Chapter 755: Another Prank?

Steve Jobs took a deep breath and clasped his hands together.

Even in the familiar waiting room, his hands continued to tremble.

‘Goodness. I’m actually shaking like this… I’m getting old.’

Jobs chuckled wryly as he collected his thoughts. Today’s keynote speech would change Apple’s future. No, it would change the world.

“Jobs, it’s time to go.”

The door to the waiting room opened and Tim Cook spoke.

“…Timothy. Today’s speech will decide the future of Apple. There must be no mistakes.”

Jobs said as he stood up, and Tim Cook responded with a smile.

“Of course. I was shocked when I saw the iPhone myself. How did you manage to make something like that without me knowing?”

“I’m sorry about that. Security was just too important…”

Tim Cook had only seen the actual iPhone a month before.

Jobs apologized for keeping even his closest confidant in the dark, but Tim Cook waved his hand dismissively.

“It’s fine. The product is so incredible that there is no need to worry. Just focus on today’s speech, Jobs.”

Jobs gave a faint smile at Tim Cook’s words.

Jobs had brought Tim Cook with him when he returned to Apple.

Living up to his expectations, Tim Cook improved Apple’s constitution and successfully broke the chain of accumulated deficits over several years.

Because of that, Jobs trusted Tim Cook more than anyone.

However, this project was different, security was paramount, so he couldn’t fully explain it even to Tim Cook.

“The whole world will be as surprised as I was. And they will chant your name.”

At Tim Cook’s words filled with anticipation, Jobs patted his shoulder.

“You’ve worked hard, Timothy. If you hadn’t succeeded in cutting costs, we wouldn’t have made it this far. Bringing you with me when I returned to Apple was the second best decision of my life.”

Leaving behind those words he began walking towards the event hall, Tim Cook asked.

“What? I’m the second? Who’s the first? Don’t tell me you’re talking about Gary?”

At Tim Cook’s question, Steve Jobs stopped walking.

Turning around, Jobs looked at Tim Cook with a smile.

“Of course not. He did create Apple with me but Timothy you are by far the better choice.”

Steve Gary Wozniak was practically the person who created Apple.

Steve Jobs and Steve Gary Wozniak co-founded Apple, but people said Jobs was in charge of ideas and management, and Steve Wozniak did all the other development.

As such, Gary was as important as Jobs in the company called Apple.

But Jobs said he wasn’t the first.

Tilting his head, Tim Cook asked Jobs again.

“If it’s not Gary, then who is it?”

“It’s the friend who helped make the iPhone possible. You’ll find out soon enough.”

Leaving behind those mysterious words, Jobs disappeared from view, Tim Cook shook his head.

It was just like Jobs to act strangely like this. He didn’t understand, but he was used to it.

Besides, he had created such an incredible product, it was understandable why he might react that way.

Tim Cook was shocked when he saw the ‘iPhone’ that Jobs had created.

There were already mobile devices called smartphones on the market, but the iPhone was different.

It was an innovative product that broke existing conventions. That was the iPhone.

Compared to the iPhone, the devices that had been called smartphones until now were utter garbage.

“Apple is about to take off.”

Tim Cook smiled as he followed Jobs toward the event hall.

* * *

Steve Jobs walked onto the stage.

He took a sip of water that had been prepared and cleared his throat, looking around.

Many people were focused on him.

He pretended to look at the audience while actually searching for Kim Mu-hyeok.

Soon after, he spotted Kim Mu-hyeok standing stiffly at the very back of the venue, he smiled to himself.

‘If I hadn’t met that guy, the iPhone would have come out a few years later at best.’

Jobs recalled his first meeting with Kim Mu-hyeok.

A confident young Asian businessman.

The moment he saw him confidently expressing his opinions, he knew he was a genius just like himself.

This iPhone was a project that started with his words.

As the event hall darkened, Jobs looked away from Kim Mu-hyeok and slowly started walking.

It was time for the presentation to begin.

On the display behind him, a dark Apple logo was displayed with a small light shining through.

Jobs slowly walked in front of the large display and began to speak.

“Today is a day I have been eagerly waiting for.”

With just those words, the people in the event hall clapped and cheered.

“Throughout our lives, various groundbreaking and innovative products change our lives.”

Applause continued to erupt in between parts of the presentation.

The display showed historic and iconic products that Apple had released.

He continued his speech, explaining the iPod after the Macintosh.

“Today, we are going to introduce three such innovative products.”

The sound of people clapping and cheering filled the hall.

It was an even more enthusiastic reaction than before.

Among the developers and founders of IT companies, a murmur could be heard.

“What? Three? Even for Jobs, is that possible? Do you understand?”

A developer next to him shook his head.

“No way! Do innovative products come out that easily? It doesn’t make sense. One might be possible, but…”

“Right? It’s not just me who thinks that, right? How is he going to handle the aftermath of making such bold claims?”

Jobs continued to speak, ignoring the audience’s reactions.

The dark logo split open and the first technology he had prepared appeared.

“The first is an iPod equipped with a touch-operated widescreen.”

Applause once again filled the event hall.

“So an iPod with a touch screen came out. That was somewhat expected.”

People were busy, some whistling, some clapping, and some reporters quickly writing articles.

After a short pause, Jobs began to speak again.

“The second is an innovative mobile phone.”

The announcement that Apple was releasing a mobile phone was met with even louder cheers and applause than before.

One man even stood up and raised his hands in the air.

“What? Apple is making a mobile phone?”

