History of Steve Wozniak in Timeline

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 is celebrated as a pioneer of the personal computer revolution due to his crucial role in developing Apple's early products during the 1970s and 1980s.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1923: Margaret Louise Kern Born

In 1923, Margaret Louise Kern, Steve Wozniak's mother, was born in Washington state.

1925: Francis Jacob "Jerry" Wozniak Born

In 1925, Francis Jacob "Jerry" Wozniak, Steve Wozniak's father, was born in Michigan.

August 11, 1950: Birth of Stephen Gary Wozniak

On August 11, 1950, Stephen Gary Wozniak was born in San Jose, California, to Margaret Louise Wozniak and Francis Jacob Wozniak.

August 11, 1950: Stephen Gary Wozniak Born

On August 11, 1950, Stephen Gary Wozniak, later known as a co-founder of Apple Computer, was born in San Jose, California.

1968: Graduation from Homestead High School

In 1968, Steve Wozniak graduated from Homestead High School in Cupertino, California.

1969: Return to San Francisco Bay Area

In 1969, Steve Wozniak returned to the San Francisco Bay Area after being expelled from the University of Colorado Boulder. He later re-enrolled at De Anza College.

October 1971: Building Blue Boxes

In October 1971, Steve Wozniak read "Secrets of the Little Blue Box" in Esquire and began building blue boxes, which allowed free long-distance calls. Steve Jobs sold them, splitting the profits with Wozniak.

1971: Started Degree at UC Berkeley

In 1971, Steve Wozniak started his Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences degree at UC Berkeley.

1971: Introduction to Steve Jobs

In 1971, Steve Wozniak was introduced to Steve Jobs by Bill Fernandez, who attended Homestead High School with Jobs.

1971: Designed and Built First Computer

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

1973: Working on Breakout Game at Atari

In 1973, Steve Wozniak worked with Steve Jobs to design a circuit board for the arcade game Breakout at Atari. Wozniak reduced the chip count significantly, but Jobs did not share the full bonus received from Atari with him at that time.

1975: Development of Apple I

In 1975, Steve Wozniak began developing the Apple I computer, which he and Steve Jobs would market the following year, marking the start of Apple's journey.

March 1, 1976: Completion of Apple I Design

On March 1, 1976, Steve Wozniak completed the basic design of the Apple I computer. He designed the hardware, circuit board designs, and operating system. After HP denied the design, Jobs advised Wozniak to start a business to sell the circuit boards.

April 1, 1976: Formation of Apple Computer Company

On April 1, 1976, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne formed the Apple Computer Company (now Apple Inc.). The name "Apple" was chosen after Jobs's time on an apple orchard.

November 1976: Funding from Mike Markkula

In November 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak received funding from Mike Markkula, an Intel product marketing manager. Wozniak resigned from HP to become the vice president in charge of research and development at Apple.

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1976: Co-founded Apple Computer

In 1976, Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple Computer with Steve Jobs. This marks the beginning of their journey in the personal computer revolution.

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

In April 1977, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak introduced the Apple II at the West Coast Computer Faire. The Apple II was the first personal computer with color graphics and built-in BASIC.

May 1977: Apple II Article in Byte Magazine

In May 1977, Steve Wozniak's first article about the Apple II was published in Byte magazine. The Apple II became one of the first highly successful mass-produced personal computers.

1977: Introduction of Apple II

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

1978: Release of Disk II Floppy Disk Drive

In 1978, Steve Wozniak designed the Disk II floppy disk drive, released for use with the Apple II to replace cassette tape storage.

1979: Influence on Macintosh Concepts

From 1979, Steve Wozniak, along with Jef Raskin, significantly influenced the initial development of the original Macintosh concepts.

1979: Joined the Freemasons

In 1979, Steve Wozniak joined the Freemasons to spend more time with his then-wife, Alice Robertson. He was initiated at Charity Lodge No. 362 in Campbell, California.

1980: Apple Went Public

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

1980: Offered stock to early Apple employees

In 1980, when Apple first went public, Steve Wozniak offered $10 million of his own stock to early Apple employees. This contrasts with Steve Jobs, who refused to do the same.

February 7, 1981: Airplane Crash

On February 7, 1981, Steve Wozniak's Beechcraft Bonanza A36TC crashed shortly after takeoff in Scotts Valley, California. Wozniak and his passengers sustained injuries, and Wozniak suffered from anterograde amnesia. The crash was attributed to premature liftoff and pilot inexperience.

June 1981: Marriage to Candice Clark

In June 1981, Steve Wozniak married Candice Clark, who was a slalom canoe gold-medalist. They remained married until 1987 and had three children together.

1981: Jobs Took Over Macintosh Project

In 1981, Steve Jobs took over the Macintosh project after Steve Wozniak's plane crash, as Wozniak was unable to continue his involvement at the time.

