Apple’s Steve Jobs Passes Away

CUPERTINO: Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder and the mastermind behind the iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac and iTunes, has passed away at the age of 56. 

Jobs co-founded Apple Computer in 1976, with Steve Wozniak, and marketed what was considered at the time to be the world’s first personal computer, the Apple II. He went on to found NeXT computers and in 1986 bought the computer graphics arm of Lucasfilm, which became Pixar Animation Studios. In 1996, Apply brought Jobs back on board by buying NeXT. He became CEO the following year. During the years that followed, Jobs revolutionized the music industry with iTunes and the iPod. He transformed the cell phone with the iPhone, and the introduction of the iPad tablet in 2010 has changed the way people consume media and get their entertainment and information. 

In 2004, Jobs publicly admitted that he had a rare form of pancreatic cancer. In 2009, it was revealed that he had received a liver transplant. He took also took three unexplained medical leaves from Apple. On August 24, 2011, he announced that he was stepping down as Apple’s CEO. 

Apple’s board of directors said of his passing: "We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today. 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. His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts."

Apple’s home page currently features an image of Jobs, linking to the statement: "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. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."