Apple is one of the largest IT companies in the world by [revenue](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenue), and a part of the famous [FAANG](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/faang-stocks.asp), consisting of [Facebook (meta)](https://quartr.com/companies/meta-platforms-inc_4109), [Apple](https://quartr.com/companies/apple-inc_4742), [Amazon](https://quartr.com/companies/amazoncom-inc_4762), [Netflix](https://quartr.com/companies/netflix-inc_3477), and [Google](https://quartr.com/companies/alphabet-inc_4122). 

Their headquarters are in [Cupertino, California](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupertino,_California), in the middle of [Silicon Valley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Valley). The building is a [circular groundscraper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Park), with a circumference of one mile or 1.6km, as [Steve Jobs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Jobs) didn’t want the HQ to look like a business park, but more like a nature refuge. Apple was founded on April 1, 1976, by Steve Jobs, [Steve Wozniak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Wozniak) and [Ronald Wayne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Wayne), to develop and sell Wozniak’s Apple I personal computer. 

The company is a designer, manufacturer and marketer of smartphones, PC’s, tablets, wearables and accessories, and sells a variety of related services. Their most famous products include [iPhone](https://www.apple.com/), Mac, iPad, and wearables, home and accessories.

The company’s services include Advertising, [AppleCare](https://www.apple.com/legal/sales-support/applecare/applecareplus/), [Cloud Services](https://www.icloud.com/), Digital Content and [Payment services](https://www.apple.com/se/apple-pay/). 

Customer wise, Apple mainly sells to small and mid-sized businesses, and education, enterprise, consumer, and government markets.

Ever since the company was founded, the culture has been very informal, with many similarities to a startup, rather than a multinational corporation. An example of this informality is that even though Apple was a [Fortune 500](https://fortune.com/fortune500/) company, Jobs often strolled around the office [barefoot](https://www.quora.com/Why-did-Steve-Jobs-like-to-walk-barefoot). This culture of non bureaucracy became a key trait that has differentiated Apple from its competitors. 

## What about the founding story?

On April 1, 1976, college dropouts Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne founded Apple Computers, Inc. 

With a vision to change the way people interacted with computers they wanted to make the PC’s small enough to fit in people's homes or offices - simply put, they wanted to create a user friendly device.

The two founders started building the first iterations of the Apple computer in Jobs’s garage, and sold them without keyboard, monitor and casing. By releasing the [Apple II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_II), the first ever PC with color graphics, the two Steve's revolutionized the computer industry. 

From 1978, to the year Apple went public - 1980, sales increased from $7.8 million to $117 million. 

In December 1979, Jobs and several other Apple employees visited [Xerox PARC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PARC_(company)), to see the [Xerox Alto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xerox_Alto), which was a computer with a [graphical user interface](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphical_user_interface) (GUI). During the visit, Jobs became convinced that GUI was the future for computers, this led him and Apple into developing a GUI for the computer [Apple Lisa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Lisa), named after Jobs’s daughter.

When releasing the [Macintosh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh) in 1984, the company made a $1.5 million investment in the TV-ad “[1984](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtvjbmoDx-I&ab_channel=MacHistory)”. This ad is considered one of the greatest ever and is seen as the watershed event for Apple’s success. 

## The NeXT acquisition

On February 9, 1997, Apple finalized the acquisition of [NeXT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeXT), which at the time was an American tech company that specialized in PC workstations, intended for higher education and business use. 

NeXT was founded in 1985 by Steve Jobs after being forced out of Apple, they produced their first product - the [NeXT computer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeXT_Computer), in 1988, followed by the [NeXTcube](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeXTcube) and the [NeXTstation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeXTstation) in 1990. These were highly influential computers, and set new trends within computer innovation, with their object-oriented programming and GUI. This advanced software - the NeXTSTEP operating system, later became the foundation of Mac OS X.

