It seems like everyone is talking about the death of Steve Jobs. (R.I.P.)
It kinda feels WRONG not to say something in his memory.
He was obviously a brilliant man. Of course, everyone knows that. That's why everyone is willing to commemorate him. Because of the change he brought to the world. He was an inspiration, not one to be put down easily in words.
He changed people's entire lives, and not because he was some creator of some world-known gadget.
"He was part of my generation, part of my bringing up and then all the marvelous wonders he brought to market, and changed the way the world conducts communications, looks at computers and looks at technology... I mean, it hurts to see his passing, a passing of an icon of our age."
—Chuck Linden
"I, like many, owe an awful lot to Steve Jobs. If it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't even own my home. Bought my first Apple Mac 128 in 1984. Learned computer programming and eventually made a living programming on the Macintosh. Thank you."
—Steve Breish
He could've been considered as a symbol. A symbol of creativity and innovation.
Some may ask: Can Apple thrive without him?
Here's the answer:
There is a long history, of course, of entrepreneurial companies not only surviving their charismatic founders, but thriving after they passed on. Ford did just fine after the death of Henry; Disney is still a force in entertainment long after Walt. Apple will remain a major player in the world of computing and electronics without Steve. The firm is simply too established, too much a part of a consumer's life, to just wither away, even with the exit of a towering figure like Jobs.
But the question remains if Apple can continue to be an industry leader as it has routinely been under Jobs. Can Apple keep its edge? Apple's success has always been based on being first, by solving problems others thought unsolvable, and introducing products that changed how people worked, played and communicated. It is not easy for any company to continue to produce innovative hit after innovative hit, even with its visionary leader still in the corner office. It will be even harder for Apple with Jobs gone. That isn't to say that current CEO Tim Cook can't get the job done. But Jobs is just a very hard act to follow.
The future facing Apple makes me think of another electronics giant, Japan's Sony. Sony was Apple before Apple, the great global innovator that produced products that changed people's lives, again and again. Sony, remember, championed the idea of personalized electronics – not the giant radio in the living room, but the miniature transistor radio, or the portable TV set. Sony invented the Walkman, altering forever how people listened to music, in the same way the iPod has in more recent times. Sony, like Apple, was a company that thrived on new ideas, new technologies, and an engaging brand.
And just like Apple, Sony was propelled forward by personality – well, two personalities, in fact – co-founders Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka. The two of them were behind everything Sony did, much like Jobs at Apple. They were unique visionaries, with a unique talent of bringing technology to the masses. And in the process, much like Jobs, they built an international company with an unrivaled brand.
Sony is still one of the industry's titans today, long after Morita and Ibuka have left the scene. The Japanese firm continues to make high-quality consumer electronics under one of the most trusted brands in the world. But no one would say Sony is the influential innovator it used to be. Apple took its place as the game changer of the electronics world. Up-and-coming companies like Samsung have eaten away at its global presence in key businesses, like televisions. Sure, the company has been managed by some talented people, but Morita and Ibuka were just too hard to replace. Sony has never been quite the same without them.
Will Apple suffer the same fate? It is impossible to tell. Yet Sony offers a cautionary tale. I was in Tokyo conducting some research on Sony a few years ago and had the pleasure of interviewing Yotaro Kobayashi, a long-time friend of Akio Morita. He believed that Sony struggled because its modern-day managers kept trying to recapture the old Morita-Ibuka spirit to guide the company to its future. But, Kobayashi believed, that was not possible. There was only one Morita and one Ibuka.
Just like there is only one Steve Jobs.
Kobayashi's point was that Sony had to grow beyond its dynamic founders and find a new future in order to maintain its greatness. Sony had to stop looking backwards to an age it couldn't recreate and instead look forwards. That may be sound advice for Apple today.
It's positively saddening that the iPhone 4s was released so close to his death.
He died of natural causes.
Pancreatic cancer stole his life at the age of 56.
Some people say life starts at 50.
Well then, his life was just beginning.
Steven Jobs. May he rest in peace, for he was an angel that brought change to the world.
Yours with a cherry on top,
Qi Cheng
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