"Well, Apple invented the PC as we know it, and then it invented the graphical user interface as we know it eight years later (with the introduction of the Mac). But then, the company had a decade in which it took a nap"

Steve Jobs is describing the history of Apple and how it transformed the computer industry. He is saying that Apple developed the PC as we understand it, and after that 8 years later, it invented the visual user interface as we know it with the intro of the Mac. However, after this, Apple had a decade in which it was not as innovative and took a break from pressing the boundaries of technology. This is most likely describing the amount of time between the mid-1980s and mid-1990s when Apple was having a hard time to survive and was not as effective as it had been in the past. Throughout this time, Apple was not as ingenious and was not pressing the limits of innovation as it had been previously. This quote from Steve Jobs is a suggestion of how Apple was able to return from a period of stagnation and end up being the successful business it is today.