The mobile phone market was already near saturation.

Besides Nokia Motorola and Ilseong Electronics, there were many manufacturers making phones in many other countries.

“What could be innovative about a mobile phone?”

Perhaps because of that, the reactions from the general public and developers were very different.

The developers couldn’t believe the words ‘innovative mobile phone’.

“Does he think just by throwing around the word innovation everything will be innovative? Is this the end for Jobs?”

Ignoring the various reactions of the people gathered in the venue, Jobs operated the remote control.

“The last third is a groundbreaking and innovative internet communication device.”

However, unlike when the first and second items were announced, the reaction was lukewarm.

“Is he going to release a new Macintosh?”

Most people expected it to be a new version of the Macintosh.

“These are the three things. A touch-operated iPod, an innovative mobile phone, and an internet communication device. iPod, mobile phone, internet communication device…”

As he kept emphasizing these three things, people laughed and clapped.

Unlike the general public who were clapping and laughing at Jobs’ speech, the faces of the developers were stiff.

The developers, already expecting Jobs’ emphasis, were talking to the people next to them with serious expressions.

“These are not three separate products. It is a single product. We have decided to call it the iPhone.”

The reaction from the general public was enthusiastic.

“What? A smartphone with a touch screen?”

“The iPod, mobile phone, and internet all in one device? Really?”

Although they were referred to as the general public, most of the attendees at the event were called early adopters.

They were the people who bought and used new electronic products faster than anyone else.

Therefore, while they were not at the level of developers, they were also more familiar with electronic devices than anyone else.

“This is it.”

When Jobs gestured with a smile, a bizarre-looking iPod with no aesthetic appeal appeared on the screen.

Then everyone laughed and clapped.

“No, I’m joking. The real one is in my pocket. Let’s look at that later…”

Jobs took out the iPhone from his pocket for a brief moment, and continued the presentation, criticizing the smartphones that had been released until then.

And finally, it was time to explain the iPhone.

He strongly criticized the physical keyboards found on the PDAs and smartphones that had come out so far.

Along with that, he emphasized that he had removed all the clumsy keyboard buttons on the mobile phones that were on the market from the iPhone.

When Jobs took out the iPhone, people cheered.

He continued to explain while demonstrating the iPhone.

“While developing the iPhone, we kept everything a secret. I applied the highest security measures that I could to the smallest number of people, and because of that, even my friend Timothy didn’t know about it. I was only able to reveal the iPhone to him after development was complete.”

The relationship between Jobs and Tim Cook was famous even within Apple.

It was said that Tim Cook was the only person who could stop Jobs.

“Tim Cook has never seen the iPhone before. When I showed it to him and let him touch it, the first thing he said was, ‘I felt exhilaration when I scrolled!'”

People laughed and cheered.

That was because the quality of the iPhone that Jobs was demonstrating was smoother than any other electronic device that had been released until then.

After explaining the same features as the iPod, he immediately made a call to someone.

* * *

I smiled when the iPhone was revealed. It was much more advanced than I had known.

In my previous life, I heard that the iPhone was not fully complete even by the time of the presentation, so they had prepared an iPhone with only individual functions.

It certainly looked much more complete than when the iPhone was revealed in my previous life.

Then, Jobs, who was introducing the iPhone, made a call to someone.

And at the same time that Jobs made the call, my phone rang.

‘What’s this?’

I checked the caller ID, but it was a number that was not saved.

I was wondering what to do with an unknown number when I looked up and our eyes met.

He was holding the iPhone and looking directly at me.

Looking closely, I could see the name Charlie, saved in English, on the back display.

‘Ha. He’s at it again with his pranks.’

It would be a huge accident if I didn’t answer the phone here.

In my previous life, I heard he had a call with one of the developers.

I sighed and answered the phone.

“Hey, Charlie.”

“Hello, Jobs. These pranks are not nice.”

“Hahaha! How do you feel? Being the first person to have a call on the iPhone?”

“It’s good. It can’t be bad.”

“I wanted to let you know this first before anyone else. The iPhone project is a collaboration between you and me.”

As Steve Jobs showered me with praise, I could hear people murmuring.

“I have never met a more innovative man than you.”

“Haha…”

I couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly. However, Jobs didn’t care and continued to speak.

“So, how about I introduce you?”

I shook my head.

“No. I gave a few ideas, but it’s entirely Jobs’ work.”

“Are you still trying to make me look like a scoundrel who steals other people’s ideas?”

“Of course not. Even though I said it first, Jobs was thinking about it too. I just gave you advice that helped you make it a little earlier.”

“We call that an idea.”

Such a stubborn person. Well, this is Steve Jobs.

“I appreciate it, but I have no intention of making a name for myself, Jobs.”

“Hahaha. You’re always like that. Okay. But everyone should know. That the iPhone project started with you and me. I’ll hang up now.”

After ending the call, Jobs made another call to someone else.

The presentation continued with a call to a pre-selected person.

But the two people who were sitting in front of me were staring at me.

“H-Hey, by any chance? Were you the one who just spoke with Jobs?”

One man asked me, and I shook my head.

“No.”

“…I think you’re right.”

“You’re mistaken.”

Even though I immediately denied it, they still looked at me with envy and jealousy.

This is getting annoying. I immediately moved my seat.

“You should only get excited in moderation.”

It was like he was retaliating for me forgetting about the Mac World Expo.

But unlike what I said in complaint, the corners of my mouth were rising uncontrollably.