Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007 and later became one of the world’s most valuable public companies.
Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in 1976. Its early success came from personal computers, especially the Apple II and Macintosh. The iPod, launched in 2001, expanded Apple’s consumer-electronics business before the iPhone transformed the company’s scale.
The iPhone combined a mobile phone, music player, and internet device with a touchscreen interface. Its success helped Apple build a large ecosystem around services, accessories, and other hardware. Apple became the first U.S. company to reach a $1 trillion market capitalization in 2018.
A common mix-up is confusing Apple with Alphabet or Microsoft when discussing the world’s most valuable companies. Rankings change with share prices, but Apple has remained a frequent leader in global market-cap tables.