Apple CEO Cook publishes an open letter welcoming the company’s 50th anniversary: “50 Years, Beyond Imagination”

IT Home March 12 news: Today, Apple CEO Tim Cook released a letter titled “50 Years of Thinking Different” to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary on April 1, 2026.

** IT Home provides the full text below:**

Fifty years ago, in an unremarkable garage, an extraordinary idea was born. Apple’s founding came from a simple belief: technology should be more personal. Back then, this idea was seen as far-fetched, but it truly changed the world.

On April 1 this year, Apple will turn 50. Looking back over the past half century, we have never stopped exploring new ideas and new possibilities, and we have put many powerful tools into the hands of users. From the first Apple computer to the Mac, from the iPod to the iPhone, and then to the iPad, Apple Watch, and AirPods; and also the services that accompany everyday life: the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV. Behind each breakthrough, we have always firmly believed: the power that moves the world forward comes from people who dare to pursue different ideas.

Because progress often starts with individuals. It might be inventors or scientists, or it might come from students or story creators—always searching for better ways, fresh ideas, or unconventional approaches. The spirit has guided us since Apple was founded, but it doesn’t belong to us alone.

Every one of our innovations is just the beginning, and the most exciting chapters are being written by you yourselves. You are the true users of technology, and you put it to full use at work, in learning, in exploration, and in the pursuit of your dreams. You achieve new breakthroughs, open up new businesses; you warm the hearts of loved ones in the hospital ward, and you record your baby’s first steps; you finish the marathon, write great works, and reconnect with old friends; you explore new wonders of the unknown, find new songs to love, and share moving stories—so that hearts connect with hearts.

In your hands, the tools we’ve built are able to deliver their full potential, making everyday life better, and even stepping in when it matters most. What truly inspires us is never what technology itself can do, but what you can make technology accomplish.

At Apple, we focus more on creating the future than on dwelling in the past. But on this important milestone of the 50th anniversary, we want to thank the tens of millions of people around the world—together, you have made today’s Apple possible. Thank you to our outstanding teams across the globe, thank you to our developer community, and thank you to every user who has traveled with us along the way. Your ingenuity brings us fresh inspiration; your trust motivates us to strive for excellence; your stories remind us that only by daring to pursue different ideas can we achieve even more.

You’ve taught us one thing: those who seem crazy, with nothing but the desire to change the world—really can change the world.

“Here’s to the crazy ones.

The misfits.

The rebels.

The troublemakers.

The round pegs in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently.”

** Cheers to you**