"Unfortunately, that day has come." That's the line from Steve Jobs' resignation letter that struck us the most. Yep, it has indeed come and the man behind the iPhone and the iPad (among others) and the one that everyone loves to hate made turtlenecks and jeans a sort of fashion statement in the tech world has already stepped down from being Apple's CEO. Is this the end of an era? We don't know, the near future will tell us that, but it is very unusual to see Apple without Steve as its head honcho, right?
This news came, obviously, as a shock to the whole industry. Earlier today, Steve published and sent his resignation letter detailing his sentiments to Apple Board of Directors. Read it below:
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
Yep, in typical Steve Jobs fashion, his letter is straightforward but you must admit, it does contain a few sentimental bits that we are not accustomed to him saying. Well, it is a resignation letter so that is to be expected.
Details on the reasons behind his resignation are still scant as of the moment. It is very surprising, really, especially when you see that Apple has been reaching record financial numbers recently. Maybe it has something to do with his illness? He's close to retirement age anyway so maybe he just wants lesser strains on his shoulders and enjoy life more.
Now, is he completely gone? No, not by a long shot. Almost as important as his declaration of resignation is the fact that he want to stay on as Chairman of the Board. You may look at it as a demotion but that's actually a not-too-shabby position which still gives him some measure of control over Apple. As for his successor, Tim Cook previously serves as the COO (Chief Operating Officer) of the Cupertino-based titan which means he has all the credentials and experience to take on the role of CEO.
Good luck, Mr. Cook. Now everyone's eyes are on you and the products and plans that you'll be cooking up (pun shamelessly intended) for Apple. And to you, Señor Steve. Everyone may either love you or hate you but you'll always remain as that man who helped Apple to be "hip" again and set the bar in the tablet and smartphone wars high enough to foster healthy(?) competition and innovation. Now we're curious on what the guys over at Google have to say about this. In the meantime, head to the gallery below for 12 things you probably don't know about Steve Jobs.
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