Apple’s market capitalization first exceeded $1 trillion in 2018, setting a record for a technology company.
The company crossed the threshold in August 2018 after its stock price rose following strong quarterly results and optimistic guidance. At that point, the market valued all outstanding Apple shares at more than one trillion U.S. dollars.
Apple’s journey to the milestone followed decades of product development, including the Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. The iPhone, introduced in 2007, became the company’s defining product and helped create a broad ecosystem of devices, applications, and services.
The word “first” depends on the measurement used. Apple was the first public company to pass $1 trillion in market capitalization, while private-company valuations and other financial measures are separate categories.