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CIA funding kept NeXT afloat in 80s
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
CIA funding kept NeXT afloat in the 1980s, aiding Steve Jobs' return to Apple. This hidden debt may underpin iPhone's foundational code.
Background
Steve Jobs founded NeXT in 1985 after being ousted from Apple. The CIA's classified 'Program B' for satellite reconnaissance sought NeXT's technology, and its financial support helped keep the company solvent during the 1980s. This support is now revealed as a hidden debt that may have enabled Jobs' eventual return to Apple and the development of the iPhone's operating system.
How it unfolded
- 1985Steve Jobs founds NeXT after being pushed out of Apple.
- 1980sCIA's 'Program B' provides funding to keep NeXT afloat, seeking technology for satellite reconnaissance.
- recentlyWSJ reports on the hidden debt Apple owes to the CIA, linking NeXT's survival to the iPhone's foundational code.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- The CIA's involvement in NeXT was part of a classified initiative to develop satellite reconnaissance technology.
- Analysts
- Without CIA funding, NeXT might have failed, potentially preventing Steve Jobs' return to Apple and the iPhone's development.
Still unverified
The exact amount and terms of CIA funding to NeXT are not disclosed in the material.