It was just announced that Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple and...well you know who he is, is stepping down from that position, presumably due to health concerns. Stock trading for the company has been halted pending the news and Tim Cook has taken over as CEO.
CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:
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
I hereby resign 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 strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.
I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.
I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.
Steve
We're certain the board will keep him on and he'll still serve in some capacity at Apple. Say what you will of the man, he has certainly earned his place in history, making Apple one of the most profitiable and influential companies iin the world. We wish him the best of luck and good health.
Source: Yahoo! Finance
Comments
Even though I don't like there products, I never could wish anyone ill health. enjoy your wealth Steve and try to stay as healthy as you can.
One of the most important innovators of the last 100 years.
I pray for Steve, his family, and his health. Great work, Jobs! Hope you're around for a long time and healthy.
I'm waiting for the pic of him and Bill Gates sitting on the beach drinking Margarita's! Hope his health gets better!
It's been a good ride, Steve. Take some time off. I think by now you've earned it.I'm not an Apple guy but I think having healthy competition is a good thing for all of us.
not an apple fan, but Jobs has definitely done a lot for the computer industry throughout his life. they better keep him on, which is what they will most definitely do.
I think most of use would say on the outset that we are not "Apple Fans", as generally I would to simplify things. But truly we all really are, the folks at WPCentral are just the ones who look at Apple products and think, "ok some of that is cool, but let us see a different take on that."I only hope he's ignited a blaze of innovation that will continue burning long from now.
Ugh, seriously, what in the world does this have to do with Windows Phone? Just stop it already, I'm tired about hearing about this non-story.
I would argue that without this Man and the iPhone, Windows Phone 7 as you know it would not exist. So it has absolutely everything to do with it
I've got to agree. Like the iPhone or not, it changed the smartphone industry and Jobs was the driving force behind it. It's news that impacts the industry in which Windows Phone is a part of.
This is why I hate Apple the most. Because of them I cannot get a phone with a stylus or scroll wheel anymore. I hate the touch interface of modern phones. At least I can still get a real keyboard and hardware buttons, but for how long? Apple single-handedly consumerized the smartphone industry and I will never forgive them for it.And why all the praise for Steve Jobs? He's a smug, arrogant brat.
I know right? Because of this guy I have to use a GUI and a mouse on my computer as well!What was wrong with DOS, Steve? Why do we all have to use a computer the way YOU see fit?
You can thank Xerox for that. My Apple II+ didn't have a mouse or GUI.
I don't like Apple products and the way Apple do business and rip off people.So for me it's simple I will never buy anything Apple but and I never could wish anyone ill health.Hope he gets better but I couldn't care less about Apple news because simply I am not interested in any news about Apple.I prefer to see only Windows Phone news in this blog.
Like most people here I am not a Apple fan, but I truly respect Steve Jobs work. There is a Spanish proverb that says: Brave is not the one that never falls, brave is the one that kicks back every time that he falls. You won to that **** cancer before and you will this time. Best wishes Mr Jobs.
I'm at a loss for words here; people are complaining about this making news here? Steve Jobs is one of the most influential people of all time, particularly in the realm of mobile technology which this site covers. While I think that mobile OSes from Google and a continued effort from Microsoft, Nokia, Palm and RIM would be inevitable, the mobile landscape would definitely be much different if there were no Steve Jobs to help shape it. His stepping down as CEO will be noted by many, regardless of what company or platform they prefer. And in case anyone's forgetting, the man's not in the best of health. This has to be a sign of his shifting priorities as he realizes that his former role was unmanageable in his condition. It's got to be tough, especially for someone like him.
Man... the comments section at WPCentral just cemented my reasons for coming to this site. Not to say that the comments outshine the content or anything, but to be in a community where there is mutual respect for everyone, even for the 'competition', you could even say the biggest competition even.All of these comments, none of the sychophantic, yet each one expressing their concern and best wishes for one of the titans of the tech industry finally stepping down, and believe me, I've read comments on plenty tech sites before I got to this as I usually save WPCentral as the last stop on my daily tech blog reading circuit.I truly believe this is and end of an era with Jobs, being one more in a line of brash upstart nerds taking the world by the balls and winning, finally reaching the zenith of their careers.But I'm sure there are countless more Gates and Jobs waiting in the wings, good on the pioneers for blazing the trail, I look forward to continuing on the ride as others take their place and lead on.
Pancreatic cancer took my father's life back when I was 20. He was only 52. Since then I've personally known others that have died from it, some even younger than my dad was. It's a horrible thing to see, someone wither away ... I wish Steve Jobs the best of health with this usually fatal form of cancer.
Let me say that as a Mac fan and iPhone user AND Windows Phone fanboy I feel sorry for him but it was something to be expected.. hope he will live many years and "sneak" his way in some of the products Apple will release in the future and why not some 5-minute keynote appearences.Like they say, he diserves his place in history.
Thanks Steve for:* Easy to use computer interfaces* Vision to break with the old* Smartphones for normal people* Forcing the music industry into the digital ageNo thanks to Steve for:* Not letting customers bring feedback on your products* Not letting employees blog and twitter about their work* Being smug about your competition and learning your fans that its ok to be smug - and so setting the ground for the big pc vs. Apple debates everywhere* Being the first computer company to outright lie in TV-commercials* Locking in user into the Apple world in an unprecedented way* Suing your fans when they use your product names* Black listing reporters who dare to criticize you.* Making the Apple press into a club of yes-sayers with no criticism* Making insecure software and then pointing fingers at others doing the same Anyway I wish you to get better and get many more years to spend time with your friends and family.
Hate Apple....but dug my bootleg Conan the Barbarian on the Apple II !!
My honest and deepest respect and admiration to this IT and business hero of the last decades. There is hardly any personality who has inspired a whole industry almost nearly with such impact as SJ!I am aware: there would not be such a thing as Windows Phone 7 right now without Steve Jobs!Gratefully,