Apple founder Steve Jobs dies

Tech giant Apple has confirmed its former chief executive and co-founder Steve Jobs has died after a cancer battle that lasted for several years.

In a statement on the company’s home page, Apple has written that it 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. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.”

Jobs’ family has also released a statement, saying Jobs died peacefully “surrounded by his family”.

“In his public live, 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.”

Jobs resigned several weeks ago, leaving the CEO role to former chief operating officer Tim Cook after battling cancer for several years.  Some reports had indicated his health was beginning to fail.

Cook has written a letter to company employees, saying Jobs “leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple”.

“We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much.”

After founding the company in the 1970s with friend Steve Wozniak, Jobs quickly grew Apple into one of the biggest household names in the world, with the release of the first Macintosh computer. The first personal computer to come shipped with a mouse, the device redefined how people use computers in the home and changed the face of the industry. 

Despite being ousted from the company in the 1980s, he is credited with its rescue in the late 1990s after it nearly faced bankruptcy. With a focus on simplistic and stylish consumer electronics, Jobs redefined the company’s brand and made it the most valuable technology company in the world.

Under Jobs’ leadership Apple has released the iPod, which continues to dominate the personal music player market, along with the iPhone, and the iPad. The company has also dominated entirely new markets, including the digital music industry and the mobile apps market.

Jobs neglected using consumer studies to create new devices, and instead concentrated on his own personal vision. Apple has been strictly silent about its upcoming products, creating a rumour mill that furiously debates over new products before large launches. 

Jobs was born in San Francisco in 1955, and adopted by a young couple. After finishing High School he attended Reed College in Oregon, but dropped out. He worked a number of jobs before working with Wozniak to release the first Apple Computer in 1976. He was eventually kicked out of Apple during the 1980s, and went on to a number of other projects including founding CG animation studio Pixar.

Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004. Since then he has undergone extensive medical treatment, forcing him to take a number of medical leaves of absence, including one that began at the beginning of the year.

Tributes are now flooding in for Jobs. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said “it’s not too much to say he literally changed our world”, while the Twitter feed for the official re-election campaign of Barack Obama stated on Twitter, “rest in peace, Steve Jobs…thank you for the work you make possible every day”.

Facebook chief executive and founder Mark Zuckerberg also wrote on his official profile page saying, “thank you for being a mentor and friend…thanks for showing that what you build can change the world”.

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