Apple
Apple Inc. is an American hardware and software developer and technology company that develops and sells computers, smartphones and consumer electronics as well as operating systems and application software. In addition, Apple operates an Internet sales portal for music, films and software. Apple's headquarters, Apple Park, is located in Cupertino, California. Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs and Ron Wayne as a garage company and was one of the first manufacturers of personal computers. The company made a significant contribution to their development as a mass product. Apple pioneered the introduction of the graphical user interface and the mouse in the 1980s with the Lisa and Macintosh computers. With the appearance of the iPod (2001), the iPhone (2007) and the iPad (2010), Apple gradually expanded its business into other product areas. It thus laid the basis for the boom in the smartphone and tablet computer markets that has continued to this day. In recent years, the iPhone has become Apple's flagship product, accounting for more than 50% of the company's total sales.[2] The iTunes store for music and film downloads opened in 2003 became the first commercially successful download portal and played a key role in shaping this market.[3] Today, the iTunes Store and the App Store, which opened in 2008, are two of the world's largest sales channels for digital goods.
