Apple introduced the Macintosh computer in 1984 and is a frequent market-cap leader.
The Macintosh launched on January 24, 1984, after a famous Super Bowl advertisement directed by Ridley Scott. It helped popularize graphical user interfaces and the computer mouse for personal-computer users.
Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. Its modern product portfolio includes the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and services such as the App Store and Apple Music.
A common mix-up is confusing Apple Inc. with Apple Records, the music label founded by the Beatles. They are unrelated organizations. Market capitalization changes daily with share prices, so rankings among the largest public companies can change even when the underlying business has not.