Apple cider is normally non-alcoholic.
You've really never made actual cider, haven't you?
The whole
point of cider is to be alcoholic.
Since.... gods... probably the Stone Age.. No-one knows actually how long ago people figured out you can make fun-juice with apples. But along with mead, it's been around pretty much forever..
The "soft cider" is a modern affectation, and an entirely US-ian artifact of the Prohibition era.
Anywhere else in the actual civilised world, cider has alcohol in it. And if you discount the damned Commercial Junk limiting things to 5%v/v, is closer to wine than beer.
And packs a lovely punch...