1981: Departure from Apple due to Airplane Accident

In 1981, Steve Jobs took over the Macintosh project due to Steve Wozniak's brief departure from Apple following a traumatic airplane accident.

1981: Re-enrollment at UC Berkeley

Later in 1981, after recovering from his plane crash, Steve Wozniak re-enrolled at UC Berkeley to complete his degree.

May 1982: Founded Unuson and Sponsored 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 but ended up as a technology exposition and a rock festival. The festival resulted in several million dollars in losses.

1983: Second US Festival and Return to Apple

In 1983, Wozniak sponsored the second US Festival through Unuson. After the financial losses of the 1982 festival, Wozniak stated he would end his involvement with rock festivals unless the 1983 event turned a profit. Later in 1983, Wozniak returned to Apple product development.

1984: Release of the Apple IIc

In 1984, the Apple II platform was made semi-portable with the release of the Apple IIc.

1984: Discontinuation of Apple III

In 1984, the Apple III, intended as the Apple II's successor but released in 1980, was discontinued due to commercial failure. Wozniak attributed the failures to the marketing department's design, unlike previous engineering-driven projects.

January 1985: Apple II division ignored at annual meeting

In January 1985, the Apple II division, which provided about 85% of Apple's sales, was not mentioned at the company's annual meeting, frustrating Steve Wozniak.

1985: Wozniak Left Apple Again

By early 1985, Steve Wozniak left Apple again and sold most of his stock because he felt that Apple was hindering him from being who he wanted to be. He also stated that he left primarily because he was excited to start CL 9 and recapture the fun of developing a new technology.

1985: Founded CL 9

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

1985: Departure from Apple

In 1985, Steve Wozniak permanently left Apple, marking the end of his full-time involvement with the company.

1985: Stepping Down at Apple

Since stepping down in 1985, Steve Wozniak has remained an employee of Apple in a ceremonial capacity.

1985: Left Apple as an active employee

Though permanently leaving Apple as an active employee in 1985, Steve Wozniak chose to never remove himself from the official employee list and continued to represent the company at events or in interviews.

1986: Continued Studying at UC Berkeley

In 1986, Steve Wozniak continued his Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences degree at UC Berkeley, using the name Rocky Raccoon Clark.

1986: Release of the Apple IIGS

In 1986, the Apple II platform was extended, with some input from Wozniak, by the 16-bit Apple IIGS.

1987: Launched CORE Universal Remote

In 1987, CL 9 developed and brought the first programmable universal remote control to market, called the "CORE".

1987: Divorce from Candice Clark

In 1987, Steve Wozniak divorced Candice Clark, with whom he had three children. The youngest was born after the divorce was finalized.

1987: Founded CL 9 and Created Universal Remote

In 1987, Steve Wozniak founded CL 9 and created the first programmable universal remote, showcasing his continued innovation in technology.

1987: Received Degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

In 1987, Steve Wozniak officially received his degree in electrical engineering and computer sciences from UC Berkeley.

1990: Helped found the Electronic Frontier Foundation

In 1990, Steve Wozniak helped found the Electronic Frontier Foundation, providing some of the organization's initial funding and serving on its founding Board of Directors. He is the founding sponsor of the Tech Museum, Silicon Valley Ballet and Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose.

November 15, 1993: Discontinuation of the Apple IIe

On November 15, 1993, the Apple IIe was discontinued altogether, marking the end of the Apple II platform.

1994: Death of Francis Jacob Wozniak

In 1994, Francis Jacob "Jerry" Wozniak, Steve Wozniak's father, passed away.

May 1995: End of Apple IIe card production

In May 1995, the Apple IIe card, which allowed compatible Macintosh computers to run Apple II software, was discontinued.

1998: Co-authored The Official Computer Freaks Joke Book

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

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2001: Founded Wheels of Zeus

In 2001, Steve Wozniak founded Wheels of Zeus (WOZ) to create wireless GPS technology to "help everyday people find everyday things much more easily".

2002: Founded Wheels of Zeus (WOZ)

In 2002, Steve Wozniak founded the company "WoZ" (Wheels of Zeus).

2002: Joined Ripcord Networks and Danger, Inc.

In 2002, Steve Wozniak joined the board of directors of Ripcord Networks, Inc. and later the same year he joined the board of directors of Danger, Inc., the maker of the Hip Top.

2006: Founded Acquicor Technology

In 2006, Steve Wozniak closed Wheels of Zeus and founded Acquicor Technology, a holding company for acquiring and developing technology companies, with Apple alumni Hancock and Amelio.

2006: Closed Wheels of Zeus (WOZ)

In 2006, Steve Wozniak closed the company "WoZ" (Wheels of Zeus).

2006: Co-authored Autobiography iWoz

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

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2006: Stipend and Relationship with Steve Jobs

In 2006, Steve Wozniak was receiving a stipend from Apple for his role as a representative. He also stated that he and Steve Jobs were not as close as they used to be.

