After 14 years as Apple ’s CEO , Steve Jobs leave office his post on Wednesday and was replaced by Tim Cook , who antecedently was the company ’s Chief Operating Officer . job , in bend , was elect as chair of Apple ’s board of directors .
Steve Jobs in 2009 .
“ I have always suppose if there ever come a solar day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple ’s chief executive officer , I would be the first to let you know . Unfortunately , that solar day has amount , ” Jobs said in a letter address “ to the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community . ”
“ I trust Apple ’s brightest and most innovative days are onward of it . And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a Modern function , ” Jobs wrote . “ I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple , and I give thanks you all for the many years of being able to mould alongside you . ”
“ In his new role as Chairman of the Board , Steve will carry on to assist Apple with his unequaled insight , creative thinking and inhalation , ” board fellow member and Genentech chairman Art Levinson said in an Apple press outlet . “ Steve ’s extraordinary vision and leading salve Apple and guide on it to its position as the world ’s most innovative and valuable technology company . Steve has made countless contribution to Apple ’s achiever , and he has attract and inspired Apple ’s immensely creative employee and world class executive squad . ”
Jobs had been on amedical leave of absence since January 2011 . He go on to hold the chief operating officer title whileCook oversaw the day - to - daylight operations of the company . At the time , Jobs told Apple employees he was learn a leave from his day - to - day duty to “ centre on my health . ”
“ I ’m patently implicated for Steve , ” analyst Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies toldMacworld . “ It ’s logical to think that something ’s related to his health . ” Bajarin was quick to channelize out , however , that “ he ’s still president … he ’s enjoin he ca n’t treat the part of chief executive officer . ”
“ While I am concerned about Steve personally , I am not implicated about Apple , ” Bajarin said . “ You ’ve flummox a very deep judiciary of managers and executives who know how Jobs thinks , find , and his visual modality . ”
Gartner psychoanalyst Michael Gartenberg echoed those view , note that “ while this pit the end of an epoch for Apple , it ’s of import to remember the there ’s more to Apple than any one person , even Steve Jobs . Continuing as chairman Mr. Jobs will continue to leave behind his bull’s eye on both the society and merchandise even as he transfers the reigns to Mr. Cook . ”
Jobs is “ an icon and what he ’s done with Apple is something in all probability unprecedented in concern , ” said IDC analyst Al Hilwa . “ It will be a grammatical case study in business organization shoal rule book for decade . ”
line of work had previously taken a six - month leave of absence of absence from Apple in 2009 , in the end undergoing a liver transplantation . He had also battled pancreatic cancer in 2004 .
Despite his leave of absence seizure from the company , Jobs had continue involved with Apple ’s farseeing - full term feat . He appear at June ’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote , handling display duties for the section on Apple ’s approaching iCloud service . Jobs also made asurprise appearing at Apple ’s iPad 2 press eventin March .
Two stints at Apple
job co - establish Apple in 1976 , along with Steve Wozniak and Ron Wayne . With Wozniak , he helped develop the Apple I and Apple II , and , in 1984 , introduced the Macintosh to the world . However , he clashed with the companionship ’s CEO , John Sculley , in 1985 and leave alone to found a new troupe , Next Computer . He also acquired animation troupe Pixar from filmmaker George Lucas in 1986 , later on sell it to Disney and becoming a member of the medium conglomerate ’s plug-in of directors , as well as its largest individual shareowner .
In 1997 , Apple acquired Next and Jobs returned to the company to take up the chief executive officer cape . While Jobs ab initio served in an interim CEO mental ability , replacing ousted chief executive Gil Amelio , he moved into the top role for good in 2000 .
During his clock time at the helm , Apple released a routine of groundbreaking ceremony products , including the iPod in 2001 , the iPhone in 2007 , and the iPad in 2010 . job also presided over a revitalization of the company ’s Mac line of merchandise : Apple introduce its iMac desktop computer in 1998 , shortly after his return . Jobs ’s return also harbinger the last of a couple of prominent but controversial projects , include the licensing of the Mac OS to third - party computer hardware companies , and the Newton personal digital assistant .
Among Jobs ’s other accomplishments as CEO were the launch of the iTunes Music Store in 2003 , which went on to become the top music retail merchant in the U.S. The depot , combine with the iconic iPod , popularized the selling of digital medicine , and later on expanded its content to include movies , television shows , podcasts , audiobooks , ebooks , and , of course , apps for Apple ’s mobile iOS platform .
Over the course of his term of office , Apple saw unprecedented success , rising from the edge of its dying to become , by some measurements , the most valuable company in the world . That has n’t always meant pop actions — when Jobs return in 1997 , it was with an influx of $ 150 million from Microsoft , then considered the company ’s arch - challenger . But a decade later , the company had become hugely profitable and , as of its most late fiscal statements , now sits on a cash reservation of more than $ 76 billion .
Full text of Jobs’s letter
To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community :
I have always say if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and first moment as Apple ’s CEO , I would be the first to let you know . Unfortunately , that day has follow .
I hereby give up as CEO of Apple . I would like to serve , if the Board sees fit , as Chairman of the Board , director and Apple employee .
As far as my successor goes , I powerfully recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple .
I think Apple ’s brightest and most advanced days are ahead of it . And I bet onward to watching and put up to its success in a new role .
I have made some of the good friends of my life at Apple , and I thank you all for the many year of being able to cultivate alongside you .
Steve
[ Updated several times throughout the afternoon to append more information , quotes from psychoanalyst , and background on Jobs . Macworld editors Dan Moren and Serenity Caldwell and the IDG News Service ’s Nancy Gohring contributed to this narrative . ]
