Apple briefly hit a record-breaking $4 trillion (around ₹353 lakh crore) valuation on Tuesday, fuelled largely by the strong performance of its latest iPhone 17 lineup. The tech giant’s stock surged during trading hours, marking another high point in Apple’s market history, though the milestone proved fleeting, with shares slipping back before market close.
Apple joins the $4 trillion club, but not first this time
While Apple was the first to cross the $1 trillion mark in 2018, followed by $2 trillion in 2020 and $3 trillion in 2022, it’s not the first to touch $4 trillion. Nvidia claimed that title earlier this year in July, riding the booming demand for AI chips, while Microsoft also reached the milestone around the same time.
Apple’s temporary leap to $4 trillion makes it the third member of this ultra-exclusive club, a sign that its dominance remains strong despite intensifying competition in AI and computing.
iPhone 17 drives momentum
Much of Apple’s latest rally can be attributed to the successful debut of the iPhone 17 series. Early reviews have praised the device for its improved camera system, better battery efficiency, and the A19 Pro chip, a key selling point in the premium smartphone market. The company’s upcoming quarterly earnings, due on Thursday, will reveal more about how launch sales have impacted revenue.
Although Apple no longer discloses iPhone unit sales, analysts expect the latest report to show a notable boost in overall iPhone revenue compared to last year’s iPhone 16 cycle.
Brief but symbolic surge
Despite briefly touching the $4 trillion mark, Apple’s valuation settled back into the upper $3 trillion range by market close. Still, the moment symbolises Apple’s continued financial strength and investor confidence, even amid slowing global smartphone growth and rising competition from AI-driven firms.
For Apple, this short-lived milestone highlights both the enduring power of its product ecosystem and the market’s high expectations ahead of its next wave of AI-integrated devices.