Apple Inc. is an American multinational company headquartered in Cupertino, California. Apple is the world's largest technology company by revenue (totaling US$394.3 billion in 2022) and second-largest mobile phone manufacturer after Samsung. It is the world's largest technology company by market capitalization, with its stock having a capitalization of over $2 trillion as of March 2023.
Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in April 1976 to develop and sell Wozniak's Apple I personal computer. It was incorporated as Apple Computer, Inc. in January 1977, and sales of its computers grew quickly. Within a few years, Apple became one of the leading computer companies in the world.
In the early 1980s, Apple introduced the Macintosh, a revolutionary personal computer that was designed to be user-friendly. The Macintosh was a huge success, and it helped to make Apple one of the most popular computer companies in the world.
In the 1990s, Apple faced a number of challenges, including competition from Microsoft and declining sales of Macintosh computers. However, the company was able to rebound under the leadership of Steve Jobs, who returned to Apple in 1997.
Under Jobs' leadership, Apple introduced a number of successful products, including the iMac, the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad. These products were all huge successes, and they helped to make Apple one of the most successful companies in the world.
Steve Jobs died in 2011, but Apple has continued to be successful under the leadership of Tim Cook. The company continues to innovate, and it is one of the most respected in the world.
IPod
The Apple iPod is a line of portable media players designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPod model was released on October 23, 2001, and the line has been updated with numerous new models over the years. The iPod was a major success, and it helped to popularize the digital music player market.
The iPod was developed by a team of engineers led by Tony Fadell. Fadell had previously worked on the Newton MessagePad, and he was inspired by the idea of creating a portable device that could store and play a large number of songs. The iPod was originally designed to be a hard drive-based player, but Fadell eventually decided to use flash memory instead. This made the iPod smaller and more durable, and it also allowed it to have a longer battery life.
The iPod was a huge success, and it quickly became the best-selling portable media player on the market. By 2004, Apple had sold over 100 million iPods, and the device had become a cultural icon. The iPod's success helped to popularize the digital music player market, and it also helped to make Apple one of the most successful companies in the world.
The iPod was discontinued in 2022, but it remains a popular device among collectors and enthusiasts. The iPod was a major turning point in the history of portable music, and it helped to shape the way that people listen to it.
Total sales of the iPod are estimated to be over 450 million units. The iPod was a major success for Apple.
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of smartphones designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was released on June 29, 2007, and the line has been updated with numerous new models over the years. The iPhone is one of the most popular smartphones in the world, and it has been credited with popularizing the market.
The iPhone was developed by a team led by Steve Jobs. Jobs had previously been involved in the development of the Macintosh and the iPod, and he was determined to create a smartphone that was both user-friendly and powerful. The iPhone was originally designed to be a touchscreen device, and it featured a number of innovative features, such as the multi-touch display and the App Store.
The iPhone was a huge success, and it quickly became the best-selling smartphone on the market. By 2010, Apple had sold over 100 million iPhones, and the device had become a cultural icon. The iPhone's success helped to popularize the smartphone market.
The iPhone is still one of the most popular smartphones in the world, and it continues to be a major driver of Apple's success. As of 2023, Apple has sold over 2.3 billion iPhones. The iPhone is a major force in the mobile phone industry, and it is likely to continue to be a major player for many years to come.
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPad was released on April 3, 2010. The iPad has a multi-touch screen interface and is operated by the iOS operating system. The iPad is capable of internet browsing, media playback, running applications, and sending and receiving email.
The iPad was originally designed to be a bridge between the iPhone and the MacBook, and it featured a number of innovative features, such as the multi-touch display, the App Store, and the iBooks app.
The iPad was a huge success, and it quickly became the best-selling tablet computer on the market. By 2011, Apple had sold over 15 million iPads, and the device had become a cultural icon. The iPad's success helped to popularize the tablet computer market.
The iPad is still one of the most popular tablet computers in the world, and it continues to be a major driver of Apple's success. As of 2023, Apple has sold over 500 million iPads.
Subsidiaries/Acquisitions
Apple owns a number of subsidiaries:
Beats Electronics (acquired in 2014) is a manufacturer of headphones, speakers, and audio software.
Shazam (acquired in 2018) is a music identification app.
NeXT (acquired in 1996) was a computer hardware and software company that developed the NeXTSTEP operating system.
AuthenTec (acquired in 2012) was a manufacturer of fingerprint sensors.
Mobeewave (acquired in 2020) is a mobile payments company.
Apple Diversity & Inclusiveness Transparency (acquired in 2021) is a non-profit organization that provides data on the diversity of Apple's workforce.
In addition to these wholly-owned subsidiaries, Apple also has a number of minority investments in other companies.
List of CEOs
Here is a list of the people who served as CEO of Apple:
- Michael Scott (1977-1981)
Mike Markkula (1981-1983)
John Sculley (1983-1993)
Michael Spindler (1993-1996)
Gil Amelio (1996-1997)
Steve Jobs (1997-2011)
Tim Cook (2011-present)