Apple is 50 years old today – and the company didn’t exactly mark the occasion quietly. In what’s shaping up to be a big 2026, with a long-awaited folding iPhone expected later this year, Apple has splurged on a private concert with none other than Sir Paul McCartney. The octogenarian reportedly earned $20m from revisiting his back catalog at Apple Park for a lucky 1,200 staff members – something of a full circle moment after a decades-long legal dispute with Apple. A hard day’s night indeed.
Apple’s world tour
Apple’s retail stores around the globe spent much of March hosting events to mark the milestone. Highlights included Nia Archives and Mumford & Sons at Apple Battersea in London, a French touch-themed pop-up recording studio in Paris, and a surprise K-pop performance from CORTIS in Seoul.
Mumford & Sons
In Washington D.C., Apple Carnegie Library hosted a discussion on Deaf creativity featuring Oscar winner Troy Kotsur, while Sydney’s Opera House had its iconic sails transformed into a canvas for digital artwork – all created in Procreate, with a Logic Pro score to match.
Swag for staff
Apple employees weren’t just watching the show. Staff reportedly received a commemorative package including exclusive t-shirts, enamel pins, and anniversary posters. The kind of merch that’ll either end up framed or quietly listed on eBay by next month.
Fifty years on
It’s been quite a run – from a garage in Los Altos to the most valuable company on earth. If you want the full picture of how Apple got here, check out our feature on 50 ways Apple changed the world.