Apple founder and visionary Steve Jobs died
Wednesday from cancer aged just 56, a premature end for a man who
revolutionized modern culture and changed forever the world's relationship to
technology through inventions such as the iPad and iPhone.
Apple founder and visionary Steve Jobs died Wednesday from
cancer aged just 56, a premature end for a man who revolutionized modern
culture and changed forever the world's relationship to technology through
inventions such as the iPad and iPhone.
"We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs
passed away today," the California-based gadget-maker said in a statement
from its board of directors.
"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."
Tributes flowed in from around the world for Jobs, while
Apple fans flooded the Twitter and Facebook to voice their sorrow at the
passing of the man who helped put mini computers in the shape of phones in
millions of pockets.
Jobs was just 21 when he founded Apple Computer in 1976 with
his 26-year-old friend Steve Wozniak in his family garage.
From such humble beginnings the company, with its ubiquitous
trademark of an apple with a bite taken out of it, grew to eventually become
one of the world's most valuable companies.
In July Apple's second quarter profit hit $7.31 billion on
revenue of $28.57 billion.
US President Barack Obama paid tribute late Wednesday to one
of America's "greatest inventors."
"He transformed our lives, redefined entire industries,
and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: he changed the way each
of us sees the world," Obama said in a written statement.
Microsoft boss Bill Gates agreed.
"The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound
impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to
come," Gates said in statement, cited on the Wall Street Journal website.
The two men were rivals in the race to dominate the market at
the start of the personal computer era.
But while personal computers powered by Microsoft software
ruled work places, Jobs envisioned people-friendly machines with mouse
controllers and icons to click on to activate programs or open files.
Tim Cook -- who had been handling Apple's day-to-day
operations since Jobs went on medical leave in January, and was made CEO in
August after his resignation -- led the praise for the Silicon Valley legend.
"Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the
world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate
enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring
mentor," he said.
"Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have
built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."
Apple turned its home page into a tribute to Jobs, posting a
large black-and-white photo of the bearded high-tech maestro in his trademark
black turtleneck and small round glasses. The only caption: "Steve Jobs,
1955-2011."
Jobs' family also issued a statement, saying he had lost his
long battle with pancreatic cancer surrounded by his relatives.
"In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in
his private life, he cherished his family," it said.
Born on February 24, 1955 in San Francisco to a single mother
and adopted by a couple in nearby Mountain View at barely a week old, Jobs grew
up among the orchards that would one day become the technology hub known as
Silicon Valley.
Under Jobs, Apple introduced its first Apple computers and
then the Macintosh, which became wildly popular in the 1980s.
He was elevated to idol status by ranks of Macintosh computer
devotees, many of whom saw themselves as a sort of rebel alliance opposing the
powerful empire Microsoft built with its Windows operating systems.
Jobs left Apple in 1985 after an internal power struggle and
started NeXT Computer company specializing in sophisticated workstations for
businesses.
He co-founded Academy-Award-winning Pixar in 1986 from a
former Lucasfilm computer graphics unit that he bought from movie industry
titan George Lucas.
Apple's luster faded after Jobs left the company, but they
reconciled in 1996 with Apple buying NeXT for $429 million and Jobs ascending
once again to the Apple throne.
Apple went from strength to strength as Jobs revamped the
Macintosh line, revolutionizing modern culture and launching a "post-PC
era" in which personal computers give way to smart mobile gadgets -- the
iPod, iPhone and the iPad.
His passing will raise doubts over whether the Cupertino,
California-based company can continue its dominance in the hugely competitive
technology sector.
His death comes only a day after Cook presided over the
launch of the new iPhone 4S in a move that failed to dazzle investors. Apple
shares dropped more than four percent on Wall Street on Tuesday after the
company doused analysts expectations that they would unveil a new iPhone model.
Jobs is survived by his wife Laurene, with whom he had three
children. He also had a daughter with a woman he dated prior to marrying.
Source : AFP
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