Apple confirms the technology pioneer has passed away
Steve Jobs, the business magnate who helped revolutionise the PC, music and mobile entertainment industries, has passed away aged 56.
"Apple has lost a visionary and a creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being," read a message from Apple on its website.
Jobs resigned as Apple CEO on August 25th. He was appointed chairman of the board but had not been seen in public since.
Apple has not disclosed details of Jobs's passing. The tech pioneer had previously suffered from pancreatic cancer.
"Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor," the Apple statement continued.
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"Steve leaves behind a company only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."
Jobs is often cited as the visionary behind products like the iPod and iPhone and services like iTunes, with his focused management style demanding detailed refinements of device designs before they are ready for the public.
He co-founded Apple in 1976 and helped establish the firm's Macintosh computers, though internal disputes resulted in him leaving the company in 1985.
Twelve years later he rejoined the company as part of a last-ditch rescue operation. Apple was, at the time, struggling to find success in the Microsoft-dominated PC landscape.
But with the invention of the iPod, iPhone and iPad, Apple's fortunes flew. Jobs leaves the company with a bigger market capitalisation than its oldest rival, and the acclaim of being the biggest technology company in the world.
Jobs is survived by his wife and four children.
An email address has been established allowing people to share their memories of Steve Jobs with the Apple community.
I am saddend by this news. Rest in peace sir.
You were a force of nature.
The world will miss you.
Rest in peace. We will miss you !
Usually I'm not so picky, but since it's thus type of article, I'd like to point out the 'iPAd' and 'Jibs' typo...
I didn't always agree with how Apple did things, but Steve Jobs was an amazing businessmen, and deserves respect. RIP...
I'm using an iPhone and it autocorrected a word to 'thus'. Ho ho ho!
Completely understand, Kim. I've updated the article.
Quite poignant that you're paying your respects to Steve using an iPhone.
RIP.
Apple IIs, Macs, NeXT, Pixar; all really different sorts of games maker vibes came from those. Certainly having personally introduced Californians and other clatches to his machines made a difference, even if local market sensibilities for Adobe were in Illinois and Printers' Unions. Whatever his new Zen startup is, at least you know the clipboard will work.
Newton. Newton freaking -games-, exactly three of which had color per se. Twenty or so visibly cancelled things. License transparency among users. Veg. Peaceful Persia.
More obscurely: Custom media seek. Object SQL wars in firmware/everything is a metafont. Employee stock option postdating transparency.
A sad, sad day. I never knew him but I will miss him greatly. He lives on through what he achieved at Apple. He is an Immortal.
