Apple Inc. facts for kids
Logo used since 1998
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Apple Park is the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California, in Silicon Valley.
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Formerly
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| Founded | April 1, 1976 in Los Altos, California, U.S. | ||
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| Headquarters | 1 Apple Park Way,
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Number of locations
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529 retail stores (2023) | ||
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Area served
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Worldwide | ||
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Key people
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| Revenue |  US$383.29 billion (2023) |
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Operating income
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$114.30 billion (2023) |
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| $97.00 billion (2023) |
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| Total assets | $352.58 billion (2023) |
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| Total equity |  $62.15 billion (2023) |
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Number of employees
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161,000 (2023) | ||
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Apple Inc. is a huge company that makes many popular electronic devices. These include personal computers like the Mac, mobile devices such as the iPod, iPhone, and iPad, and lots of software.
Apple calls its computers Macintoshes or Macs. Their laptops are known as MacBooks. The mobile music players are called iPod, and their smartphones are iPhone. Their tablets are called iPad.
Apple Inc. was first known as Apple Computer, Inc. They changed their name after launching the first iPhone. This showed they were making more than just computers. Apple is a public company. Its shares are traded on the NASDAQ stock market under the symbol AAPL.
Contents
Apple's Beginning and Growth
Apple was started in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Before the company, they made "blue boxes". These devices let people make free phone calls from payphones.
Their first product was the Apple I computer. Steve Wozniak worked for Hewlett-Packard at the time. He had to offer his inventions to them first. Hewlett-Packard was not interested in his computer. This allowed Wozniak to sell the Apple I himself.
The Apple I began selling in 1976. In 1977, they released their second computer, the Apple II. The Apple II became much more successful than the Apple I.
Popular Apple Products
Apple is famous for many of its products. These include music players, computers, and mobile devices.
The iPod Music Player
Before the iPhone, the iPod was Apple's most popular product. It first came out in 2001. Apple sold over 100 million iPods in just six years.
iPods are mainly used to play music. Newer iPod Touch models have touchscreens. They can also take photos, record videos, and connect to the internet. You can even download apps from the App Store on them.
There are different kinds of iPods:
- iPod shuffle: A very small iPod with no screen. It uses a click wheel to control music. It's great for listening to songs on the go.
- iPod nano: A small iPod with a screen. It can hold thousands of songs.
- iPod classic: This iPod could hold the most music, up to 40,000 songs. It was bigger than the others.
- iPod touch: This model looks a lot like an iPhone. It has a multi-touch screen and can connect to the internet using Wi-fi. It lets you watch videos and use apps.
Some red iPod models are part of the "(PRODUCT) RED" program. When you buy these, some money goes to the Global Fund. This fund helps fight AIDS in Africa.
Apple Computers (Macs)
Apple also makes computers called Macs. These computers use Apple's own operating system, called OS X.
Laptops
- MacBook: A very thin and light laptop. It was designed for everyday users.
- MacBook Pro: A more powerful and faster laptop. It is made for people who need high performance, like professionals.
- MacBook Air: A thin and light laptop that is usually less expensive. Newer models now have a special high-quality screen called a Retina display.
Desktops
- Mac Mini: A small computer that doesn't come with a monitor, keyboard, or mouse. It's often used at home or school.
- iMac: An all-in-one computer where everything is built behind the screen. It's good for many uses, from home to professional work.
- Mac Pro: A very powerful and fast computer. It's for professionals who need extreme speed, like for movie editing.
- Mac Studio: Even more powerful than the Mac Pro.
Apple Software
Apple also creates software for its computers. Some popular programs include:
- iLife: A collection of programs for everyday use. It includes iMovie for making movies, GarageBand for making music, and iTunes for organizing music.
- iWork: Programs for office tasks. This includes Pages for documents, Keynote for slideshows, and Numbers for spreadsheets. These apps are also available on iPhones and iPads.
Most computer users use Microsoft Windows. About 10% of computer users use Apple's Mac OS. You can't legally run Mac OS X on a Windows computer. However, you can run Windows on modern Mac computers using a special Apple software called Boot Camp.
