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Apple logo with rainbow colors on a white sign, against a blue sky.

It all started with a fruit

At the time of his initial meeting with Steve Jobs in early 1977, Apple Computer was still very much in its infancy, having been incorporated for less than a year. Apple’s offices were in a local strip mall, and consisted of just the three partners – Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Mike Markkula.

The initial identity development was to coincide with the introduction of the brand’s first personal computer, the Apple II. The entire design process with the upstart client only took about two weeks. After the agency’s initial meeting, Janoff went to work developing the Apple icon based on his examination of physical cross-sections of real apples. A single design illustration was then created of a “rainbow-striped” apple.

The design with its multi-colored stripes was promptly approved for production by Steve Jobs. Production artwork was then developed for print ads, signage hardware emblems and software labels on cassette tapes, all in preparation for the launch of the Apple II in April of 1977 at the West Coast Computer Fair. For the next 20 years, the now famous “rainbow version” logo adorned all Apple products from its computer products to the Newton PDA. The only concept ever presented to Apple was an immediate success!

Whether you need the best brand artist or an amazing logo design, contact Rob Janoff today by clicking

Apple Computer Co. logo from 1976 by Ron Wayne, The Apple Logo Story.
Translucent Apple logo from 1998, a visual representation of the brand.
Apple logo design 1977-1998, with rainbow colors by Rob Janoff, The Apple Logo Story
Apple logo, 1998-2000 Monochrome Version, iconic apple symbol, bite taken out
Apple logo, Aqua version from 2001 to 2007, showing the iconic bitten fruit.
Shiny Apple logo with text Current Chrome Version, a modern representation.
Steve Jobs poses near Apple Computer logo, with the company's early branding.
Man wearing Apple logo t-shirt holding a vintage Macintosh computer on city street.
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