One of the greatest tech visionaries of our generation has passed. Former CEO and Apple savior, Steve Jobs, lost his ongoing battle with pancreatic cancer and was taken from us at the early age of 56. The tech industry, along with consumers will forever be indebted to the man behind the Mac, Macbook, iPod, and iPhone. As we bid adieu to Stevie, tech peers Bill Gates, Eric Schmidt, and even the President Obama say farewell to the tech god.
Bill Gates, Microsoft: “Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you.” [AllthingsD]
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook: “Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives. The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come. For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it’s been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely.” [NY Times]
Eric Schmidt, Google: “Steve defined a generation of style and technology that’s unlikely to be matched again.” [NY Times]
Sergey Brin, Google: “From the earliest days of Google, whenever Larry and I sought inspiration for vision and leadership, we needed to look no farther than Cupertino. Steve, your passion for excellence is felt by anyone who has ever touched an Apple product (including the macbook I am writing this on right now). And I have witnessed it in person the few times we have met. On behalf of all of us at Google and more broadly in technology, you will be missed very much. My condolences to family, friends, and colleagues at Apple.” [HR]
President Barack Obama: “There may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented…the greatest of American innovators.” [NY Times]
Bob Iger, Disney: “Steve Jobs was a great friend as well as a trusted advisor. His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the businesses he built. It will be the millions of people he inspired, the lives he changed, and the culture he defined. Steve was such an ‘original,’ with a thoroughly creative, imaginative mind that defined an era. Despite all he accomplished, it feels like he was just getting started. With his passing the world has lost a rare original, Disney has lost a member of our family, and I have lost a great friend,” the statement continued. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Laurene and his children during this difficult time.” [HR]
Meg Whitman, HP: “Steve Jobs was an iconic entrepreneur and businessman whose impact on technology was felt beyond Silicon Valley. He will be remembered for the innovation he brought to market and the inspiration he brought to the world.” [Twice]
Jeff Bezos, Amazon: “Steve was a teacher to anyone paying attention, and today is a very sad day for everyone who cares about innovation and high standards.” [Twice]
