Steve Jobs Lied to His Best Friend for Money !

When people think of Apple’s origin story, they picture two brilliant young men—Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak—working together in a California garage, laying the foundation for one of the most influential companies in history. But behind the glossy narrative of innovation and success lies a lesser-known chapter that reveals a crack in that legendary partnership.

In 1976, before Apple was born, Jobs and Wozniak collaborated on a project for Atari. The task? To design a game called Breakout. Wozniak did the bulk of the engineering, condensing the game’s design into a remarkable four-day stretch with little sleep. Atari was impressed—and paid Jobs $5,000 for the work.

But here’s where the story darkens.

Jobs told Wozniak that Atari had only paid $750. Grateful and trusting, Wozniak accepted his $375 share without question. Jobs kept the remaining $4,250—a massive amount at the time. Wozniak wouldn’t learn the truth until years later.

When he did, his response was calm but cutting:

“Steve was a different breed. He could lie to anyone and not even flinch.”

This wasn’t just a financial betrayal. It was a fundamental breach of trust between two friends who were supposed to be equals. Wozniak, the humble engineer with a heart, genuinely believed in creating technology to empower people. Jobs, driven by vision, charisma, and an unrelenting hunger for success, often saw the end as justifying the means.

The betrayal didn’t stop there. When Apple went public in 1980, the company created millions in wealth overnight. Many employees and early investors became rich. Wozniak, despite being the technical brain behind the first Apple computers, walked away with significantly less than others. He even offered some of his shares to employees who weren’t given stock—another example of his generosity and stark contrast to Jobs’ ruthless business approach.

Looking back, the story of the Atari deal feels symbolic. It foreshadowed a recurring theme in Apple’s history: Steve Jobs’ capacity to inspire—and manipulate. While Jobs’ brilliance in design and product vision is undeniable, stories like these serve as a sobering reminder that ambition can cast long shadows over loyalty and friendship.

This doesn't mean Apple’s success is purely a result of deception. But it's essential to remember that behind every empire lies a complex web of choices—some inspiring, others deeply human and flawed.

In the end, Steve Wozniak chose not to dwell on the betrayal. He remained kind-hearted and forgiving, always choosing principles over ego. His response is a lesson in itself: success may bring power, but character defines legacy.

And maybe that’s the real story Apple’s beginning tells us—not just about building machines, but about the fragile, often painful reality of human relationships behind innovation.