2008: Relationship with Kathy Griffin

In 2008, Steve Wozniak was in a high-profile relationship with actress Kathy Griffin, who described him as "the biggest techno-nerd in the Universe" on Tom Green's House Tonight.

2009: Chief Scientist at Fusion-io

From 2009 through 2014, Steve Wozniak served as chief scientist at Fusion-io.

2010: Quotation from Steve Wozniak

In 2010, Steve Wozniak provided a quotation, offering insights into his thoughts and experiences.

October 2011: Death of Steve Jobs

In October 2011, Steve Jobs died. Steve Wozniak maintained a friendly acquaintance with Steve Jobs until his death.

2012: Applied for Australian citizenship

In 2012, Steve Wozniak applied for Australian citizenship and expressed his desire to live in Melbourne, Australia in the future.

2013: Wozniak Interview

In a 2013 interview, Steve Wozniak reflected on Steve Jobs taking over the Macintosh project in 1981 due to his plane crash.

2013: Interview on the Macintosh's initial failure

In a 2013 interview, Steve Wozniak stated that the original Macintosh "failed" under Steve Jobs and only became a success after Jobs left. He also discussed the Apple Lisa group and the creation of a cheaper computer to compete with the Lisa.

2014: Death of Margaret Louise Wozniak

In 2014, Margaret Louise Wozniak (née Kern), Steve Wozniak's mother, passed away.

2014: Chief Scientist at Primary Data

In 2014, Steve Wozniak became chief scientist at Primary Data, which was founded by some former Fusion-io executives.

March 2015: Changed Mind on Machine Intelligence

In March 2015, Steve Wozniak stated that he had changed his mind regarding Ray Kurzweil's opinion that machine intelligence would outpace human intelligence within several decades.

June 2015: Changed Mind Again on Superintelligence

By June 2015, Steve Wozniak changed his mind again, stating that a superintelligence takeover would be good for humans.

2015: Announced Silicon Valley Comic Con

In 2015, Steve Wozniak, along with Marvel legend Stan Lee, announced the annual Silicon Valley Comic Con (SVCC), a pop culture and technology convention co-founded by Wozniak and Rick White.

2016: Changed Mind Again on Superintelligence Possibility

In 2016, Steve Wozniak changed his mind again, stating that he no longer worried about the possibility of superintelligence emerging because he is skeptical that computers will be able to compete with human intuition.

October 2017: Founded Woz U

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

2017: Fortune Magazine Interview and Polish Citizenship

In 2017, Steve Wozniak told Fortune magazine about his disdain for money. Also in 2017, Wozniak received Polish citizenship and visited Poland to meet with government and technology industry representatives and to visit his father’s hometown.

December 2018: Woz U licensed as a school

As of December 2018, Woz U was licensed as a school with the Arizona state board.

2020: Launched Efforce

At the end of 2020, Steve Wozniak announced the launch of Efforce, a marketplace for funding ecologically friendly projects. It used a WOZX cryptocurrency token for funding and blockchain to redistribute the profit to token holders and businesses engaged on the platform.

July 2021: Expressed support for the right to repair movement

In July 2021, Steve Wozniak made a Cameo video in response to right to repair activist Louis Rossmann, describing the issue as emotionally affecting and crediting Apple's early breakthroughs to open technology of the 1970s.

September 2021: Started Privateer Space

In September 2021, Steve Wozniak started a company alongside co-founder Alex Fielding named Privateer Space to address the problem of space debris.

March 1, 2022: Privateer Space Debuted Monitoring Software

On March 1, 2022, Privateer Space debuted the first version of its space traffic monitoring software.

May 2023: AI Scams Interview with BBC

In May 2023, Steve Wozniak said in an interview to the BBC that AI may make scams more difficult to detect, noting that "AI is so intelligent it's open to the bad players, the ones that want to trick you about who they are".

November 2023: Suffered a minor stroke in Mexico City

In November 2023, Steve Wozniak suffered a minor stroke while preparing to speak at a conference in Mexico City. He was briefly hospitalized before returning home.

December 2023: Became a Serbian Citizen

In December 2023, Steve Wozniak became a Serbian citizen. He stated that he and his wife Janet, who is also getting a passport, will from now on "promote" Serbia while living in the U.S.

June 2024: Employee of Apple

As of June 2024, Steve Wozniak remains an employee of Apple in a ceremonial capacity.

2024: Equivalent Value in 2024

In 1973, Atari offered $100 for each eliminated chip which is equivalent to $708 in 2024.

2024: Sued YouTube over scam using likeness, and won

In 2024, Steve Wozniak sued YouTube in respect to a scam that was being circulated on the platform using his likeness. Later, he won after a San Jose appeals court ruled YouTube was liable for failing to combat it.