Apple CEO Tim Cook pens letter in remembrance of Steve Jobs

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Steve Jobs' death, Apple CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday penned a personal remembrance of the late tech guru that was shared in a letter to employees.

Cook in the memo, obtained by Bloomberg, said today is a moment to celebrate Jobs' life and reflect on his legacy. The late Apple co-founder died in 2011 after a long bout with pancreatic cancer.

Today's memorial echoes sentiments shared in past anniversary memos from Cook. The chief executive typically marks the occasion with an internal email, reminding staff of the monumental impact Jobs had not only on Apple, but the technology industry and world. In addition to the Oct. 5 anniversary, Cook regularly commemorates Jobs' birthday with a tweet on Feb. 24.

Cook's Tuesday memo in full:

Team,
Today marks the 10th anniversary of Steve's passing. It's a moment to celebrate his life and to reflect on the extraordinary legacy he left behind.
Steve believed that "people with passion can change the world for the better." That's the philosophy that inspired him to create Apple. And it lives in us today.
Steve was so many things: brilliant, funny, and wise, a husband, a father, a friend, and, of course, a visionary. He challenged us to see the world not for what it was, but for what it could be. And he helped so many people, myself included, see the same potential in ourselves. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him.
This year, as much as any other, we're reminded of the profound impact our products have on the world. I feel so lucky that we spend our days creating wildly innovative tools that connect people, inspire them to think differently, and empower them to make their own dent in the universe, too. It's one of the many gifts that Steve gave to all of us.
I wish Steve were here to see the way his spirit lives on in all of your amazing work. But most of all, I wish he could see what you do next. Steve once said that his proudest achievements were the ones that were yet to come. He spent every day imagining a future that no one else could see and working relentlessly to bring his vision to life.
Steve was a singular figure, but he taught us all how to soar. I miss him, and I will cherish him always.
Tim

Apple celebrated Jobs with a special video featured on its website, which is accompanied by a brief message from his family. Earlier this week, former CDO Jony Ive wrote his own remembrance in a special for The Wall Street Journal.

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9 Comments

slow n easy

said about 2 years ago

I think Steve would be amazed at how much the products and services have changed over the last ten years. Steve said that he didn’t want Apple to be Sony but he also never could have imagined that Apple would become a Trillion dollar plus company either. I think he would be pretty proud of the direction Apple is heading.

JWSC

said about 2 years ago

Apple is still cool and all. They still put out great and mostly polished products. But it just isn’t the same without Steve. It never will be. That magic is gone.

Of the many things I miss about him, one was his “in your face” attitude to competitors and, in his mind, their substandard products. To me he was a shining light who could see what so many others were oblivious to.

Educated as an industrial designer myself and one who grew up with a mild physical disability, I could see many of the same things he could when it came to product design. I was a child of thalidomide, only mildly affected fortunately. But it sure gave me heightened sensitivity to the ill conceived design choices foisted upon the world by the clueless wonders of industry. I was a fan of universal design and it’s why I studied industrial design.

In my youth I would frequently look at an existing product and comment to friends and family about why it was a substandard horrible design and ask why the manufacture couldn’t do better. I ended up with a reputation as a negative person, which really wasn’t me at all. But I understood how they came to see me that way. Few outside the ID community could see what I could. I learned to moderate my comments as I grew older.

But there I was, a young early 20s kid who saw things differently than most. And here comes along Steve Jobs, a brash young tech titan, and DAMN, he saw what I did! I thought to myself, he gets it! He really does. He dared to call out craptastic design to the world. I wasn’t just a crazy negative person. He validated me. That SOB is my hero. Always will be.

jimh2

said about 2 years ago

While not the same type of person as Jobs, Elon Musk is someone who will not accept norms or limitations. He keeps pressing and perfecting until he gets what he envisioned. People like this make the world a better place whether or not we like or admire them. Settling is never something a great leader does.

He also put together and mentored an incredible team to carry on without him, which in itself is impossible for all but a few to do.

anantksundaram

said about 2 years ago

jimh2 said:

While not the same type of person as Jobs, Elon Musk is someone who will not accept norms or limitations. He keeps pressing and perfecting until he gets what he envisioned. People like this make the world a better place whether or not we like or admire them. Settling is never something a great leader does.

He also put together and mentored an incredible team to carry on without him, which in itself is impossible for all but a few to do.

Couldn't agree more.

In some ways his legacy could be even more impactful. I am not saying that lightly (since I come close to worshipping Jobs).

JWSC

said about 2 years ago

jimh2 said:

While not the same type of person as Jobs, Elon Musk is someone who will not accept norms or limitations. He keeps pressing and perfecting until he gets what he envisioned. People like this make the world a better place whether or not we like or admire them. Settling is never something a great leader does.

He also put together and mentored an incredible team to carry on without him, which in itself is impossible for all but a few to do.

Yep. Musk is it right now. While I still follow Apple and root for it as a company because they’re still better than most, Musk’s companies are going gang-busters. I’m always watching what he and his companies are doing.

I keep joking that Elon is an alien because, I don’t know how he does all he does. Or how he knows all he knows. So much power and cross discipline knowledge all in one head. I’m not sure there’s anyone else out there like him.

So, dude is an alien! You heard it here first. 😁