Career Timeline of Steve Wozniak: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Steve Wozniak, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Stephen Gary Wozniak, nicknamed "Woz," is an American technology entrepreneur, electrical engineer, computer programmer, and inventor. He co-founded Apple Computer with Steve Jobs in 1976. Wozniak's work at Apple in the 1970s and 1980s established him as a key figure in the personal computer revolution, recognized for his technical expertise and innovative designs.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

October 1971: Building and Selling Blue Boxes

In October 1971, after reading "Secrets of the Little Blue Box", Wozniak built blue boxes, and Jobs sold them, marking their first business partnership.

1971: Design and Build of First Computer

In June 1971, Wozniak designed and built his first computer with his friend Bill Fernandez as a self-taught engineering project.

1973: Work on Atari's Breakout Game

In 1973, Steve Jobs contracted Wozniak to minimize the number of chips on the circuit board for Atari's Breakout game, which led to Wozniak significantly reducing the chip count and Jobs not fully disclosing the bonus received.

1975: Design and Development of the Apple I

In 1975, Wozniak began designing and developing the Apple I, aiming to impress the Homebrew Computer Club and contributing to the microcomputer industry's development.

March 1, 1976: Completion of the Apple I Design

On March 1, 1976, Wozniak completed the basic design of the Apple I computer, including the hardware, circuit board designs, and operating system.

April 1, 1976: Formation of Apple Computer Company

On April 1, 1976, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne officially formed the Apple Computer Company, now known as Apple Inc.

November 1976: Mike Markkula Joins Apple

In November 1976, Mike Markkula provided substantial funding to Apple, and Wozniak resigned from HP to become the vice president in charge of research and development at Apple.

2024 Topps Heritage News Flashbacks #NF-1 Altair 8800 Official MLB Baseball Trading Card

Check it on Amazon

1976: Co-founding of Apple Computer

In 1976, Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple Computer with Steve Jobs, marking a pivotal moment in the personal computer revolution.

April 1977: Introduction of the Apple II at West Coast Computer Faire

In April 1977, Jobs and Wozniak introduced the Apple II at the West Coast Computer Faire, marking the launch of the first personal computer with color graphics capability.

May 1977: First Article about the Apple II in Byte Magazine

In May 1977, Wozniak's first article about the Apple II was published in Byte magazine, contributing to the computer's recognition and success.

1977: Introduction of the Apple II

In 1977, the Apple II, designed primarily by Wozniak, was introduced as one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputers.

1978: Release of the Disk II Floppy Disk Drive

In 1978, Wozniak designed the Disk II floppy disk drive, released specifically for the Apple II, to improve data storage.

1979: Influence on the Original Macintosh Concepts

From 1979, Wozniak significantly influenced the development of the original Macintosh concepts alongside Jef Raskin.

1980: Apple Goes Public

In 1980, Apple went public, resulting in significant financial profitability and making Jobs and Wozniak millionaires.

May 1982: First US Festival

In May 1982, Steve Wozniak, with help from Bill Graham, founded Unuson and sponsored the first US Festival, intended to celebrate evolving technologies with a mix of music, computers, television, and people.

1985: Wozniak Leaves Apple

In 1985, Wozniak permanently left Apple to pursue other ventures.

1985: Founding of CL 9

In 1985, after leaving Apple, Steve Wozniak founded CL 9.

1985: Continued Employment at Apple in Ceremonial Capacity

In 1985, after stepping down from his active role, Wozniak remained an employee of Apple in a ceremonial capacity, a position he holds as of June 2024.

1987: CORE Remote Release

In 1987, CL 9 developed and released the CORE, the first programmable universal remote control.

1987: Founding of CL 9 and Universal Remote Release

In 1987, Wozniak founded CL 9 and created the first programmable universal remote.

1990: Electronic Frontier Foundation Founding

In 1990, Steve Wozniak helped found the Electronic Frontier Foundation and provided initial funding.

1990: Computers in Soviet Union Schools Initiative

In 1990, Wozniak initiated a project to place computers in K–12 schools in the former Soviet Union.

1998: Co-authored Joke Book

In 1998, Steve Wozniak co-authored with Larry Wilde The Official Computer Freaks Joke Book.

2001: Wheels of Zeus (WOZ) Founded

In 2001, Steve Wozniak founded Wheels of Zeus (WOZ) to create wireless GPS technology.

2002: Board of Directors at Ripcord Networks

In 2002, Steve Wozniak joined the board of directors of Ripcord Networks, Inc.

2002: Board of Directors at Danger, Inc.

Later in 2002, Steve Wozniak joined the board of directors of Danger, Inc., the maker of the Hip Top.

2006: Autobiography Publication

In 2006, Steve Wozniak co-authored with Gina Smith his autobiography, iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It. The book became a New York Times Best Seller.

iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It

Check it on Amazon

2006: Acquicor Technology Founded

In 2006, Steve Wozniak founded Acquicor Technology, a holding company for acquiring and developing technology companies.

2009: Chief Scientist at Fusion-io

From 2009, Steve Wozniak was chief scientist at Fusion-io.

2014: Chief Scientist at Primary Data

In 2014, Steve Wozniak became chief scientist at Primary Data.

October 2017: Woz U Founded

In October 2017, Steve Wozniak founded Woz U, an online educational technology service for students and employees.

2020: Launch of Efforce

In 2020, Steve Wozniak announced the launch of Efforce, a marketplace for funding ecologically friendly projects, utilizing a WOZX cryptocurrency token and blockchain technology.

July 2021: Support for Right to Repair Movement

In July 2021, Steve Wozniak voiced his support for the right to repair movement in a Cameo video responding to activist Louis Rossmann. Wozniak described the issue as something deeply affecting and credited Apple's early success to open technology in the 1970s.