Steve Jobs founded the computer company NeXT in 1985 after leaving Apple.
Jobs established NeXT in 1985 with several former Apple employees, including Bud Tribble, George Crow, Rich Page, Susan Barnes, and Dan’l Lewin. The company aimed to build powerful computers for higher education and scientific research.
NeXT released its first workstation, the NeXT Computer, in 1988. Its distinctive black magnesium cube became one of the company’s best-known designs. NeXT later developed NeXTSTEP, an object-oriented operating system that became important to Apple’s future.
Apple acquired NeXT in 1996 for about $429 million and shares of Apple stock. The acquisition brought Jobs back to Apple and supplied software technology that formed the basis of Mac OS X. NeXT’s work therefore influenced Apple’s modern operating systems even though the company’s hardware business remained relatively small.