Listen to new Apple history podcast by two Cult of Mac alumni

A new Apple history podcast from two Cult of Mac contributors launched this month. In each episode of Apple Core, hosts Graham Bower and Charlie Sorrel explore the history of a different Apple product, focusing on what we can learn from Apple’s past, and what this tells us about the company’s future plans.

Some upcoming guests will be familiar to Cult of Mac readers, including Leander Kahney and CultCast host Griffin Jones.

Apple Core co-creator, Graham Bower, explains what the show is all about

Why we created Apple Core

I love listening to podcasts when I’m walking my dog. I never miss an episode of ATP, The Talk Show and of course, the best 30-plus-minute Apple conversation all week long, The CultCast. I’m also a big fan of history and culture podcasts, like You’re Wrong About, Decoder Ring and Empire, because I love the quirky stories they uncover.

So, one day, while I was waiting for my pooch to finish her business, I was struck by an idea. Why not create a podcast that combines Apple and history? I mentioned this to fellow tech writer Charlie Sorrel, and the rest is history … Or rather, a history podcast.

Does the world really need another gadget podcast from two Gen-Xers?

The great thing about getting old is the memories. Decades of them. As Gen-Xers, we were using Macs long before OS X. The first Mac I ever used was a IIfx running System 7.

The years following Steve Jobs’ return to Apple in 1997 were formative for the company. That’s when Jobs established the playbook that set Apple on its decades-long winning streak. Jobs even created Apple University, which still trains senior executives on this playbook, to this day. That’s why, when you’ve been watching the company for as long as we have, you start to notice patterns in how it approaches problems. And those are the insights we aim to uncover in Apple Core.

The first three episodes of Apple Core podcast are out now

Our first three episodes of the Apple Core podcast are available right now, wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podcast Index | YouTube | more.

Episode 1: AirPort

In 1999, Steve Jobs needed one more product launch to complete the four-computer matrix he introduced on his return to the company three years earlier. That product was the iBook — a portable version of the hugely popular iMac G3.

The iBook had a striking design with eye-popping colors. But what really set it apart was AirPort, Apple’s proprietary version of Wi-Fi, which ushered in the age of wireless computing. AirPort was such a revolutionary concept that Jobs wanted to prove no wires were required. So he persuaded Phil Schiller, Apple’s VP of worldwide marketing at the time, to jump from a great height while holding an iBook during a live keynote.

Based on industry-standard Wi-Fi technology, the story of AirPort’s launch, development and eventual demise provides a valuable insight into how Apple thinks about emerging standards and adopts them in its products.

Listen to episode 1 of Apple Core on Apple Podcasts.

Episode 2: Mac OS 8

When Steve Jobs returned to the company he cofounded in 1997, Apple was in disarray. After two failed attempts at a next-generation operating system, the Mac had been stuck on System 7 for years. 

The acquisition of Jobs’ company, NeXT, offered a solution, with its NeXTStep operating system, which would form the basis of Mac OS X. But that was still three years away, and the Mac platform was already on life support.

Jobs needed to take action fast. So, he salvaged bits from former failed projects and retrofitted them onto the aging System 7. The result was Mac OS 8. It wasn’t a long-term solution, but it did buy his engineers the time they needed to complete Mac OS X.

Mac OS 8 proved to be a smash hit, selling 1.2 million copies in its first two weeks.

The story of how this happened reveals an often overlooked side of Jobs — his ability to let go of his perfectionism and focus on what was possible, making pragmatic compromises that help to move platforms forward.

Listen to episode 2 of Apple Core on Apple Podcasts.

Episode 3. Nike+iPod Sport Kit

Apple’s interest in fitness products goes way back. In 2006, before the Apple Watch was even a twinkle in CEO Tim Cook’s eye, Steve Jobs took the stage with Nike CEO Mark Parker at an ultra-exclusive venue in New York City to announce the Nike+iPod Sport Kit.

With a sensor that went into special Nike running shoes, and a receiver that plugged into your iPod, Nike+iPod was a pioneering product that helped define the emerging category of fitness wearables.
It set the stage for products that would follow, including Apple Health and Apple Fitness+. Plus, by partnering with Nike, Apple broadened the appeal of its brand, learned how to successfully roll out services, and raised its marketing game. Nike+iPod Sport Kit set a template for product launches that Apple still follows to this day.

Listen to episode 3 of Apple Core on Apple Podcasts.

Coming soon to the Apple Core podcast: iWork, iPhone 4, Newton MessagePad, Dashboard, Sherlock, iTunes, Xcode and more…

To find out more, and get links to the show wherever you get your podcasts, visit the Apple Core podcast website.