Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL; formerly Apple Computer, Inc.) is an American multinational corporation that designs and sellsconsumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products are the Macintoshline of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad. Its software includes the OS X and iOS operating system; the iTunes media browser; and the iLife and iWork creativity and production suites. Apple is the world's third-largest mobile phone maker after Samsungand Nokia.^[5] Established on April 1, 1976 in Cupertino, California, and incorporated January 3, 1977, the company was named Apple Computer, Inc. for its first 30 years. The word "Computer" was removed from its name on January 9, 2007, as its traditional focus on personal computers shifted towards consumer electronics.

Fortune magazine named Apple the most admired company in the United States in 2008, and in the world from 2008 to 2012.^{[9][10][11][12][13]} However, the company has received widespread criticism for its contractors' labor practices, and for Apple's own environmental and business practices.

As of July 2011, Apple has 364 retail stores in thirteen countries as well as the online Apple Store and iTunes Store. It is thelargest publicly-traded corporation in the world by market capitalization, with an estimated value of US$626 billion as of September 2012. It is furthermore the largest technology company in the world by revenue and profit, earning more than Google andMicrosoft combined. As of September 24, 2011, the company had 60,400 permanent full-time employees and 2,900 temporary full-time employees worldwide;its worldwide annual revenue in 2010 totaled $65 billion, growing to $108 billion in 2011(wikipedia).