Apple's Journey From Bankruptcy To A Trillion Dollar Brand

When Steve Jobs started Apple Computer Inc along with Steve Wozniak in April 1976, little did he know that his company, now Apple Inc, would become a global giant in less than 50 years of its existence. Apple Computer Inc's first product, Apple I, was a humble computer without keyboard, a mouse and even a case. Jobs and Wozniak made around 200 units most of which were sold within nine to ten months of the launch. Their second computer, Apple II, was more of a finished product with a duo-disk monitor and a keyboard. At the time, it became one of the best selling mass-produced microcomputers. It also set a tone for what was to come from Apple as a company in the coming year.

In the following years, Apple not only made more powerful and compact computers but it also diversified its portfolio by launching new devices that were ahead of their time both in terms of imagination and technology. For instance, the iPod popularised having tens of thousands of audio tracks a touch away. It sold over 100 million units sold within six years of its launch. Similarly, iPhone , which was introduced in 2007 became the first smartphone with a capacitive touch-screen display. Its subsequent successor, the iPhone 4, which was launched in 2010, became the first smartphone with multi-tasking and front-facing camera based video calling features.

In the 48 years of its existence, Apple has expanded its product portfolio to include Macs, MacBooks, iPads, iPods, iPhones, AirPods, Apple Watch, Apple TV, Vision Pro, HomePods and AirTags. It has also made services and software a key part of its portfolio. It's burgeoning list includes Apple One, Apple TV+, Apple Music, iCloud, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, Apple Podcasts and Apple. More recently, the company branched out to generative AI-based features in the form of Apple Intelligence -- another feather in its hat.

Here's a quick walk through of Apple 's journey so far:

That said, Apple 's journey hasn't been all rosy. It has toyed with the idea of bankruptcy and faced sluggish device demands in markets across the globe. What has helped it face these headwinds is its strong services portfolio that has proved to be its rock even as device sales dwindle at times.

Apple 's products and services have helped it to become the first company to reach the $1 trillion mark in August 2018, the first company to reach the $3 trillion mark in July 2023, and the first $1 trillion global brand in June 2024. To put into persective, it took Apple 42 years to reach $1 trillon mark, another 2 years to reach $2 trillion mark and just 1 year to reach $3 trillion mark.

As technology advances and consumer demands change, the jury's still out for what another 48 years of Apple would look like.