Founding of Apple and Early Milestones
Steve Jobs co-founded Apple Computer on April 1, 1976, in Los Altos, California, alongside Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. The company was formally incorporated on January 3, 1977. Jobs focused on design, marketing, and vision, while Wozniak engineered the early hardware. The Apple I was sold as a bare circuit board, and the Apple II became one of the first mass-produced personal computers. By the early 1980s, Apple had become a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ under the ticker AAPL.
The founding story is often tied to Jobs' garage in Cupertino, where the first Apple computers were assembled. In 1977, Mike Markkula invested $250,000 and helped write the company's business plan. Apple went public in 1980, creating more millionaires than any other IPO in history at the time. The company's early success was driven by the Apple II series, which dominated the education and home computing markets. Jobs' insistence on user-friendly design set Apple apart from competitors during this period.
Departure, NeXT, and Return to Apple
Jobs was forced out of Apple in 1985 after a power struggle with then-CEO John Sculley. He founded NeXT Inc., a computer platform company, and also acquired the graphics division of Lucasfilm, which became Pixar Animation Studios. Pixar went on to produce blockbuster animated films and was later acquired by Disney. NeXT developed advanced workstation computers and an object-oriented operating system that would later influence macOS.
Apple acquired NeXT in 1996 for roughly $429 million, bringing Steve Jobs back to the company he co-founded. He became interim CEO in 1997 and later permanent CEO. Under his leadership, Apple launched the iMac in 1998, the iPod in 2001, the iTunes Store in 2003, the iPhone in 2007, and the iPad in 2010. These products transformed Apple into the world's most valuable company by market capitalization. Jobs' return is widely considered one of the most successful corporate turnarounds in business history.
Apple's Growth, Market Position, and Legacy
Today, Apple Inc. is one of the largest companies in the world by revenue and market value. It designs, manufactures, and sells consumer electronics, software, and online services. Key products include the iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, and services like Apple Music and iCloud. Apple is consistently ranked among the most valuable brands globally. The company's annual revenue has exceeded $300 billion in recent fiscal years, driven largely by iPhone sales and a growing services segment.
Steve Jobs passed away on October 5, 2011, but his influence on Apple's culture and product philosophy remains central. Tim Cook has served as CEO since August 2011, continuing the focus on privacy, design, and ecosystem integration. Apple has expanded into new categories such as augmented reality, autonomous systems, and health technology. The company's financial results are reported in quarterly earnings releases filed with the SEC. Investors and analysts continue to track Apple's innovation strategy and market dominance closely.