(NECN/CNN, Sandra Endo) - He's the man who grew apple out of a Silicon Valley garage and into the world's leading tech company.
Now, apple chairman and former CEO Steve Jobs is dead.
Apple confirms that jobs died Wednesday, after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer.
CNN’s Sandra Endo looks back at Jobs' life.
“Today, Apple is going to re-invent the phone.”
Some likened Steve Jobs to a modern-day Thomas Edison.
Despite his understated appearances, he was legendary for his flair and showmanship.
“We asked ourselves what would happen if a Macbook and an iPad hooked up.”
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Jobs was born in San Francisco in 1955.
He developed an early interest in technology, and, at just 20 years old, started apple computer in his garage with friend Steve Wozniak.
In ten years, it grew into a two-billion dollar company with more than 4,000 employees.
In 1984, Apple introduced the machine that literally changed lives forever: the Macintosh.
“People are going to bring them home over the weekend to work on something, Sunday morning they're not going to be able to get their kids away from them and maybe someday they'll even buy a second one to leave at home.”
The Macintosh was revolutionary; it made computers easier to use, with a strange little device called a mouse.
But it was expensive, and sales were sluggish.
In 1985, Jobs was forced out of apple, but he was just warming up.
In 1986, he bought Pixar Animation studios, which later produced hits like toy story.
He also started a computer company called NEXT.
Its technology was so innovative that apple ultimately bought NEXT, bringing jobs back to the company he started.
He soon became CEO.
In his tenure, Jobs introduced technology that forever changed the way we listen to music, and use our phones.
All that while battling health problems.
In recent years, Jobs became noticeably thin and frail.
In 2009, he took a six-month leave from Apple, and eventually revealed he'd had a liver transplant.
A year after introducing the iPad, which brought Apple its most profitable year in history, Jobs took another leave in January 2011.
He stepped back into the spotlight in March, making a surprise appearance to unveil a thinner, faster update to the iPad.
In August 2011, jobs announced his resignation, saying he could no longer perform the duties of CEO. He remained on with Apple as chairman of the board.
Steve Jobs' legacy can be found in his devices - long on aesthetics and attention to detail.
He followed his heart, and with his technology changed the world.
“We are calling it...iPhone.”
