Steven P. Jobs, the Apple Inc. chairman and co-founder who pioneered the personal computer industry has died today.
While Steve Job along with his co-founder Stephen Larry “Woz” Wozniak started the PC industry with the Apple 2.
But Jobs really gained his fame with the person on the street during the second and third acts of his life. First Jobs took Pixar from being a software company to the top of the animation world, even passing Disney.
After Apple bought NeXT, the board turned towards him to become the interim CEO. The third act of his career was nearly unbroken string of innovative and wildly successful products like the iMac, MacBook Pro, iPod, iPhone and iPad. He fundamentally changed the PC, electronics and digital media industries by making products people that just did not become part of their life style, but in many cases, became a point of devotion.
“Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives,” Apple said in a statement. “The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.”
His family, in a separate statement, said Mr. Jobs “died peacefully today surrounded by his family…We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief.”
Mr. Jobs was 56 years old. After exhibiting significant weight loss in mid-2008, he took a nearly six month medical leave of absence in 2009, during which he received a liver transplant. He took another medical leave of absence in mid-January without explanation before stepping down as chief executive in August.
Mr. Jobs is survived by his wife, Laurene, and four children
