Who Founded Apple Inc and When
Apple Inc founder Steve Jobs cofounded the company on April 1, 1976, in Cupertino, California, with Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne (Forbes). Wayne sold his 10% stake back to Jobs and Wozniak within 12 days for 800 dollars, leaving the two Steves as the primary founders (SEC Filing).
Founding Story and Early Products
The Apple I was hand-built by Wozniak and sold as a bare circuit board, while the Apple II launched in 1977 and became one of the first mass-produced personal computers (Forbes). The company incorporated as Apple Computer, Inc. in 1977 and later dropped "Computer" from its name in 2007 to reflect its shift to consumer electronics.
Apple Inc Founder Steve Jobs and Key Leadership
Steve Jobs served as CEO from 1985 to 1985 after being ousted, then returned as interim CEO in 1997 and became permanent CEO in 2000 (SEC Filing). Under his leadership, Apple launched the iMac in 1998, iPod in 2001, iPhone in 2007, and iPad in 2010, reshaping multiple industries.
Tim Cook Era After Steve Jobs
Tim Cook succeeded Steve Jobs as CEO on August 24, 2011, following Jobs' resignation (SEC Filing). Cook has focused on supply chain efficiency, services growth, and expanding Apple's installed base while maintaining the company's high-margin hardware strategy.
Current Financials and Market Position of Apple Inc
As of the latest available public data, Apple Inc is the largest company by market capitalization globally, with annual revenue exceeding 391 billion dollars in fiscal year 2023 ((SEC Filing)). The company's iPhone segment still accounts for over half of total revenue, while Services revenue surpassed 85 billion dollars and continues to grow faster than hardware.
Rankings and Key Business Metrics
Apple ranks first on the Fortune