Innovator. Visionary. Pioneer. Genius. These are just some of the words the world has used to describe Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs, upon hearing the news of his untimely death from cancer at just 56.
Tributes have been pouring in from news and broadcast sites across the globe, while Twitter went into overload in the early hours of Thursday morning as thousands of users – tech competitors (including longstanding friend and rival, Bill Gates), celebrities and members of the public – shared their thoughts on one of the most celebrated people in technology and business.
Whether you love or hate Apple, there’s no denying that this man’s contribution to tech has had an incredible impact on both our personal and work lives. From the Apple 1 computer’s humble beginnings in 1976 with friend and business partner Steve Wozniak, to the launch of the iMac in 1998 and the minimalist iPod in 2001 – not to mention iTunes, the online digital music store that changed the face of the music industry.
Not without his vices though, Jobs’ management style was notorious. Some employees have even claimed a meeting with him was akin to stepping into a bullfight. From his arrogance and corporate tantrums, to vicious run-ins with competitors and an overly-controlling nature with the media, there’s no question the man played hard ball – but it got the job done (no pun intended), and done well.
Leaving behind a mammoth legacy, including an estimated $8.3bn, when it comes to his greatest creation I suspect many would argue it’s a tie between the iPhone and the iPad. Both devices revolutionised their respective markets – and as someone that works in the tech PR industry, ‘revolutionise’ isn’t a word I use lightly – considerably raising the bar for other vendor offerings and setting high user expectations.
With that in mind, Barack Obama’s tribute seems to say it all... “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.”
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