Apple Co-founder Steve Jobs dies

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple and an icon for many innovators has died at at the age of 56 after a long illness.Jobs was an entrepeneur and innovator.

He had suffered from health problems since surgery for a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2004. He even went through a liver transplant in 2009 but returned to work. He took a leave of absence last January, since his health problems started, but he announced in August that he was stepping down as Apple's chief executive officer. But he continued as chairman of the board.

Jobs was forced out of Apple in 1985 by a hostile board of directors. He built a small production house that became Pixar Studios the following year, and Jobs turned it into a powerhouse of animated movies before selling it to the Disney Company five years ago.

Jobs again joined Apple in 1997, and was widely seen as the reason behind the company's huge success.

He gave the world ipod and the iphone which are considered as one of the best innovations in the world.He passed away just a day after the announcement of launch of the much awaited iphone 4s, another landmark in the field of technology.

Apple issued a brief statement saying "We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today," the company said.

''His Brilliance passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve," they added.

Apple became the second largest Company in terms of market value in the United States by 2011 under the leadership of Jobs.

The US President Barack Obama called Jobs a visionary great innovator in his statement while Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder said he was a competitor and a friend.