Beyondheadlines News Desk
New Delhi: Steve Jobs, co-founder and former chairman and CEO of Apple,Inc., is no more. He was 56. Jobs had been battling pancreatic cancer since 2004 and received a liver transplant in 2009. In the latter stages of his cancer battle, he gave up the day-to-day running of the company but remained chairman of its board of directors.
Apple on Thursday (September 6) announced the death of its visionary co-founder on its website, saying, “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.”
According to his family members, 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.”
The charismatic former CEO of Apple revolutionised modern culture with Apple’s ubiquitous inventions like the iPod and the iPad.
President Barack Obama joined an outpouring of tributes to Steve Jobs, calling the Apple co-founder a visionary and great American innovator.
“Steve was among the greatest of American innovators – brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it,” Obama said of Jobs, who died on Wednesday.
“The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented.”
The U.S. President was joined by political, technology, entertainment and business leaders around the world in paying tribute to Jobs.
Paying tribute to Steve, Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a posting on the world’s leading online social networking site: “Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you.”
Microsoft CO-Founder and Chairman Bill Gates said: “Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives. 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. For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it’s been an insanely great honor.”
In his message, Dell Inc CEO Michael Dell said: “Today the world lost a visionary leader, the technology industry lost an iconic legend and I lost a friend and fellow founder. The legacy of Steve Jobs will be remembered for generations to come.”
