When Steve Jobs announced his resignation from his position as Apple’s CEO, many people in the industry were left to wonder about the future of mobile technology without the man who changed the way the world thinks about personal computing and then did the exact same thing for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
The worlds of communication, content, commerce, and marketing are about to be turned on their heads, as they release revolutionary new technologies, but they will need to do it with Jobs in the position of chairman of the board, instead of at the helm as CEO, for which he is known worldwide. Experts around the globe are now left to wonder what difference it will make to the company now that he will not have active input on the process for the creative design of Apple’s products and marketing.
This is the second time that Jobs has left Apple on a medical leave, but the first time that he resigned outright from his CEO position. His successor, Tim Cook, has already been filling the role quite capably since Jobs left in January.
That said, according to chairman Art Levinson of Genentech, who made a statement the Apple board’s behalf, “Steve’s extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world’s most innovative and valuable technology company.”
Levinson went on to say that the contributions that Jobs has made to Apple’s successes have been countless, and that he has made the company an appealing place for creative employees and world-class executives, who all found themselves inspired once they joined the team there. He explained that Jobs’ new role as chairman of the board will still allow him to provide Apple with his own unique creativity, inspiration, and insights.
