CIA Helped Save Steve Jobs' NeXT Company

The Wall Street Journal reports that a CIA contract to purchase 20,000 NeXT workstations in the 1980s helped save Steve Jobs' company from bankruptcy and later enabled his return to lead Apple, with NeXT's operating system forming the foundation of Apple's future products.

Consensus

• Steve Jobs founded NeXT after leaving Apple in 1985.
• NeXT faced financial difficulties due to high product prices.
• The CIA placed a contract with NeXT to purchase 20,000 workstations.
• The delivery was required within one year.
• The CIA involved Sun Microsystems engineers to accelerate production.
• The NeXT workstations were used by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) for analyzing satellite imagery.
• The contract allowed NeXT to grow and eventually become part of Apple.
• Steve Jobs returned to lead Apple after NeXT's integration.
• NeXT's operating system became the foundation for Apple's operating systems.

Points of divergence

• The CIA purchased computers from Steve Jobs in 1985. — kommersant
• The contract was for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), not directly for the CIA. — vesti
• The CIA's purchase was described as a 'secret debt' owed by Apple to the CIA. — kommersant
• The NeXT workstations were upgraded with a Motorola microchip and Intel video card after purchase. — vesti

Coverage (2 sources)

• WSJ told about Steve Jobs' «secret debt» to Apple and CIA — Коммерсантъ
• The Wall Street Journal told how the CIA saved Steve Jobs' business — Вести

Key entities

• Steve Jobs
• Apple
• The Wall Street Journal
• USA
• CIA
• Central Intelligence Agency
• Sharon Weinberger
• Moscow
• WSJ
• Next

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