Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dies

Posted:
in General Discussion edited April 2015
Steve Jobs, one of the founders of Apple and a driving force behind the creation of the Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod, died Wednesday after a long bout with cancer. He was 56.



The passing of Jobs was announced on Wednesday by Apple. The company has encouraged "thoughts, memories, and condolences" to be sent to [email protected].



"Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being," the company said in a statement. "Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."



Jobs left his position as chief executive of Apple in late August, saying he could no longer meet his duties. For years he fought pancreatic cancer, but Jobs was adamant that his health was a private matter.



His passing comes just a day after Apple introduced its latest smartphone, the iPhone 4S. Though Jobs traditionally handled his company's media events, he was not capable of delivering its latest keynote, and current CEO Tim Cook presided over the event.



Jobs was known for being a showman, and had the ability to captivate a crowd with his charisma, enthusiasm, and frequent promises of "one more thing" to serve as a surprise capstone for keynote presentations, where he would introduce Apple's latest and greatest products.



Among those products was the iPhone, first introduced in 2007, which went on to become the best-selling smartphone in the world. The success of the iPhone has been so staggering that it propelled Apple to become the largest company in the world by market cap.



But Jobs was more than a salesman known jokingly for the so-called "reality distortion field" that influenced those around him; he was also a hands-on leader who played an important role in the creation of many of the company's iconic devices. He leaves behind an unparalleled portfolio of more than 300 patented inventions credited to his name.



Jobs' leadership and guidance helped to make Apple the most valuable technology company in the world, surpassing its longtime rival Microsoft. That feat is even more astonishing when one considers that Apple as a company was nearly dead when Jobs began his second tenure as CEO in 1997.



Even while away from Apple, Jobs continued to find success, including the founding of acclaimed and Oscar-winning movie studio Pixar, creator of films like "Toy Story," "Up," and "The Incredibles." He also founded the company NeXT which was acquired by Apple in the late '90s, laying the foundation for Mac OS X, the operating system that powers Macintosh computers to this day.



His accomplishments have not gone unnoticed, and Jobs became one of the most recognizable faces in all of the business world. In 2009, Fortune named Jobs its CEO of the Decade, and he has been openly compared to other visionaries in business like Walt Disney and Henry Ford.



An unprecedented look at Jobs' life will arrive this November in the form of an authorized biography written by former Time editor Walter Isaacson.







Jobs' family provided the following statement on Wednesday:



Steve died peacefully today surrounded by his family.



In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family. We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve?s illness; a website will be provided for those who wish to offer tributes and memories.



We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve. We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief.



"No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve?s death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him," Cook said in a statement issued on Wednesday. "We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much."



Below is the full statement from Apple's board of directors on the passing of Jobs:



We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today.



Steve?s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.



His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 377
    snovasnova Posts: 1,281member
    very very sad day... which I sensed was coming... damn it!

    he gave it his all till the very end.. he will be remember forever and will be very missed. a very sad personal day for me today.. Im going to take the rest of the day off and reflect on this great inspirational man.
  • Reply 2 of 377
    docno42docno42 Posts: 3,755member
    So it's not a rumor - damn!



    RIP Steve - you will be missed



    Edit: This empty chair has extra significance today



  • Reply 3 of 377
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
  • Reply 4 of 377
    A huge loss for the world. Best wishes to his family and Apple.
  • Reply 5 of 377
    dstranathandstranathan Posts: 1,717member
    Steve Jobs RIP.
  • Reply 6 of 377
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    RIP Steve!
  • Reply 7 of 377
    I'm sure it's something that sadly they will have thought of over time, and had pre-prepared, but I have to say, what Apple have put on their website to mark this is very fitting.



    A sad day for those of us who love technology, but a tragic day for his family.
  • Reply 8 of 377
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Steve Jobs, one of the founders of Apple and a driving force behind the creation of the Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod, died Wednesday after a long bout with cancer. He was 56.




    R.I.P. Steve
  • Reply 9 of 377
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member
    Very sad day. Rest in peace Steve Jobs.
  • Reply 10 of 377
    Words fail me. Very sad news indeed. Thank you Steve, for everything.
  • Reply 10 of 377
    jexusjexus Posts: 373member
    And thus, just like that....Humanity lost a bit of itself today.
  • Reply 12 of 377
    jmc54jmc54 Posts: 207member
    words fail me. god bless and rest in peace
  • Reply 13 of 377
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,015member
    RIP. A true genius and really, the reason we are posting here right now. I came here almost 11 years ago. Never thought I'd be writing this post.



    Thank You, Steve. You saved Apple, and maybe even "us" in the process.
  • Reply 14 of 377
    So very sad.
  • Reply 15 of 377
    The world has lost one of its brightest candles today. We will miss you Steve!
  • Reply 16 of 377
    I was hoping this wouldn't be the case...RIP Steve and thanks for being a pioneer.
  • Reply 17 of 377
    snovasnova Posts: 1,281member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Here?s to the Crazy One.



    The misfit. The rebel. The troublemaker. The round peg in the square hole.



    The One Who Saw Things Differently.



    He wasn't fond of rules. And he had no respect for the status quo.



    You can quote him, disagree with him, glorify or vilify him. About the only thing you can?t do is ignore him. Because he changed things.



    He pushed the human race forward. And while some may have seen him as the crazy one, we saw genius.



    Because the man who was crazy enough to think he could change the world, was the one who did.



    What a wonderful tribute.
  • Reply 18 of 377
    The world is less beautiful this evening.
  • Reply 19 of 377
    Wow! Just wow!



    After following Steve for over 30 years it feels like a death in the family.



    Thanks, Steve, for everything.



    RIP
  • Reply 20 of 377
    rot'napplerot'napple Posts: 1,839member
    Condolences to Steve's family, his Apple family and my fellow Apple devotees here at AI for such a great loss.



    Click on image on Apple's homepage for an e-mail address to express your comments.



    Good bye Steve. The only ray of sunshine is no more suffering.



    God Bless.

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