and the internet.

History

The company was established in 1985 with funding from Jobs himself and a significant $20 million investment from businessman Ross Perot. In 1989, Canon Inc. invested $100 million for a 16.7% stake, providing crucial capital for expansion. NeXT's first workstation, the NeXT Computer, was unveiled at a lavish event in 1988 at the Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco. While technologically advanced, the company's hardware struggled in the marketplace against competitors like Sun Microsystems and Silicon Graphics. By 1993, NeXT exited the hardware business entirely to focus on NeXTSTEP as a software platform for other vendors' computers, such as those from Intel and IBM. The company's trajectory changed dramatically in December 1996 when Apple Inc., seeking a modern operating system, agreed to acquire NeXT for over $400 million, bringing Steve Jobs back to the company he co-founded.

Products

NeXT's hardware line was renowned for its elegant design and advanced features. The first product, the sleek black magnesium-cased NeXT Computer, also known as the NeXT Cube, featured a Motorola 68030 processor, a unique magneto-optical drive, and high-quality DSP for digital audio. Its successor, the NeXTcube, and the more affordable NeXTstation (dubbed "the slab"), continued this design philosophy. All systems included a built-in Ethernet port, which was uncommon at the time, and a high-resolution Display PostScript-based grayscale monitor. The company also developed peripherals like the NeXTdimension graphics board, which added Color and video capabilities. Despite their technical merits, the high cost of these systems limited their adoption primarily to academic and scientific institutions.

Software and operating system

The company's most enduring contribution was its software platform, NeXTSTEP. This integrated environment combined a Unix-based operating system (based on Mach kernel and BSD) with a sophisticated object-oriented programming framework and a compelling graphical user interface. The development environment, centered on Interface Builder and the Objective-C language, dramatically accelerated software creation. Notable applications created on NeXTSTEP include the first web browser, WorldWideWeb, by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN, and the game Doom by id Software. The object-oriented frameworks of NeXTSTEP evolved into OpenStep, a specification adopted by Sun Microsystems, and later formed the direct core of Apple Inc.'s macOS and iOS operating systems.

Legacy and influence

NeXT's legacy is immense, primarily through its software's direct lineage to Apple Inc.'s modern successes. The Mac OS X operating system, launched in 2001, was built upon NeXTSTEP, rebranded as Darwin and Cocoa. This same foundation underpins iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and tvOS. The Xcode development tools and the App Store model have roots in NeXT's integrated software philosophy. Furthermore, the WorldWideWeb browser created on a NeXT computer was instrumental in popularizing the internet. Many NeXT engineers, such as Avie Tevanian and Jon Rubinstein, played key roles in Apple's resurgence, and the company's focus on integrated hardware and software design profoundly influenced Apple Inc.'s product strategy in the 21st century.

Corporate affairs

Initially named NeXT, Inc., the company was incorporated in 1985 and headquartered first in Palo Alto, California before moving to Redwood City, California. Early investors included Ross Perot, who joined the board of directors, and later Canon Inc.. The company struggled financially due to low hardware sales and underwent several restructurings, including a shift to become NeXT Software, Inc. in 1993. Its acquisition by Apple Inc. in 1997 was structured as a purchase of all outstanding shares, making Steve Jobs a consultant to then-CEO Gil Amelio and swiftly leading to his return as Apple's interim CEO. The integration of NeXT's assets and personnel provided the technological core for Apple's historic turnaround and subsequent dominance in the consumer electronics market.

Category:Computer companies of the United States Category:Companies based in San Mateo County, California Category:Defunct computer companies of the United States