Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007 and is frequently ranked among the world’s largest companies by market capitalization.
Apple began in 1976 when Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne founded the company in California. Its early success came from personal computers, especially the Apple II and Macintosh.
The iPhone transformed Apple’s business after its release in 2007. The company later expanded its ecosystem with the iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, services, and custom-designed chips. Investors often value Apple not only for hardware sales but also for recurring revenue from services and its large installed user base.
Apple is sometimes confused with Alphabet, Microsoft, or Samsung in market-capacity lists because rankings change with share prices. Market capitalization means the value of all outstanding shares, so it can change daily even when a company’s products and operations remain the same.