Apple by the numbers: Apple nearing 2 billion iOS devices shipped

Apple , the first US company to hit a trillion-dollar valuation, is no stranger to big numbers.

And on Wednesday, CEO Tim Cook said the consumer electronics giant was nearing another one, shipping close to 2 billion iOS devices. 

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"This is astonishing," said Cook. "iOS has changed the way we live. From the way we learn to the way we work. To how we are entertained to how we shop, order our food and get our transportation and stay in touch with one another."

The news came at an event where the company unveiled new Apple Watches and is expected to introduce new iPhones. Apple executives typically use such events to crow about the company's various business, sharing statistics on subscription numbers or app downloads. The data offer an opportunity to quantify the size of the tech behemoth's activities.

Cook also said that 500 million people visit Apple stores every year. 

Besides the numbers, Apple today announced three new iPhones and Apple Watch Series 4. Some of the features on the new iPhones include adjustable depth of field after taking a photo, A12 bionic chip that's the industry's first seven-nanometer CPU, Dual SIM support on iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, better battery power and more. The Apple Watch Series 4 has health feature updates like EKG or ECG (electrocardiogram, a medical test used to detect heart disease) that users can give themselves using the watch and a fall detection feature that can tell when you fall and can't get up on your own. 

First published on Sept. 12, 10:15 a.m. PT.

Updates, 1:32 p.m. PT: Adds information on the new iPhones and Apple Watch Series 4.