As the face of Apple for so many years, everyone knows exactly who Steve Jobs is. Fewer people know who Steve Wozniak is. And unless you’re a true-blue Apple aficionado, you probably have no idea who Ronald G. Wayne is. But, for a brief time, Wayne was the third founding member of Apple. From the iPhone and iPod to FaceTime, the App Store, and the multi-touch interface, it’s not a stretch to say <a href="https://jordangazette.com/4-car-parts-that-can-affect-your-vehicles-fuel-economy/”>that Apple and its products have changed the world. As of early 2026, Apple is once again the world’s most valuable brand – for a fourth year running. It’s also one of the largest companies by market capitalization alongside other powerhouses like Nvidia, Alphabet (Google), and Microsoft.

Technically, Wayne was the second of the three founders. Jobs was the undisputed visionary and driving force, and the two worked together at another revolutionary company by the name of Atari. Jobs needed Wayne to convince Wozniak to join their team. “The Woz” (as he was known) was working at Hewlett-Packard by day, making scientific calculators and designing games for Atari on the side, and knew the two well. 

On April 1, 1976 (not an April Fool’s joke), these three men formed Apple Computer, Inc. Just 12 days later, Wayne decided it was time to get out and move on. Some might say it was indeed a foolish move, since Wayne gave up his 10% share (Jobs and Woz each had 45%) for a mere $800. He was later paid an additional $1,500 to formally relinquish any future claims. Still, that 10% stake today would be worth upward of $400 billion.

Initially, Wozniak had a very difficult time understanding the concept of proprietorship and balked at the idea that any company (including Apple) could own the rights to his technical designs. Wayne invited Woz over to his place in Mountain View, California, and after having a 20-minute conversation, managed to assuage his fears. The rest, as they say, is history.

Jobs and Woz were both in their 20s, while Wayne, at 41, was the adult, offering invaluable business acumen and structure to the ambitious young men. He not only designed Apple’s first logo (an illustration of Isaac Newton sitting under a tree), but drafted the company’s original partnership agreement (which sold for $1.6 million in 2011) and the Apple-1 operating manual. He also acted as the tie-breaker when Jobs and Woz couldn’t agree on something.

Wayne still insists he made the right choice and, at 91 years of age, has no regrets about his decision. That’s because Jobs had to borrow $15,000 to fill one of their first big computer orders placed by The Byte Shop. Per the terms of the agreement, all three would’ve been personally liable for the company’s debts if it failed. At the time, the two Steves didn’t have much to lose, but Ronald had a house, car, and a checking account, and felt it wasn’t worth the risk. He also insists he never actually sold his 10% interest to anyone for any amount of money. However, his $800 buyout voided any legal standing he may have had. Ironically, Wayne recently became a tongue-in-cheek spokesperson for a different kind of apple product — Anheuser-Busch’s limited-edition Busch Light Apple beer.