Steve Jobs Archive Shares Rare Image on Apple Co-Founder’s Birthday

Image credit: Jean Pigozzi/Steve Jobs Archive

Last September, the Steve Jobs Archive was created by the Apple co-founder’s close friends, family and colleagues, to remember the late CEO of the iPhone maker.

Today, on what would have been Jobs’ 68th birthday, the Steve Jobs Archive sent out its first email to subscribers sharing a rare image of the entrepreneur that changed the world forever.

Leslie Berlin, founding Executive Director of the Steve Jobs Archive and a historian of Silicon Valley, says the picture above is from 1984, taken by Jobs’ friend Jean Pigozzi—an amateur photographer—in New Orleans.

“Although Jean did not work in tech, Steve invited him along to a software conference in New Orleans. One evening after the event, as they were walking down O’Keefe Avenue looking for dinner, Steve—a notoriously fast walker—pulled to a halt. Someone in a store window was working on a Macintosh,” explains Berlin.

The image shows Jobs bending down to observe a woman using the Mac, in a store named Calculator and Computer Center. The image is essentially a time capsule of life in the 80s. We can also see computer boxes from Apple’s rival at the time, IBM in the corner of the store.

“This is Steve at a pivotal moment. He’s about to turn 29. Apple, which he co-founded and chairs, has recently become one of the youngest companies ever to reach the Fortune 500. The Macintosh has been met with rave reviews. He is on top of the world,” writes Berlin. “And he has no idea that it’s all about to change.”

Berlin goes on to say Jobs has no idea the Mac will “revolutionize computing”, but also struggle for sales. The Apple co-founder also has no idea he will be fired from Apple months later, then afterwards spend 11 years building up Pixar and NeXT, to only eventually return to the company he co-founded.

Current Apple CEO Tim Cook also took time to celebrate Jobs’ birthday today.

“People with the most to teach live like they have the most to learn — and Steve loved learning. He was the most curious person I’ve ever met, which made him the best teacher I’ve ever known. Happy birthday, my friend,” said Cook on Friday, sharing a picture of Jobs.

People with the most to teach live like they have the most to learn — and Steve loved learning. He was the most curious person I’ve ever met, which made him the best teacher I’ve ever known. Happy birthday, my friend. pic.twitter.com/J45swZfZQ8

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 24, 2023