Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in 1976.
The company began with the Apple I personal computer, designed by Wozniak and marketed by Jobs. Apple was incorporated on January 3, 1977, after Wayne had left the partnership. Its later products, including the Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, and iPad, transformed the company into one of the world’s most valuable publicly traded businesses.
A common mix-up is the founding date: the partnership began in 1976, while incorporation happened in 1977. Apple’s original name was Apple Computer Company, and it became Apple Computer, Inc. in 1977. The word “Computer” was removed from the corporate name in 2007, reflecting the company’s expansion into phones, tablets, services, and other consumer products.
Apple trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker AAPL. Its market value has repeatedly placed it among the global leaders, although the exact ranking changes with share prices.