The deal amounted to $429 million and 1.5 million worth of Apple stock, and Jobs was given a role as advisor and interim CEO at Apple. He immediately reviewed their products and ordered 70% of the production to be canceled, resulting in the cutting of 3000 employees. 

Under the leadership of Jobs, the company turned years of near bankruptcy to years of innovation, and became one of the world’s most valuable companies, with their iconic array of products and services. 

## In house silicon

By the end of 2020, Apple already had released four new iPhones during the fall, but CEO [Tim Cook](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Cook) wasn’t done with flooding homes with tech. An additional two new MacBooks and a Mac Mini were released, holding the new custom-made [M1 silicon chip](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_M1).

The [system on a chip](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_on_a_chip) (SoC) solution is designed to be used in Apple’s own consumer hardware products. By using their own chips, the company sees improved margins and doesn't have to give [Intel](https://quartr.com/companies/intel-corporation_4689) as much of a cut anymore.

The new M1 chips allegedly match peak PC performance, using just 25% of the power. This new chip series is now the basis of most new Mac PC’s as well as iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Apple Watch.

Given that the company likes to have a tightly-knit eco-system of products, the transition to their own silicon chips was inevitable. Apple is outsourcing the manufacturing of the chips but fully controls the integration with the company's hardware and software. This opens up the possibility for them to design and customize both hardware and software in their products. 




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Apple (AAPL) Product Launch Summary | Quartr

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Apple Inc

Record revenue and EPS growth, robust iPhone and Services demand, and a CEO transition marked the quarter.

Q2 2026

Record Q1 revenue and EPS driven by iPhone and Services, with strong shareholder returns.

Q1 2026

Record $85.8B revenue, all-time high Services, and $32B returned to shareholders this quarter.

Q3 2024

Apple Intelligence and major OS updates bring advanced AI, customization, and developer tools.

Service Launch

Apple unveils AI-powered devices, health features, and carbon-neutral products across its lineup.

Product Launch

Record $94.9B revenue, strong iPhone/Services growth, and 46.2% gross margin.

Q4 2024

Record Q1 revenue and EPS, strong services and Mac growth, and over $30B returned to shareholders.

Q1 2025

Record revenue, innovation, and strong governance drive board's recommendations for 2026.

Proxy Filing

Key votes include board elections, auditor ratification, and a China Entanglement Audit proposal.

### Product innovation and design
- Introduced next-generation AirPods Pro 3 with breakthrough audio, enhanced ANC, live translation, and fitness features.
- Launched Apple Watch Series 11 with thinner, more durable design, 5G, hypertension notifications, and SleepScore.
- Debuted Apple Watch SE 3 with always-on display, temperature sensing, and fast charging.
- Revealed Apple Watch Ultra 3 featuring the largest display, satellite connectivity, and 42-hour battery life.
- Unveiled iPhone 17 lineup, including iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro, each with advanced displays, Apple silicon, and camera systems.

### Health, fitness, and user experience
- AirPods Pro 3 now offer heart rate sensing, improved fit, and IP57 durability for workouts.
- Apple Watch Series 11 adds hypertension detection and advanced sleep analysis using machine learning.
- Fitness tracking enhanced with new AI-powered features and integration with third-party apps.
- Apple Watch Ultra 3 supports satellite SOS, Find My, and is made from 100% recycled titanium.

### Performance, battery, and sustainability
- iPhone 17 powered by A19 chip, offering faster performance, ProMotion display, and all-day battery life.
- iPhone Air features A19 Pro, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, eSIM-only design, and up to 40 hours video playback with MagSafe battery.
- iPhone 17 Pro introduces advanced thermal management, 40% better sustained performance, and up to 39 hours video playback.
- All new Apple Watch models use 100% recycled aluminum or titanium, reflecting a strong ESG commitment.

Apple (AAPL) Product Launch summary

Product Launch summary

Product innovation and design

Health, fitness, and user experience

Performance, battery, and sustainability

Latest events from Apple