Fifteen years ago, Steve Jobs announced that he was stepping down as CEO of Apple, ending a major chapter in the career of the company’s most recognizable leader.
On Aug. 24, 2011, Jobs submitted a resignation letter to Apple’s board of directors and the Apple community after years of serious health problems and several medical leaves of absence. He was 56.
“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,” Jobs wrote that time, per ABC News. “Unfortunately, that day has come.”
Photo by Rick Smolan/Against All Odds Productions/Getty Images
Jobs also made clear who he believed should lead Apple next.
“As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.”
Apple followed that plan the same day. Cook was named Apple CEO, while Jobs became chairman of the board. Cook was also added to the company’s board.
Jobs’ resignation came after a long period of health concerns. He had battled a rare form of pancreatic cancer, undergone a liver transplant in 2009 and taken several leaves of absence from Apple.
Apple did not provide additional details about Jobs’ health when his resignation was announced. The company focused instead on the leadership transition and its succession plan.
Jobs’ association with Apple goes back decades prior to his resignation. He founded the company in 1976 together with Steve Wozniak and it started out by developing and selling personal computers, such as the Apple I and the successful Apple II.
Jobs later helped lead the development of the Macintosh, which became one of Apple’s most important early products.
His career with Apple was not without setbacks. In 1985, Jobs left the company after a power struggle with Apple’s board and then-CEO John Sculley.
After leaving, Jobs founded NeXT and purchased the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm, which later became Pixar. Pixar went on to produce Toy Story and became a major animation studio.
Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 after the company acquired NeXT. At the time, Apple was struggling. Under Jobs’ leadership, the company rebuilt its product lineup and introduced a series of products and services that became part of everyday life for millions of people.
Those included the iMac, iTunes, iPod, iPhone, App Store and iPad.
Jobs was also behind Apple’s push into new software and online services. In June 2011, just months before his resignation, he appeared at a software developers’ conference in San Francisco to introduce the Lion operating system and iCloud.
Meanwhile, Cook’s appointment as CEO on Aug. 24, 2011, marked the beginning of Apple’s next chapter.
Cook is set to leave the CEO position on Sept. 1, with hardware chief John Ternus expected to take over, according to Cook’s letter.
Apple had previously announced that Cook would move into the executive chairman role, while Ternus would lead the company’s day-to-day product and operations work.
Jobs died on Oct. 5, 2011, at age 56. However, the products and businesses he helped create continue to shape Apple and the technology industry.
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