Apple Passes Microsoft as Largest Tech Company

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The little fruit company has climbed high.

While Microsoft may still rule the software world with its operating system and desktop software, the worlds most valuable technology company, at least when it comes down to the finances, is Apple.

According to the New York Times: In intraday trading shortly after 2:30 p.m., Apple shares rose 1.8 percent, which gave the company a value of $227.1 billion. Shares of Microsoft declined about 1 percent, giving the company a market capitalization of $226.3 billion.

This also gives Apple the second highest market capitalization among American companies. Only higher is Exxon Mobil, at $282 billion.

A venture capitalist call's Apple's rise from ashes of decades ago something remarkable. "It is the single most important turnaround that I have seen in Silicon Valley," said Jim Breyer.

NYT points to this as a sign of changing investor attitudes and the increased value of consumer tastes. While Microsoft's products still completely own businesses, Apple's products cater strongly to the consumer.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
88 Comments Comment from the forums
  • proxy711
    I have to do this, sorry.

    Just think if Microsoft had the apple tax on all their products. Microsoft would be able to buy 2 Exxon Mobil sized companies then. =P
    Reply
  • killerclick
    Just another sign of the demise of our civilization.
    Reply
  • joytech22
    ZOMG APPLE BECOMING A MONOPOLY ZOMGWTFBBQ!

    Soon they will be unstoppable! suing company's left right and center, claiming all technology is theirs!

    Wait that's happening now!
    Reply
  • 7amood
    LET TEH INNOVATION COMPETITION BEGIN!!
    it's time to wake up msft... and other companies...
    Reply
  • baddad
    It's not their computers but their Iphone, and Ipods that are making the money, where with MS it's mostly their software.
    Reply
  • digiex
    Not so long ago, Bill Gates lent a helping hand to Steve Jobs.

    Good work Jobs, Sorry Balmer, you suck bigtime.
    Reply
  • d-block
    I didn't realize that Apple was doing that well.
    Reply
  • bonezy
    ZingamYou couldn't be more wrong! There is M$ Tax for ages and it's made Bill Gates the richest person on Earth for a reason.M$ Windows should not cost more than $50-100 for a full version. Windows and Office are hugely overpriced. Other companies and the open software community deliver products of similar qualities for much lower prices or for free.And I'm neither Apple user nor Linux one.M$ products are overpriced and crap but they have a real monopoly unlike Apple with their 7% market share.Also Apple's users are happy M$ users have never been. There isn't a more hated person on Earth than Bill Gates. He has affected negatively more busynesses and people on Earth than Genghis Khan and Hitler...
    First off, you're spouting rhetoric that's more than a decade old; How is Bill Gates the most hated person? He's more of a philanthropist than you'll ever be.

    And secondly, you're saying Microsoft is overpriced, but then you state that Apple has a 7% market share... and but according to the article, they are worth more than Microsoft.

    Hmm, 7% market share yet wealthiest tech company, and not overpriced? Your logic is flawed.
    Reply
  • Here I were, thinking the article heading had to do with something... uh, tangible?

    Oh well, moving on.
    Reply
  • irh_1974
    ZingamYou couldn't be more wrong! There is M$ Tax for ages and it's made Bill Gates the richest person on Earth for a reason.M$ Windows should not cost more than $50-100 for a full version. Windows and Office are hugely overpriced. Other companies and the open software community deliver products of similar qualities for much lower prices or for free.And I'm neither Apple user nor Linux one.M$ products are overpriced and crap but they have a real monopoly unlike Apple with their 7% market share.Also Apple's users are happy M$ users have never been. There isn't a more hated person on Earth than Bill Gates. He has affected negatively more busynesses and people on Earth than Genghis Khan and Hitler...Wow, you are one deluded puppy
    Windows allows you to install pretty much any software from anyone
    Windows places no restriction on whose hardware is used to be installed on
    Whereas...
    Apple places strict controls on what you can have and by who
    Apple forces you to use its hardware
    Then...
    You compare Gates to Genghis Khan or Hitler
    Despite Gates being the single largest contributor to charitable causes in the history of the world, more than the rest of the next 100 richest people in the world combined
    Then Steve Jobs who doesn't have a charitable bone in his body and would happily have the furnaces powered by burning kittens

    I'm sure comparing Gates to Hitler will play nicely with the anti-semetic lunatic fringe but everyone else just thinks you are a sick individual
    Reply