Steve Jobs, Apple Co-founder, Dies at 56

Apple Inc. co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs succumbs to cancer at the age of 56.

Apple announced on October 5 that Steve Jobs had died. The official statement of the company reads:

"We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today. Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve. His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts."

Another statement from Job's family said that he "died peacefully today surrounded by his family..."

Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in mid-2004. On the same year, Jobs underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy and it successfully removed the tumor. In 2009, though, he was forced to get a liver transplant at Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute in Tennessee.

He had been granted a medical leave of absence on January 17, 2011. Jobs said his decision was made so he could focus on his health. But despite the leave, he was present during the iPad 2 launch in March and in the WWDC keynote introducing iCloud in June. He also made an appearance before the Cupertino city council also in June.

On August 24, 2011, Jobs announced his resignation as Apple's CEO. In his resignation letter, he strongly recommended that the company's executive succession plan be followed and Tim Cook be named as his successor.