My Thoughts on the Passing of Steve Jobs

I have been asked by many in the media for my thoughts on Steve Jobs. I felt that I needed to write them out so that I could be succinct at this time. Please feel free to use them as quotes directly from me.

Steve Jobs will always be remembered as a pioneer and tech icon. While he will always be known for the great products he created, perhaps his greatest contribution was the creation of a new Apple that is one of the most valued companies on the planet.

Many tech executives would be thrilled if they had one major hit in their lives. Steve gave us the Apple II, The Mac, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad and Pixar.

In a sense, Steve Jobs was part Thomas Edison, Walt Disney and P.T. Barnum. A modern technology visionary, focused in delivering products that are useful and provide entertainment and a masterful showman who really knew how to keep people on the edge of their seats wanting more.

His impact on the world of technology and American business can not be underestimated. His simple vision of creating products that he would want – ones that were elegant and easy to use, is what drove him and Apple to spectular success.

Under his leadership, Apple has become one the most recognized brands in the world. He created products that people line up for around the world.

Over 30 years of covering Steve Jobs as an analyst, I saw him at his highs and lows. But even in his lows he never took his eye off of the vision of creating products that were stylish and simple to use.

When he came back to Apple in 1997, I met with him on his second day on the job. At the time, Apple was $1 billion in the red and in serious trouble. So I asked him how he planned to save Apple. He said he would go back and meet the need of their core customers and then he said something that at the time puzzled me. He said he would pay close attention to industrial design when creating products. Not long after that he gave us the candy colored Macs that broke the mold of what a PC should look like. And as they say, the rest is history. From that point on, all of Apple’s products have bore the imprint of his eye for style and ease of use.

I am confident that Apple can move forward under Tim Cook and his executive team and that Apple will continue to be one of the most important technology companies in the world. Tim and his team fully understand Steve’s vision for Apple and will carry it forward and continue his legacy of creating products that will be elegantly designed, easy to use and that people will want as part of their digital lifestyles.

He was one of a kind and I doubt I will ever see anyone like him in my lifetime again.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and close friends. So many of us in this industry owe much of our careers to Steve Jobs. He will truly be missed.