For better or worse, Apple has completely reshaped the world we live in

The US remains the world’s largest economy and it will be for another decade or so but it has more influence on our daily lives than ever before, writes Hamish McRae

Imagine how different our lives would be if there was no such thing as a smartphone (Getty)

Why is Apple Inc the world’s first $3 trillion company? It is an astounding achievement and one that has utterly changed the world.

Imagine how different our lives would be if there was no such thing as a smartphone. However, it is also a complex story to unpack because this is not just about Apple, though that is the starting point. It is about America and it is about the country’s relationship with the world.

The genius of Steve Jobs was that he had an intuitive feeling for what people wanted before they knew it themselves – and the ability to create the products and services to fulfil those desires. It is still worth watching the moment when he launched the iPhone at Macworld 2007.