Washington: Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs died on Wednesday at the age of 56, after his years-long battle with cancer and other health issues.
Jobs’ death was announced by Apple in a statement late on Wednesday.
“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,” the statement read.
Jobs resigned as CEO of Apple, in late August, turning the reins over to his right hand, Tim Cook. He was simultaneously named chairman of the board.
In a letter to the board, Jobs said he believed that he could no longer fulfill his duties as CEO.
“I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come,” Jobs said in the letter. (Read the text of the letter and watch Jobs’ last public appearance at a Cupertino council meeting.)
Jobs, who fought and survived a rare form of pancreatic cancer and revolutionized the technology arena with the iPhone and the iPad in the past four years, was deemed the heart and soul of a company that recently briefly became the most valuable in America.
Jobs had been on medical leave since Jan. 17, with his duties being filled by Cook, who was then chief operating officer.
The 55-year-old Jobs had briefly emerged from his medical leave in March to unveil the latest version of the iPad. But his often-gaunt appearance had sparked questions about the severity of his illness and ability to continue at Apple.
He started Apple Computer with friend Steve Wozniak in the late 1970s.
The company soon introduced the Apple 1 computer. But it was the Apple II that became a huge success and gave Apple its position as a critical player in the then-nascent PC industry, culminating in a 1980 IPO that made Jobs a multimillionaire.
Despite the subsequent success of the Mac, Jobs’ relationship with internal management soured, and in 1985 the board removed most of his powers and he left the company, selling all but one share of his Apple holdings.
Apple’s fortunes waned after that. However, its purchase of NeXT — the computer company Jobs founded after leaving Apple — in 1997 brought him back into the fold. Later that year, he became interim CEO and in 2000, the company dropped “interim” from his title.
“Steve Jobs is the most successful CEO in the US of the last 25 years,” Google Chairman Eric Schmidt said in a statement. “He uniquely combined an artists touch and an engineers vision to build an extraordinary company.. one of the greatest American leaders in history.”
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