The History and Future of Apple

The Next Big Idea

Next Big Idea Club

Science, Social Sciences, Society & Culture, Education

4.4 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 20 April 2026

⏱️ 84 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In celebration of Apple's 50th birthday, we're probing the company's past and peering into its future with David Pogue — former New York Times tech columnist, current CBS Sunday Morning correspondent, and author of the recent New York Times bestseller Apple: The First 50 Years. We begin by looking backward, exploring the improbable story of the hippie pranksters who built the world's first trillion-dollar company. But we're not just here for the history. We also look ahead, asking: What cool new tech are they cooking up in Cupertino? Why has Apple been so slow on AI, and does the company have a plan to catch up? And who's the frontrunner to succeed Tim Cook? The Next Big Idea is now on YouTube! You can find our episodes ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. Follow Rufus on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, subscribe to our ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠, or send us an email at ⁠podcast@nextbigideaclub.com⁠. The best way to support the show is by becoming a Next Big Idea Club member. Learn more at ⁠⁠nextbigideaclub.com⁠⁠, and use code PODCAST for a super secret discount (spoiler: it’s 20% off). Sponsored By: Fabric — Join the thousands of parents who trust Fabric to help protect their family at ⁠⁠meetfabric.com/nbi⁠⁠ Factor — Head to ⁠⁠⁠factormeals.com/idea50off⁠⁠⁠ and use code idea50off to get 50% off your first box Granola — Get three months free at ⁠⁠granola.ai/idea⁠⁠ Shopify — Start your $1/month trial at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/nbi⁠⁠⁠

Transcript

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0:00.0	In the last six years, Caleb, we've had a chance to talk about many of my greatest passions.
0:05.5	I think a lot of your greatest passions, too.
0:07.7	We've talked about the invention of bicycles, the surprising importance of parking,
0:12.7	the evolution of storytelling, the neurochemistry of consciousness, the case for oversharing.
0:18.2	But we've never really properly talked about maybe my greatest
0:22.0	obsession. Some might even call it a fetish. Oh my gosh, Jax. Am I going to have to tag this
0:26.6	as an explicit episode when I upload it? It's nothing quite so frisky. I'm talking about my
0:32.3	obsession with Apple, the technology company. Ah, okay. You know what? That does feel like an oversight.
0:42.4	I'm Rufus Criscombe, and I'm Caleb Bissinger, and this is the next big idea.
0:47.5	Today, the history and future of Apple.
1:01.2	Okay. of Apple. You know, Rufus, this is actually not just an obsession of yours.
1:03.9	I think there is a collective fascination with this topic, with the topic of Apple,
1:09.0	the story of Steve Jobs.
1:10.2	I mean, do you remember what a crazy frenzy it was
1:13.1	when Walter Isaacson published his Steve Jobs biography?
1:16.0	I think it became the best-selling book of the year on Amazon.
1:19.2	So this is not just a company.
1:21.4	It's kind of our modern mythology.
1:24.2	Yeah, Apple occupies this outsized place, I think,
1:27.4	in our collective American identity.
1:29.5	Of course, not everyone loves Apple.
1:30.9	We'll get to that.
	...

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