Free Web NovelThe operating system that currently monopolizes the market is Windows.
But Apple has continued to maintain its own operating system.
And as the era changed—from desktops to laptops, and then to the iPod—Apple’s product line kept evolving its operating system to suit each device.
And the final destination was a mobile-optimized operating system that would go into the iPhone.
It probably wasn’t fully completed yet, but I already knew the end result.
The greatest strength of the smartphone Apple would make—the iPhone—was an OS optimized for mobile.
The harmony between hardware and software that Apple had always pursued—that was the iPhone.
“So in the end you’re telling me to work myself to death. Jobs, is that really what you’re saying?!”
“Haha!”
Seeing Scott clutching at his hair, Jobs slammed the table and laughed as if it were the funniest thing in the world.
“That’s right. You and your developer friends are the ones who have to suffer. Just having an operating system doesn’t solve everything. The hardware and software have to mesh together perfectly, without a single collision, for the smartphone I want to be born.”
“Tsk. You make that sound easy.”
“So what, you can’t do it? Even if it takes time, you’ll get it done, won’t you? If it’s the Scott I know, I’m certain you’ll produce results no matter what.”
“Huu.......”
Scott didn’t say he couldn’t do it. Seeing that, I smiled faintly as well.
But simply combining an iPod, a phone, and the internet still wasn’t enough to call it innovation.
Jobs wrapped it up as innovation and creation, but to me—someone living a second life—it fell far short.
When the iPhone first came out, it had many shortcomings.
They patched things up through updates later on, but this time, it seemed better to realize it all from the very beginning.
“On top of that, what do you think about creating and adding a market where small developers can freely sell the software they make on the iPhone?”
When the iPhone first launched, the number of usable applications didn’t even reach twenty.
The App Store itself wasn’t released at first either.
During the presentation, they clearly promoted that small developers would be able to freely make apps using the iPhone, but they didn’t reveal any route for selling them.
In the end, it wasn’t until iOS 2.0 that the App Store was unveiled, and that was when the true era of the iPhone began.
The iPhone became a dream device not only for consumers, but for developers as well.
“A market? Like iTunes?”
“Yes. Music already has a market called iTunes. But software doesn’t. If developers can upload simple software and earn profits from it, they’ll all rush to release software for the iPhone. That will ultimately become the driving force behind the iPhone’s growth. Apple can’t make everything. If you open that path to individual developers and allow them to freely sell software, countless geniuses will work for the iPhone on their own.”
Jobs let out a low hum and fell into thought. Scott pondered for a moment, then asked me a question.
“You’re saying we should roll out ESD tailored for mobile, right?”
“Yes. Isn’t it perfectly doable?”
“It’s not difficult. But will developers really come just for that?”
A faint note of distrust crept into Scott’s voice.
“Small developers have nowhere to sell their products. No matter how good their ideas are. So in the market Apple releases, anything should be sellable. Indie games, even absurd pieces of software. The ones who choose are the consumers using the iPhone. Apple simply opens the market.”
“I heard that a game distributor called Valve Corporation is releasing an ESD called Steam. But will that really succeed?”
Steam? Did Steam come out that early?
I asked Scott back.
“Steam? It’s coming out now?”
“You know about it?”
“Roughly. So it’s already time. It’ll probably go through some trial and error early on, but it’ll be a huge success. Just the fact that people can download games at home and play them on their computers instead of lining up offline will make consumers go wild.”
“You’re certain of its success? May I ask why you’re so sure?”
Scott looked puzzled when I stated it so definitively.
I couldn’t say I knew the future, so instead I gave him the right answer.
“It’s simple. It’s incredibly convenient. And purchasing is easy. With a credit card registered once, you’ll be able to buy with a single button. Then people will press the purchase button without hesitation. The prime example is Amazon, isn’t it? Who would’ve thought Amazon would grow this big? Of course, I knew—but still.”
“......Actually, we received an inquiry as well. They asked us to let Steam run on Apple computers.”
At that moment, Jobs spoke up.
“I turned them down.”
“And why would you do that?”
“There’s no benefit for us. I didn’t see any reason to do it.”
That was Apple’s greatest strength—and its greatest weakness. Everything was tied to its own interests.
“Jobs, don’t dismiss cooperation with outsiders. If Steam becomes a massive success and only runs on Windows, people who chose Apple computers for the iMac’s design and convenience will end up buying Windows PCs because of Steam. That’s the power of software. Why did Microsoft become such a massive company? Because of Windows, which is practically a monopoly, and the enormous power of software compatible with it.”
The moment I brought up Windows, Jobs raised his voice.
“Anyone who’s used an iMac even once will never look elsewhere!”
“No. Times are changing. It’s not like before. Even now, computer sales are declining, aren’t they? In the end, it’s the difference in third parties. From now on, it’ll be a battle of how many third parties you secure.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Jobs avoided giving a direct answer. Instead, he changed the subject and questioned me.
“Back to square one—the idea of that shop. It’s not like I’ve never thought about it. But opening the road with no immediate # Nоvеlight # profit is a burden. And besides, carriers are already doing that. Is there really a reason for us to do it ourselves? If we do, the carriers will fiercely oppose it.”
