Apple’s Steve Jobs has died

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Steve Jobs, the Apple founder and former CEO who invented and masterfully marketed ever-sleeker gadgets that transformed everyday technology, from the personal computer to the iPod and iPhone, has died. He was 56.

Apple announced his death without giving a specific cause.

“We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today,” the company said in a brief statement.“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”

Local technology journalist Akash Sablok says Jobs was a visionary and leader, but thinks the company is still in good hands.

Not only does Apple have a lot of products in the pipeline that have been touched by Jobs, but he’s already laid the blue print for success. ” I think the precedent has been set as far as the style, design and vision of the company. Steve Jobs had always followed Wayne Gretzky’s advice that a good hockey player is where the puck is going to be and he kind of did the same thing.”

Sablok says Jobs was very a different kind of CEO. “He know when to micro-manage and when to step back. I think his biggest asset was hiring the right people for their job”

Tim Cook was named CEO of Apple in August after Jobs stepped down due to poor health. Apple issued a statement that they will continue to dedicate itself to Jobs’ vision and that his spirit will live forever within the company.

Jobs had battled cancer in 2004 and underwent a liver transplant in 2009 after taking a leave of absence for unspecified health problems. He took another leave of absence in January, his third since his health problems began, before resigning as CEO six weeks ago.

The news Apple fans and shareholders had been dreading came the day after Apple unveiled its latest version of the iPhone, just one in a procession of devices that shaped technology and society while Jobs was running the company.