Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American entrepreneur, business magnate, and inventor. He was the co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc., and a co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios. Jobs is widely recognized as a pioneer of the personal computer revolution and one of the most influential figures in technology and design.
Early Life and Education
Jobs was born in San Francisco, California, to Joanne Schieble and Abdulfattah Jandali. He was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs and grew up in Mountain View, California. He attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon, but dropped out after one semester. Jobs later audited classes, including a calligraphy course that influenced Apple’s typography.
Career
In 1976, Jobs co-founded Apple with Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne in the Jobs family garage. The Apple II became a groundbreaking mass-market microcomputer. In 1984, Apple launched the Macintosh, the first commercial computer with a graphical user interface and mouse.
After a power struggle, Jobs left Apple in 1985 and founded NeXT, a company that developed high-end computer workstations. NeXT’s software later became the foundation for macOS and iOS. In 1986, Jobs acquired the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm, which became Pixar Animation Studios. Under his leadership, Pixar produced the first fully computer-animated feature film, 5 (1995).
Return to Apple
In 1997, Apple acquired NeXT, bringing Jobs back to the company as interim CEO. He revitalized Apple with a series of iconic products: the iMac (1998), iPod (2001), iPhone (2007), and iPad (2010). Jobs also oversaw the development of the MacBook Air and the App Store. Under his leadership, Apple became one of the world’s most valuable companies.
Illness and Death
In 2003, Jobs was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. He underwent surgery and a liver transplant in 2009, and resigned as Apple’s CEO in August 2011. Jobs died on October 5, 2011, at his home in Palo Alto, California.
Legacy
Jobs is remembered for his insistence on design elegance, user experience, and innovation. His influence extends beyond computing to film, music, mobile communications, and retail. The Steve Jobs Theatre at Apple Park and numerous biographies and films commemorate his life. He received the National Medal of Technology (1985) and was posthumously awarded the Grammy Trustees Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.