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Apple Inc.

Maker of Macintosh computers, iPod music players and software.

Headquarters:
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014
Employees: 17,787
CEO: Steve Jobs
Stock Symbol: AAPL

Apple Inc. is the manufacturer of Macintosh computers that run on its own proprietary operating system. The company also makes the popular iPod digital music players, iPhone, servers and software.

The company changed its name from Apple Computer to Apple Inc. this year to reflect its expansion beyond computers.

Known for its very loyal customers, Apple is one of the most innovative companies in technology and praised for its brilliant design and quality of products. Founder and CEO Steve Jobs is a business icon who is both a charismatic showman and fabulous salesman. Jobs marvels audiences at the annual Macworld Convention in San Francisco with a keynote speech and introduction of the company's newest line of products.

Apple is a very secretive company and has spawned numerous websites that offer rumors on products the company is working on.

In June, Apple introduced the iPhone, an innovative cellular phone with a touchscreen, iPod features and Internet access. The iPhone retails for $499 and requires a contract with AT&T, the exclusive provider of cellular service for the phone.

The company announced in 2007 that it sold more than 100 million iPods to date since its introduction in 2007. The iPod comes in various sizes and lets users listen to music downloaded online or from CDs. Some iPods also offer video playback. Apple operates the iTunes store, which sells music starting at 99 cents, along with TV shows and movies. Apple said in July it has sold more than 3 billion songs on iTunes to date.

Apple also operates 170 retail stores in the U.S., England and Japan that are located in high-traffic locations in cities and shopping malls. The stores offer Apple products and individual customer support areas called Genius Bars. The company opened a 24-hour store on NYC's Fifth Avenue in May 2006 which is the highest-grossing Apple store.

Apple has an estimated 4-5% market share for its computers in an industry dominated by Microsoft Windows. Apple has a strong user base in publishing, video production and graphic design industries.

For fiscal 2006, Apple generated record revenues of $19.3 billion and profits of $1.99 billion.

Apple has seen a surge in sales for its Macintosh computers -- particularly laptops -- during the past year. The company has been hiring thousands of workers over the past few years and is also looking for more office space near its Cupertino headquarters.

History

Apple was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976 with the development of the first Apple personal computer. The Apple IIe was launched in 1983. The first Macintosh computer shipped in 1984 which featured a graphical user interface -- making computers easier to use.

Jobs was fired by Apple in 1985 after clashing with then-CEO John Sculley. He would return to the company in 1997 as a consultant and advisor. This was a period where Apple was in bad shape financially, losing hundreds of millions of dollars as Microsoft's Windows operating system exerted its dominance in the PC industry.

Jobs would take over as interim CEO and helped the company develop the iMac in 1998, an all-in-one Macintosh computer that quickly brought Apple back to profitability.

The iPod, introduced in 2001, has been one of the hottest products the company has ever released and lets users store and listen to digital music. Available for both Macintosh and Windows users, Apple has sold nearly 30 million iPods to date and more than 500 million songs on its iTunes digital music service.

In addition to being CEO of Apple, Jobs is Walt Disney company's largest shareholder after he sold his company, Pixar Entetainment, to Disney in 2006.

In January 2006, the company began shipping new iMacs with new Intel Core Duo processors. The company made the transition to Intel chips after using IBM/Freescale processors.

Benefits

Apple benefit packages vary by location and employment status. The company provides health and dental insurance and flexible spending accounts.

The company also offers 401(k) and investment plans. Apple matches up to 6% of eligible pay at 50% initially and up to 100% after five years of service. Matching contributions vest immediately.

For health and fitness, the company has fitness centers located in Cupertino headquarters; Sacramento, CA; and Austin, TX.

Most employees work at the main Cupertino campus which has six buildings and includes a conference center, Apple Company store and full-service cafeteria. Apple's Austin campus is home to the company's operations, sales and Apple Care divisions. European headquarters are located in Cork, Ireland. Asia-Pacific headquarters are in Singapore.

Updated August 4, 2007