Sorry, Apple: Alphabet is now the world's most valuable company

Google Alphabet Apple news
Google Alphabet Apple news

There's been a shake-up today in the never-ending saga of comparing Apples to Android, as Alphabet has topped the iPhone-maker as the world's most valuable company.

That's right: even though Apple just made more money than it ever has, Google's new parent company now has a larger market cap on Wall Street after reporting its fourth-quarter earnings.

Alphabet is worth $570 billion (about £399bn, AU$805bn), with much of the profits owed to Google search and Android. Apple is worth $539 billion (about £377bn, AU$761bn) right now in after-hours trading.

These numbers can fluctuate, but it's still significant because this is the first time that the two tech giants have swapped places since 2010, according to CNBC. Back then, they were worth a measly $200 billion (about £140bn, AU$283bn).

Google and Apple earnings explored

Alphabet has been propelled to 'world's most valuable company' status thanks to profits of $23.42 billion (about £16.39bn, AU$33.07bn) in 2015, after a revenue of $74.54 billion (about £52.18bn, AU$105.3bn).

It made more money in the latest quarter than Apple, but there's a bigger difference investors are seeing: Apple as heavily reliant on iPhone sales, whereas Alphabet is a bit more diversified.

Google's reliance on search, Android, YouTube and the cloud offset some of the wilder revenue sinkholes of Alphabet. Moonshots, listed as 'other bets', lost it $3.56 billion (about £2.49bn, AU$5.02bn).

Apple, meanwhile, only saw a modest growth in its cash cow, iPhone sales, with revenue up a meager 1% year over year, even with 74.4 million iPhones sold in the latest quarter.

Expect to see Apple branch out into other areas, and not just with safe-bet categories like the Apple Watch. All the more reason to think rumors of an Apple VR, an Apple Car and a redesigned iPhone 7 are true.

Matt Swider
Latest in iPhone
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
New iPhone 17 Air leak may have revealed some key specs – and how it compares to the iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple iPhone 16 Review
Three iPhone 17 model dummy units appear in a hands-on video leak
Apple iPhone 16 Plus Review
iPhone 17 Air leaks suggest it'll get next-gen battery – and offset the 17 Pro Max's weight gains
Two hands holding the Tecno Spark Slim phone
The world’s thinnest phone was just revealed, but a new iPhone 17 Air leak suggests it could be even slimmer
Apple iPhone 16e on blue background
This week's best Apple iPhone 16e deals: where to get the latest iPhone for cheap
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
Leaked iPhone 17 schematics show the Apple phones could be getting a speaker redesign
Latest in News
Apple's Craig Federighi demonstrates the iPhone Mirroring feature of macOS Sequoia at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.
Report: iOS 19 and macOS 16 could mark their biggest design overhaul in years – and we have one request
Google Gemini Calendar
Gemini is coming to Google Calendar, here’s how it will work and how to try it now
Lego Mario Kart – Mario & Standard Kart set on a shelf.
Lego just celebrated Mario Day in the best way possible, with an incredible Mario Kart set that's up for preorder now
TCL QM7K TV on orange background
TCL’s big, bright new mid-range mini-LED TVs have built-in Bang & Olufsen sound
Apple iPhone 16e
Which affordable phone wins the mid-range race: the iPhone 16e, Nothing 3a, or Samsung Galaxy A56? Our latest podcast tells all
An image of a Jackbox Games Party Pack
Jackbox games is coming to smart TVs in mid-2025, and I can’t wait to be reunited with one of my favorite party video games