Apple reveals celebration plans for its 50th birthday

Apple turns 50 on Apr. 1, 2026, and the celebration start with a letter.

The company's CEO Tim Cook published a letter on Thursday titled "50 years of thinking different" on Apple's website. "Fifty years ago in a small garage, a big idea was born. Apple was founded on the simple notion that technology should be personal, and that belief — radical at the time — changed everything," he wrote.

Cook's celebratory letter focuses on Apple's roots as a company that aims to "think different," and one that focuses on improving people's lives. Though it doesn't mention co-founder Steve Jobs by name, it ends with one of his quotes: "the people crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do."

In a separate post on Apple's website, the company revealed a little bit on how it plans to celebrate this occasion (the celebration was first hinted at by Cook himself when he addressed employees at an internal Apple meeting).

"In the coming weeks, Apple and its global community will celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary, recognizing the creativity, innovation, and impact that people around the world have made possible with Apple technology."

While that doesn't tell us much (except, perhaps, that the celebration will stretch over a period of time), it is in the company's spirit to never spill the beans on anything that's coming, even if it's just a birthday party.

"While Apple is known for looking forward, this milestone offers a special moment to reflect on the journey that has brought the company here, to celebrate the people and communities who have thought different with us, and to honor the enduring values that continue to guide our work," the post said.