“Each carrier sells different applications. The iPhone would unify them into one. Opposition? Is there any carrier that would oppose the iPhone?”
Traditionally, carriers held the upper hand in the mobile market.
The moment that collapsed was the arrival of the iPhone.
“The iPhone unifies it...... Right. Everything that goes into Apple devices should pass through us. That’s how it should be.”
“And earlier I mentioned freedom, but that doesn’t mean we can just let everything loose. So how about collecting a kind of membership fee, at a level that isn’t burdensome, when software is registered in the market? That would at least cover the labor costs of review.”
“Oh, right! That’s a great idea.”
A businessman through and through. The moment money came up, Jobs’ eyes sparkled.
“Even if you charge developers who upload apps, you must never charge consumers for downloads.”
“And why is that?”
“It would hinder accessibility. Consumers have already paid a substantial amount to buy Apple devices. Burdening them again would never be a good idea.”
Jobs nodded as if telling me to continue.
“Let the people uploading apps decide the price. Some apps might sell for one dollar, others for a hundred. Whatever it is, leave the purchasing decision to the consumers.”
“Then there’s not much profit for us, is there?”
Greedy. But knowing that this greed would only make Apple bigger, I simply smiled and continued.
“Over time, you can take a commission. Do you think developers who’ve already made money will stop uploading just because they have to pay a commission? No. They absolutely won’t. By then, they’ll already be dependent.”
“Then why not take the commission from the start?”
“No. In the beginning, focus on creating a space where developers can participate freely. You said it yourself earlier, Jobs. Don’t give up future profits for present gains.”
I threw his own words right back at him.
First, gathering developers on the App Store was the priority.
After that, you could talk about revenue models. Jobs and Apple’s executives would be far better than me at squeezing those out.
“Where people gather, money follows. And the more time passes, the more that becomes true.”
“Alright. I’ll follow your advice. Scott, can you do it?”
“It’s not a matter of whether we can. It’s something that has to be done. So we’ll do it.”
I want this guy. I liked how calmly he spoke the obvious truth.
Jobs smiled in satisfaction and asked me another question.
“So what should we name that market?”
The name? It was already decided.
“Want to write it down? And reveal it at the same time. What do you think?”
“Oh? Sounds fun. Scott, you too—”
“I’m good. Not interested.”
Scott rejected it coldly.
Jobs shook his head and pulled the fountain pen clipped to Scott’s chest pocket.
Then he took out two napkins placed in front of him and handed one to me.
“Let’s write it.”
We turned our bodies so we couldn’t see each other and wrote down the name.
Leaving the napkins under our hands, we faced each other and smiled.
“Let’s see who came up with the cooler name.”
I nodded and lifted my hand. At the same time, Jobs and I lifted our hands from the napkins.
Written on both napkins was the same name: ‘App store’.
“Ha! We thought of the exact same thing!”
Jobs burst out laughing like a madman after confirming it.
“We should register the trademark immediately. Tonight, even. Yes— as fast as possible!”
“Have you already registered the iPhone?”
“That one was registered a long time ago.”
The App store trademark would probably be approved quickly as well.
Of course, since it was a common noun, it wouldn’t be usable exclusively.
But by then, the perception that the App Store was Apple’s market would already be firmly imprinted in people’s minds, so it didn’t matter.
Even without legal protection, once it became a proper noun, it didn’t matter if others copied it. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
We continued our discussion even after that.
Even when I spoke of future knowledge, it didn’t feel out of place—the imagination of those two geniuses, Jobs and Scott, was endless.
“The iPhone will come out with minimal clunky physical buttons. And I don’t need things like a stylus pen on my iPhone. Everything should be done with fingers alone. Don’t you agree?”
Jobs also freely shared his ideas about the new smartphone he envisioned.
Even if Scott looked like he was dying beside him.
Conversations with geniuses were enjoyable. No matter how long we talked, the laughter and ideas never stopped.
“I had a great time. But I should get going now—I have other appointments.”
Has it already gotten this late? I checked my wristwatch and stood up.
“You’re leaving already?”
Jobs said with clear regret. I replied with a smile.
“We’ve got quite a few meetings with companies we invested in this time. Still, I came to Apple first because of you, Jobs. So don’t feel too bad.”
“We should at least have a drink together.”
“Next time. Or I’ll contact you again before I head back to Korea if I can make time.”
“You promised. Make sure you call.”
I nodded, then turned toward Scott and extended my hand.
“Nice meeting you, Scott.”
Scott quickly stood up and took my hand.
The face that had been full of curiosity and wariness was now filled with goodwill.
“I had a great time too, Charlie. I never thought there’d be another crazy person like Jobs.”
“What did you say? Haha!”
I laughed loudly at Scott’s reaction.
“It’s those crazy people who change the world.”
“Exactly. Jobs alone is already overwhelming...... Now I’m almost scared to see how much more the world will change.”
“I’ll keep changing it as hard as I can. Then let’s meet again with actual results on the table.”
I left Apple headquarters. Then, for three days, I went around Silicon Valley—investing where I needed to, and checking on the places I’d already invested in.
But I couldn’t get through all of my remaining schedule.
—Muhyuk. You need to come up to Washington.
After receiving Myungsoo’s call, I boarded my private jet and flew to Washington, the capital of the United States.
