What Steve Jobs' legacy means
- By Wendy Qi
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Xinhua, October 7, 2011
Less than two months after Steve Jobs stepped down as Apple CEO, the visionary leader of the iconic technology company passed away Wednesday at the age of 56.
Jobs' life undoubtedly had a profound impact on the tech industry and the way individuals interact with technology. With his passing, the question has now become what the post-Jobs technology era will look like and how his legacy will live on.
Since co-founding Apple in 1976 at the age of 21, Jobs had been a key figure in defining the technology agenda, beginning with the introduction of personal computing to the consumer market with co-founder Steve Wozniak.
After leaving the company in 1984 following a fall-out with the board, Jobs returned in 1996 to develop a series of industry-defining products, including the iPod portable music player, the iPhone mobile device, and the iPad tablet PC.
Apple's iPad, which was introduced in August 2010, was the fastest adopted consumer electronics device in history, with 3 million units sold within the first 80 days.
More than creating products that redefined the way consumers relate to technology, Jobs' creative genius and business acumen lied in his ability to change traditional industry practices and business models.
Apple's iTunes store, which has sold more than 16 billion songs since its inception in 2003, has revolutionized the album-based model historically championed by recording studios into singles priced at 99 cents delivered completely online.
"Steve Jobs not only created the most innovative consumer tech products but he also single-handedly forced monopolistic network carriers and media -- print, music, movie -- industry players to bow to the best interests of consumers. My biggest fear is that with his loss, these players will be able to wrest control back and we will regress back to the dark ages," Ashish Sahu, founder and CEO of Wazaap, told Xinhua.
Wazaap is a San Francisco startup focused on aggregating and uncovering events in different cities.
Jobs built the most valuable technology company in the world by market capitalization, with a current market cap of 350.67 billion U.S. dollars.
At a time when computer and device manufacturers like Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Dell are struggling to maintain consistent profitability levels, Apple has seen an upward trend in profit margins, with a net profit margin of more than 21 percent in its most recent fiscal year.
Comparatively, HP and Dell have remained stagnant at approximately 7 percent and 4 percent respectively, according to their most recent annual financial statements.
Beyond his work at Apple, Jobs' philosophy of making technology easily accessible is one that has extended beyond Apple's walls.
"His focus on the user experience above all else has always been an inspiration to me," said Google CEO Larry Page. "He was very kind to reach out to me as I became CEO of Google and spend time offering his advice and knowledge even though he was not at all well."
Aspiring entrepreneurs like Sahu of Wazaap see the results of this philosophy as an empowering means of driving innovation. "Steve Jobs' legacy lies in the fact that mainstream consumers -- not just the geek -- are demanding innovation and are ready to support it with funding," said Sahu.
In his last letter to Apple employees on the day of his resignation, Jobs wrote, "I believe Apple's brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it."
With Jobs' passing, however, many are skeptical whether Apple can deliver the same type of innovation it has historically been able to.
"As a consumer, you always hope that there will be another revolution, and another great achievement. Now you know it's not going to happen, or at least, it won't be the same," Sandjar Kozubaev, an MBA student in design strategy, told Xinhua.
While only time can tell what the future holds for Apple and the tech world, what is certain is the personal meaning Jobs' legacy will hold for many individuals, regardless of industry affiliation.
Jobs' personal ethos has always been one of finding one's dreams and following one's heart, a point he stressed in a speech he delivered at Stanford University in 2005.
Since then, the speech, which ends with the line: "Stay hungry. Stay foolish," has been viewed for millions of times on the Internet.
It was also this speech that inspired Kozubaev to pursue a degree in design strategy.
"You don't usually try to change your life just because of one speech, and it goes to show just how influential Jobs was," said the student.
