#3 Apple

Company Name	Apple Inc.
Founded	April 1, 1976
Founder(s)	Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Ronald Wayne
Headquarters	Cupertino, California, USA
CEO	Tim Cook (since 2011)
Industry	Technology, Consumer Electronics, Software
Primary Products/Services	iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple TV, iCloud, App Store
Market Cap (2023)	~$2.7 trillion (subject to fluctuation)
Revenue (2023)	$387 billion (approx.)
Employees	Over 160,000 (as of 2023)
Stock Ticker	AAPL (NASDAQ)
Notable Acquisitions	Beats Electronics, Shazam, Next Software, PrimeSense, Intel’s smartphone modem business
Global Reach	Operates in over 100 countries worldwide
Key Competitors	Samsung, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Huawei

 

1976	Apple is founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in Cupertino, California. The company is established to develop and sell personal computers.
1977	Apple Computer, Inc. is officially incorporated, and the Apple II, one of the first pre-assembled personal computers, is launched.
1984	Macintosh is introduced: The first Macintosh computer, featuring a graphical user interface (GUI), is launched.
1985	Steve Jobs leaves Apple: Jobs resigns after a power struggle, and he later founds NeXT and acquires Pixar.
1997	Apple acquires NeXT: Steve Jobs returns to Apple after the company acquires his company, NeXT. Apple also drops "Computer" from its name, becoming Apple Inc.
2001	Launch of the iPod: Apple introduces the iPod, revolutionizing the portable music industry.
2007	Introduction of the iPhone: Apple launches the first iPhone, which transforms the smartphone industry. Apple also introduces the App Store.
2010	Launch of the iPad: Apple enters the tablet market with the launch of the iPad.
2011	Death of Steve Jobs: Steve Jobs passes away, and Tim Cook becomes Apple's CEO.
2014	Launch of the Apple Watch: Apple enters the wearable technology market with the Apple Watch.
2015	Apple becomes the first company to reach a $700 billion market cap and later crosses the $1 trillion mark in 2018.
2016	Apple introduces AirPods: Wireless earbuds are launched, expanding Apple’s product lineup.
2017	Apple announces the iPhone X: The iPhone X introduces a new design with a bezel-less display and Face ID.
2018	Apple reaches $1 trillion market value: Apple becomes the first publicly traded company to achieve a $1 trillion valuation.
2020	Launch of Apple Silicon: Apple announces plans to transition from Intel processors to its own custom-built M1 chips for Mac computers.
2021	Apple becomes the first U.S. company to reach a $2 trillion market cap. Launch of new products like the iPhone 13 and new iPads.
2023	Continued growth and expansion: Apple continues to innovate in AI, augmented reality, and wearables, including the launch of Vision Pro (mixed-reality headset).