Apple turns 50 surrounded by a rare phenomenon in the corporate world: a legion of “super fans” who behave like organized fans. In Brazil, this devotion is accompanied by embarrassing stories involving Steve Jobs. Even with prices that are among the highest in the world, the brand maintains a loyal audience that not only consumes its products, but also collects remarkable, and not always positive, episodes with the founder. With information from Globo.
One of the most emblematic stories is that of the filmmaker Paulo Machlinewho, while still young, participated in a meeting with Jobs in 1985, in New York, about a possible expansion of Apple in Brazil. The meeting, which seemed promising, ended abruptly. After hearing the proposal, Jobs said: “Brazil is not a serious country (…) I have no interest in doing business with Brazil.” The conversation cooled down immediately and the partnership never got off the ground.
The obsession with Apple also led the businessman Breno Masi to surpass limits. After managing to unlock the first iPhone in Brazil, he tried to personally thank the founder — but was ignored. “He looked at me with a disgusted face, turned his back and walked away.” Unsatisfied, Masi went to Jobs’ house in the United States and rang the doorbell, being warned to leave immediately to avoid problems.
Not all fans had such direct — or embarrassing — experiences with Jobs, but devotion remains intense. The journalist Sergio Mirandafor example, turned his passion into a routine: he has visited more than 70 Apple stores around the world and maintains a complete collection of the brand’s products, including all iPod models.
Despite the idolatry, even the most ardent fans admit the burden on their pockets. Brazil remains among the countries with the most expensive iPhone in the world, reinforcing a paradox: the more expensive it is, the more Apple sustains its “premium” image.