Aside from what NeXT taught Steve Jobs personally, Apple's acquisition of NeXT is key to what the company is today. As you say, NeXT OS (rebranded as Mac OS X) saved Apple from the dead-end that its classic OS had become. All Apple's operating systems (including iOS) are descendants of NeXT tech.
But most importantly, when NeXT was bought by Apple, Jobs somehow managed to get himself appointed Apple CEO. This coup enabled him to revive the Mac platform, bring out the iPod and iPhone and create one of the most valuable companies in the world.
Aside from what NeXT taught Steve Jobs personally, Apple's acquisition of NeXT is key to what the company is today. As you say, NeXT OS (rebranded as Mac OS X) saved Apple from the dead-end that its classic OS had become. All Apple's operating systems (including iOS) are descendants of NeXT tech.
But most importantly, when NeXT was bought by Apple, Jobs somehow managed to get himself appointed Apple CEO. This coup enabled him to revive the Mac platform, bring out the iPod and iPhone and create one of the most valuable companies in the world.