Steve Jobs was a pivotal figure in the technology and entertainment industries, known for his role as co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple Inc., as well as for his leadership at Pixar Animation Studios and his role in launching NeXT.
Steven Paul Jobs was born on February 24, 1955, in San Francisco, California. He was adopted at birth by Paul and Clara Jobs of Mountain View, California. Jobs developed an early interest in electronics, which was encouraged by his adoptive father who was a machinist.
Jobs attended Homestead High School in Cupertino, where he met Steve Wozniak, who would later become his partner in founding Apple. After high school, Jobs enrolled at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, but dropped out after six months, although he continued auditing classes at Reed while sleeping on the floor in friends' rooms, returning Coke bottles for food money, and getting weekly free meals at the local Hare Krishna temple.
Jobs started his career in electronics by working at Atari in Los Gatos, California, where he designed video games. This experience, coupled with his time at Hewlett-Packard where he met Wozniak, led to the inception of Apple Computer Company in 1976. Jobs and Wozniak started by selling circuit boards called the Apple I.
Apple's breakthrough came with the launch of the Apple II in 1977, which became one of the first successful mass-produced microcomputers. Jobs played a key role in the development of the Macintosh, which was introduced in 1984 with a memorable television commercial. However, internal conflicts led to Jobs leaving Apple in 1985.
After leaving Apple, Jobs founded NeXT, which focused on higher education and business markets. NeXT's innovative technology, including the NeXTSTEP operating system, eventually played a crucial role in Apple's revival. In 1986, Jobs bought The Graphics Group from Lucasfilm for $10 million, renaming it Pixar. Under his guidance, Pixar became a leading animation studio, producing hits like Toy Story.
Apple acquired NeXT in 1997, and Jobs returned to Apple as CEO. Under his leadership, Apple introduced game-changing products like the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. These innovations reshaped the music, mobile phone, and computing industries. Jobs also played a pivotal role in the development of iTunes and the App Store, revolutionizing digital content distribution.
Jobs was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2003. Despite undergoing surgery and various treatments, his health deteriorated, leading to his resignation as CEO in August 2011. He passed away on October 5, 2011, at the age of 56.
Steve Jobs left an indelible mark on the world, transforming how we interact with technology. His vision for seamlessly integrating technology into daily life continues to influence the tech industry. His philosophy of design, simplicity, and innovation remains a benchmark for companies worldwide.