THE DEATH of former Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs was announced by the company early this morning.
The 56-year-old died after a public battle over many years with a rare form of pancreatic cancer and other health issues.
“Apple has lost a visionary and a creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being,” the company said on its website last night.
“Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lsot a dear friend and an inspiring mentor,” it continued.
“Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple,” the statement added.
In 2004 Jobs fought a rare form of pancreatic cancer and in 2009 he received a liver transplant. After several years of declining health he announced in August that he was resiginng as head of the world’s largest technology corporation.
Resigning, he said that he was no longer able to meet his “duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO”.
The Silicon Valley icon, who gave the world the first sucessful mass-market computer, iPod and the iPhone, handed the reins to current chief executive Tim Cook.
Mr Jobs founded Apple in his parents’ garage in 1976 with Steve Wozniak. The first Macintosh computer was introduced in 1984. However, Jobs exited shortly after in a power battle.
He returned to Apple in 1996 and is credited with turning the company’s fortunes around in the last decade. In this period the company is credited with dramatically changing the direction of the music and mobile phone industries.
Mr Jobs was deemed the heart and soul of a company that rivals Exxon Mobil as the most valuable in America.
The announcement of Mr Jobs death came a day after the launch of the iPhone 4S, the first iPhone product launch since Steve Jobs stood down.
It was the first launch for Mr Cook as chief executive and he showed little of the rhetorical style of Jobs. Apple fans had expected a cameo appearance by Jobs and were left disappointed.
Trading in shares of Apple, which has the biggest weighting among any stock in the Nasdaq-100, was halted before the announcement and did not resume before the trading session ended. Nasdaq futures dropped after the announcement.
It is not known exactly how many people Apple employs in Ireland, However, it has substantial operations at the Hollyhill industrial estate in Cork.
