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Steve Jobs resigns as CEO of Apple

By Nicole Kobie

Posted on 24 Aug 2011 at 23:47

Steve Jobs has resigned as CEO of Apple, handing the reins to COO Tim Cook.

No specific reason was given for Jobs' resignation, but he went on his second spell of sick leave in January.

In a letter to the board, Jobs said: "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 believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it

He will remain at Apple as chairman of the board, the company said. He recommended Cook as his replacement - suggesting that was the "succession plan" all along - advice the board has apparently taken.

Jobs' departure from the helm at Apple will leave many wondering whether the company will continue its incredible success. Cook has capably headed the firm in Jobs' absence, but the charismatic Apple founder is believed by many to be central to its success.

"The board has complete confidence that Tim is the right person to be our next CEO," said Art Levinson, chairman of Genentech and Apple board member. "Tim's 13 years of service to Apple have been marked by outstanding performance, and he has demonstrated remarkable talent and sound judgment in everything he does."

Of course, Jobs leaves his role as CEO at a time when the company is at a high point, posting record profits, posting consistent increases in Mac sales despite wider troubles in the industry, and becoming the largest tech firm by market value. As well, Jobs isn't stepping entirely away from the firm, keeping a high-profile role as chairman of the board.

"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," Jobs added. "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."

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User comments

A legend

I'm not a big Apple fan but there is no denying that they have created well crafted gadgets, turned the phone industry upside down and made tablets desirable. Steve Jobs is one of the greats alongside Bill Gates and I wish him all the best

By TimoGunt on 25 Aug 2011

One of the giants

But clearly his illness hasn't been stemmed by his pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Apple should continue to do well as long as Jobs has any influence but once that is gone, they will suffer the same slow decline that occurred the last time he departed.

By Lacrobat on 25 Aug 2011

I wonder whether the recent hyper-aggressive patent wars that Apple seem to be fixated on is a symptom of Jobs taking a more back seat over the recent months.

By Aspicus on 25 Aug 2011

Interesting

@Aspicus, I've been wondering the same thing.

I wish Steve all the best. He certainly turned the company around at a critical point.

I hope that Apple return to his vision of being innovative and don't sink further into patenttrollery.

By big_D on 25 Aug 2011

Best Wishes

I wish Steve all the best and hope that if he is ill again that he makes a full and speedy recovery.

With regards to the new CEO of Apple, I hope that he is less, erm, vociferous in his attacks and sneering dismissals of their competitors - thinking back to his comments on netbooks and his steadfast refusal to believe that Android devices were more popular in the US than iOS devices, based on nothing more than his opinion.

He has undoubtedly been the driving force behind Apple's hugely successful turn-around, but he also has an arrogant attitude which has put myself and many others off Apple.

By bioreit on 25 Aug 2011

Clarify

Meant to say hope the new CEO is less attacking than Steve!

By bioreit on 25 Aug 2011

Wishing Steve the best

The man has put a lot of his life into the Apple company and I think if anyone deserves a rest he does. What is the point of making a fortune if you die before you can enjoy any of it?

They (Apple) need someone else to take over Jobs' role, not just as CEO but as leader and innovator, since without him around, Apple sink into the role of "corporate suits" which looks good on paper, but makes lousy business. Profit-driven policy, lawsuits and zero innovation. As others have said, this patent war Apple currently have wins them no friends. Samsung won't forget and there will come a time they develop a chip Apple needs, then what? Stupid, stupid.

Markus “Notch” Persson for Apple CEO!

By cheysuli on 25 Aug 2011

Steve Jobs is the driving force behind Apple, without him they will become just another also-ran tech company (as happened when he "quit" last time). Given Apple's current predeliction with suing anyone who looks like they might once have used the word "Apple", once can only suppose they realise the creative gravy train has come to a stop and now need to find other revenue streams...

By ianreid99 on 25 Aug 2011

Steve...

...Once you captured the kids with the ipod you damn well knew that the adults would willingly follow.

Well done that man.

P.s. I will NEVER own an apple product even if they are good. The company stinks and treats customers like idiots. (...if you've ever worked for an electrical gadget retailer you'll know that most are :( )

By rhythm on 25 Aug 2011

The Great Innovator

A few individuals, not huge corporations, invented products that changed our society. James Watt sparked the industrial revolution with his steam engine. Steve Jobs sparked the IT revolution. He gave us the first popular PC (Apple I/II), the first PC with a graphical interface, beautiful products, the Ipod, Iphone, Ipad, Itunes, the internet was invented by Tim Berners Lee on his Next computer, his Pixar company invented digital movies (Toy Story was the first movie produced entirely on computers). I am sure it'll all be downhill from here for Apple - Jobs IS Apple. Never been an Apple fan myself - they want to lock you into their cult so where's the freedom promised by their 1984 famous super-bowl ad? Had Apple been more open and flexible (why does it have to cost more than a 100 pounds to get the battery changed in your Ipod or Iphone?).

All the best for Jobs - he will go down in history as one of the few men who truly changed the world and made it a better place to live (and to have fun).

By elosimoni on 25 Aug 2011

I wonder what the company will be like now that he's gone?

I think the problem is they may try to be like Steve Jobs, but whether they can pull it off (especially publicly), is an entirely different question.

In other words, don't expect an authorised jailbreak, end of SHSH blobs, a cheap mac (the mac mini barely counts when you add everything else), etc.

By tech3475 on 25 Aug 2011

It is possible to overstate Job's role

They couldn't have got the Apple I or II out the door if Wosniak hadn't designed them and built the prototypes.

When Jobs was fired in the 80s it was for a very good reason, get hold of a copy of 'Insanely Great' or 'Infinite Loop' and read all about it.

And when he returned in the 90s Ive and his design team already had the first iMac designed.

Where jobs has made a huge difference IMHO is the way that he has moved Apple to the point where it delivers content (a lot of it free remember) and produces desirable effective products to create and consume the content. Clever.

As for Tim Cook he is the guy that turned round their supply chain, which was worse than a basket case.

Jobs must rate as one of the greatest and most enduring innovators from his generation. Apple isn't just him though.

By kaneclem on 25 Aug 2011

Branding genius

Someone better make sure @Swissmac isn't wearing a belt today....

On a serious note, despite my own reservations about Apple's practices and their "closed" community, I can't help but admire the guy.

He's created a company that is a lesson in brand identity and marketing balls of steel.

Hope he gets well.

By CraigieDD on 25 Aug 2011

To quote George Bernard Shaw "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
Jobs is a wonderfully unreasonable man and one of the great genius of our generation.
Apple, however, as a corporation has a duty to behave reasonably and they are stretching that at the moment.

By milliganp on 25 Aug 2011