Podcast· Software Engineering Daily
Steve Jobs in Exile
Oct 8, 2026 · 122 min · Clio 75
Clio listened
Jeffrey Kane, author of Steve Jobs in Exile, and Daniel Lewin unpack how NeXT became a turning point for Apple rather than a failure. The episode traces NeXTSTEP, Objective-C, and the university-market strategy that shaped Mac OS X, iOS, and modern Apple software, with lessons for CIOs on platform bets, talent, and long-term technical leverage.
Key points
- NeXTSTEP’s object-oriented architecture became the foundation of Mac OS X and later iPhone software.
- NeXT targeted universities first, using 24 institutions to seed adoption and save Apple’s Mac launch.
- Objective-C and dynamic binding were pivotal; the team chose runtime flexibility over then-popular C++ paths.
- IBM licensed NeXTSTEP and planned a joint rollout, but the deal collapsed as NeXT’s hardware business failed.
- OpenStep and WebObjects extended NeXT’s influence; WebObjects later powered key Apple web services, including iTunes.
- Steve Jobs’ talent-spotting and demanding culture helped build exceptional teams, then matured into greater delegation.