Though he died at the relatively young age of 56, Apple founder and former CEO Steve Jobs has left a legacy that changed the shape of technology, literally.
"Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being," Apple said in a note on its Web site. "Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."
Under Jobs, Apple has introduced, and in some cases removed, both functional features and beautifying design elements, and the company has done so just ahead of the tech industry on the whole. The designs have become iconic, the changes have sparked design trends in and out of the computer industry, and the technology you use every day has benefitted from it.
From the computer on your desk to the phone in your pocket, Apple has tweaked, polished, and perfected everything from case design to user interfaces. The company added new features, like the super-fast Thunderbolt interface, but removed others, like the optical drive. Even internally, dealing with the nitty-gritty of hard drives and storage, the team from Cupertino has pared down and prettied up every facet of the personal computer.
It's not much of a stretch to say that without Apple's influence, the tech world would look very, very different. Jobs may have been at the helm for many of these innovation and decisions, but a captain needs a good crew, and the good ship Apple has had some talented people all along the way. Will the refreshing designs and forward thinking technology continue without Steve Jobs? For the short term, definitely. In the long term, however, only time will tell.
Check out our slideshow to see some of the big changes that came out of Apple's tiny details.
Editor's Note: This piece originally ran when Steve Jobs resigned from Apple in August.
1. Hard Drives Out, Flash Memory In
2. Turning the Touchpad into the Clickpad
3. Going Hands On with Gestures
4. iPad: the Post-PC?
5. DisplayPort Upgrades to Thunderbolt
6. Chiclet Keyboard: Hip to Be Square
7. MacBook Air: So Light, So Thin
8. Unibody: A Study in Minimalism
9. Ditching the Optical Drive
Apple Fan?
Sign up for our Weekly Apple Brief for the latest news, reviews, tips, and more delivered right to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
Sign up for other newsletters