In a ‘Where were
you when?’ moment for the computer generation, the news of Steve Jobs passing
blared across social media channels and interrupted broadcasts throughout the
world. The visionary co-founder and CEO of Apple and the man behind the
astonishing success of Pixar did more to determine our work and play
interactions than anyone before him.
Born February 24,
1955 to a Syrian-Arab father and an American mother, Jobs was adopted by Paul
and Clara Jobs of California. A college dropout from Reed College in Portland,
Oregon, he took an early position at video game manufacturer Atari.
In 1976, Steve
Wozniak showed Jobs a computer he designed for personal use, Jobs loved it.
With no capital, they persuaded a local store to order 50 of the computers and
then asked an electrical store for 30 days credit. Thus setting up business
without a single investor and calling it Apple Computers.
In 1983, Jobs
lured John Sculley, president of PepsiCo to serve as the rapidly growing Apple’s
Chief Executive by saying, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling
sugared water to children, or do you want a chance to change the world?” Two
years later, the ubiquitous Macintosh was launched as the first commercially
successful small computer with a mouse driven “graphical user interface.”
Forced out by the
Apple Board in 1985, Jobs started Next Computing and bought what became Pixar
from George Lucas. Over the next 10 years the studio went on to produce a
string of hits including A Bug’s Life (1998), Toy Story 2 (1999), Monsters,
Inc. (2001), Finding Nemo (2003) and The Incredibles (2004). In 2006 Disney
bought Pixar in a $7.4 billion deal under which Jobs became Disney’s largest
single shareholder with approximately 7 percent of the company’s stock.
Steve Jobs
married Laurene Powell in a Buddhist ceremony in 1991. They had three children
who survived him along with a daughter from a previous relationship.
His golden
business touch masked a maniacal private side and mood swings that terrorized
co-workers and partners. His genius helped launch the iMac computer, launched
in 1998 which was closely followed in 2001 by the iPod. In 2007, Apple entered the
cellular phone business with the first generation iPhone followed in close
succession by the iPad.
Jobs retired as chief executive of Apple in August after a decade long struggle with illness
including pancreatic cancer and a liver transplant. Apple’s shares immediately
dropped 5 per cent.
The visionary
nature of Steve Jobs isn’t easily replaced, but his ideas and way of doing things
will continue throughout Apple and Silicon Valley. His legacy projects continue
with the much anticipated next generation iPhone 5 which will include new
hardware and software as well as a complete redesign and a rumored Internet TV.
Sources:
http://www.telegraph.com.uk
http://www.ibtimes.com/
