MELISSA MARTINEZ
PRIDE STAFF WRITER
On Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011, the world lost one of the greatest innovators of our time. Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs revolutionized technology and the modern lifestyle by raising standards to heights unimaginable. From the first product introduced in 1984 (the Macintosh 128k) to its latest product (the iPhone 4S) 27 years later, Apple’s innovation ensured that communication in all its forms never stayed the same for long.
Many people associate Jobs with the latest and greatest gadgets that Apple has to offer, but not many understand who Jobs was and why his legacy will inspire technology forever. Cofounding Apple Inc. in 1976 along with Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne, Jobs set the pavement for technology in standards and convenience. But we have to ask the question, how did this creative genius build a name for himself and his company?
We can begin with a timeline. According to Sonja Sharp and Tom Liddy’s article in Manhattan Local News, Jobs was very busy in the past couple of decades. In 1986, just two years after Apple announced their first product (along with the mouse, which hasn’t been off the market for two decades), Jobs bought George Lucas’s film studio, Lucasfilm, and renamed it Pixar. Jobs teamed up with Disney to produce Toy Story. In 2006, Jobs sold Pixar to Disney for a respectable sum of $74 billion.
In 2001, the music industry changed forever. With the introduction of the iPod, as well as iTunes software, Apple offered musicians and fans everywhere to digitally sell and buy music as well as television shows and even movies. In 2007, Jobs introduced the most popular cellular phone in the world: the iPhone. Since then, Apple’s revenue from iPods, iPhones and iPads sits at an estimated $220 million as of this year.
Tragically, in 2004, Jobs announced his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Though his health suffered, Jobs knew of his duties as CEO of Apple. Seven years and five iPhones later, Jobs announced his resignation as CEO. In his Aug. 24, 2011 resignation letter, Jobs said, “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.”
One short month later on Oct. 5, 2011, Apple announced the death of Jobs on the Apple website with a greyscale photo of Jobs and the message, “Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have known and worked 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.”
Apple also stated, “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.”