Tim Cook highlighted two key principles of Apple on the eve of the company's 50th anniversary.

Apple Marks Its 50th Anniversary
Celebration Date

On April 1 of this year, Apple will announce its fiftieth anniversary.

Brief History of Founding

Apple was founded in 1976 in California by three founders: Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne.

Current Leader

Today the CEO is Tim Cook. He emphasizes that people and culture remain paramount for Apple.

What Tim Cook Said
In an interview with CBS (link to MacRumors) Cook noted the following:

- People create intellectual property.

“We have a lot of IP and other stuff – that’s important, but it’s the people who make that IP,” he explained.

- Culture as the engine of innovation.

In his view, a company’s culture is hard to replicate: it develops over a long period and requires careful personnel selection. “You hire each other, and gradually an entire organization emerges,” Cook added.

- The need to sustain culture in a changing world.

Technologies evolve, and life itself changes. Therefore it’s important to preserve a unique corporate environment. “Apple is so special that it can’t be copied,” he said, comparing it to other companies.

Anniversary Book
In honor of the fiftieth anniversary, David Pogue will release the book *Apple: The First 50 Years*. It will reveal details of the corporate culture and include interviews with many key figures who played a role in Apple’s formation and development.