Founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, Apple began in a garage with the Apple I. Early success came with the Apple II, but missteps with the Lisa computer led to internal conflict and Jobs’ departure.
By the mid-1990s, Apple struggled against Microsoft and nearly collapsed. The return of Jobs in 1997 marked a turnaround, launching the iMac and later the revolutionary iPod, iPhone, and iPad.
Under Tim Cook, who became CEO in 2011 following Jobs’ death, Apple expanded into services like Apple TV+, Apple Music, and entered AI with iOS 18 and the iPhone 16 line.
Recent challenges include regulatory pressure in Europe, slowing demand in China, and lukewarm reception of the Vision Pro. Yet analysts remain bullish, citing Apple's ecosystem loyalty and privacy-focused model as key strengths.