Another factor in Apples' success also went against the conventional wisdom of the day - opening exclusive Apple stores, putting its products in focus. Though Steve Jobs died in 2011 death of pancreatic cancer, his legacy persists at Apple, which has continued to expand at a torrid pace. Its market cap has skyrocketed from roughly $5 billion in 2000 to more than $564 billion today (November 2016), and it easily ranks atop the Forbes list of the most valuable brands in the world.