By now most of you likely know that Steve Jobs has resigned as CEO of Apple. He’s not leaving completely. He still plans to stay on as Chairman of the Board. But he will no longer be the man at center stage in the second largest company in the world, in terms of market value, and certainly one of the most innovative.
There’s a bunch of reporting around about whether or not the resignation is for health reasons—presumably something to do with his battle with pancreatic cancer—however, his letter to the board, released Wednesday (see below), leaves little doubt that health, or more properly, illness, is at the heart of his announcement.
For all his control freaky faults, I would personally prefer that Steve Jobs be immortal. But that isn’t in the cards for any of us.
Thus, like many, I am deeply saddened by this turn of events.
To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:
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 hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.
As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.
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.
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.
Steve
TechCrunch continues to have the most timely updates, by the way. For instance, Tim Cook has indeed been named CEO—and, it is official, Jobs will stay on as Board Chair.
Best to Steve Jobs, who was truly a pioneer.
I have to say as a “customer” that Apple recently disappointed me in a major way for the first time ever with their craptacular release of Final Cut X – a ridiculously designed slap in the face to professional video editors who have been a mainstay in building Apple’s credibility and popularity over the past decade.
The thing is an exercise in some bizarre combination of arrogance and incompetence. There is no excuse for this epic fail of an “upgrade.” It should have been called Final Cut FU!
When your latest product is reduced to a joke segment on Conan O’Brian and everyone who used to be your friend is scratching their heads wondering WTF happened, you know you’ve descended into Sarah Palin territory. Maybe a business model skewed toward selling Lady Gaga tunes for 99 cents a pop turns even the best among us absurdly uncomprehending and hooked on the lowest common denominator.
Wish Jobs well, but the company has blown it in a major way, IMHO, by blowing off a loyal customer base.
Jobs indeed is an innovator.
But he and Apple joined the ranks of evil monopolists with their lawsuits against Android providers. Using software patents that should never have been issued, they are trying to kill off a promising technology that threatens their desired monopoly.
This is ironic, given Apple’s appeal to those who like to think of themselves as well intentioned.
A study recently showed that software patents produce about $10 in litigation fees for every dollar of income, serving to suppress rather than encourage innovation, and handing the advantage always to the large company at the expense of the small. That Apple should wield this weapon puts them in the same ranks as Microsoft – evil is as evil does.
Yeah, the Final Cut X and the Lion OS releases were utter disasters. That level of massive, customer enraging screw up was startling coming from Apple. Glad I missed both of ’em.
And, John, agreed: Jobs is a control freak—and a lot of times it ain’t one bit pretty. (Okay, it can get damned creepy at moments.) On the other hand, he’s stupendously gifted. And those of us who are ardent Apple cult members….er fans are extremely grateful for his existence. Complicated dude.
You don’t have to be part of the Apple cult to appreciate what he has brought about. Its too bad he’s going out the door acting in such an evil manner.
Apple is good for the world – or it was until it started acting like a robber baron monopoly. It has the largest market capital of any company in the world – larger than Exxon. It is time it be treated like the monster it is.
“evil”? “monster”?
Perhaps a bit of perspective is in order…
Evil cookie monster?
Okay, John, for some reason that cheered me up.
It was meant to.
Jobs was a pioneer, in inventing gadgets that lose practically all value within two years of purchase, and using dirt cheap labor to manufacture them.
iGreed.