Tech History: Microsoft’s First Product Was for Apple?!

When you think of Microsoft and Apple, you probably picture decades of rivalry—Windows vs. macOS, PC vs. Mac, Bill Gates vs. Steve Jobs. But here’s the twist: Microsoft’s very first product was actually made for Apple.

In 1977, long before Windows existed, Microsoft released a version of its BASIC programming language for the Apple II. BASIC was how early users wrote code, built programs, and brought those beige machines to life. And the Apple II—one of the first truly successful home computers—needed it.

So yes, before they were competitors, Microsoft and Apple were partners. Bill Gates himself even appeared on stage at Apple events in the early days, promoting Microsoft software.

It’s one of those quirky ironies in tech history: the company that became Apple’s fiercest rival helped power its early success. Without Microsoft BASIC, the Apple II might never have become the household name it was.

Sometimes, even the biggest rivalries start with a handshake.