Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007 and became one of the world's highest-market-cap companies.
Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. Its first major product was the Apple I, followed by the Apple II, which helped establish the company in the personal-computer market.
The Macintosh arrived in 1984, while later products such as the iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch expanded Apple into consumer electronics and services. The iPhone became especially important because it combined a phone, internet access, and a touch-screen interface.
Apple is sometimes confused with Alphabet or Microsoft because all three have been among the world's most valuable public companies. Market capitalization changes with share prices, so rankings can shift even when a company's underlying business has not changed.