Apple's Mobile Devices
Apple is perhaps most famous for its mobile devices. These are small computers that are easy to carry. They have touchscreens with multi-touch technology. Most of these devices run an operating system called iOS.
iOS is similar to the Android software. It can do many things by running "apps". Apps are like programs on a regular computer. Users can download and buy more apps from Apple's App Store.
The iPhone
The iPhone is Apple's line of smartphones. They all run the iOS operating system. Steve Jobs showed the first iPhone on January 9, 2007. New models have been released every year since then.
When it first came out, its multi-touch screen was seen as a huge change for phones. The iPhone is also credited with starting the "app economy." iOS is one of the two biggest smartphone systems in the world, along with Android. The iPhone has made a lot of money for Apple. It has helped make Apple one of the most valuable companies globally.
The iPad
The iPad is a tablet computer. It is similar to the iPhone and iPod Touch, but it has a much bigger screen. While an iPhone screen is about 4 to 5 inches, iPads have screens from 8 to 12 inches big.
The first iPad was introduced in 2010. Like the iPhone, new and improved iPad models are sold every year. New iPads come with the latest iPad OS software.
The Apple Watch
The Apple Watch is a "wearable technology" device. You wear it on your wrist, like a traditional wristwatch. But it does much more than just tell the time and date.
It also tracks your fitness and monitors your health. It can do many things an iPhone can, like using Apple's Siri personal assistant. However, it needs to be connected to an iPhone to do these things. The Apple Watch runs "watchOS," a special version of iOS.
The Apple TV
The Apple TV is a small box that connects to your TV. It can connect wirelessly to any computer that has Apple's iTunes program. The Apple TV can play music, show photos, or stream videos from iTunes on your TV screen.
Apple TV is regularly updated with new software. The newest version comes with a new remote control and includes the Siri voice assistant. It uses tvOS, which is a TV version of iOS.
Apple Vision Pro
The Apple Vision Pro is a mixed reality headset. It was launched on February 2, 2024, in the United States. Apple calls it a "spatial computer". This means it blends digital things with the real world around you.
You can control it with your hands, eyes, and voice. The device uses visionOS, a mixed-reality operating system. It lets you see digital windows that float in your surroundings. A dial on the headset can make you feel more immersed in a virtual world. The headset also shows a picture of your eyes on the front. This helps people around you know if you are focused on the real world or the virtual one.
Apple and the Environment
Apple has worked to make its products better for the environment. This happened after campaigns like "Green my Apple."
For example, Apple's laptops used to have fewer harmful chemicals. Their batteries also lasted longer and could be recharged more times. Recently, Apple stopped including chargers and EarPods with most products. They say this makes the boxes smaller and saves resources and energy.
In 2023, Apple announced it would stop using leather in its products. They said leather has a "significant carbon footprint." This decision earned Apple an award from PETA.
Environmental Improvements
- Newer MacBooks use energy-efficient processors and displays.
- MacBooks have parts made from recyclable aluminum and glass. They also avoid harmful materials like mercury and arsenic.
- Apple's LED-backlit displays use less power than older types.
- The energy used by iMacs in "sleep mode" has greatly decreased over time.
- Apple has made product packaging lighter and smaller.
- Apple products follow strict environmental rules, like the RoHS directive. This limits harmful substances like lead and mercury.
- Starting with the iPhone 12 and Apple Watch Series 6, Apple stopped including chargers and EarPods. This encourages people to reuse their old accessories.
Important People at Apple
CEOs of Apple
- Steve Jobs (1997–2011): He was one of the founders and a very important leader.
- Tim Cook (2011–present): He took over as CEO after Steve Jobs.
Apple's Leaders
- Arthur D. Levinson: He is the Chairman of Apple's board.
- Tim Cook: He is the CEO (Chief Executive Officer).
- Jeff Williams: He is the COO (Chief Operating Officer).
Apple Employees
Apple has employed over 95,000 people worldwide since 1977. Most of Apple's employees are in the United States. However, Apple also has many teams around the world. These teams handle manufacturing, sales, marketing, and support. Some engineering work is done in Paris and Tokyo.
Related pages
- Pixar, an animation studio founded by Steve Jobs, one of the founders of Apple.
- Apple Vision Pro
See also
In Spanish: Apple para niños
