StevenPaulJobswasanAmericanbusinessmanandinventorwidelyrecognizedasacharismaticpioneerofthepersonalcomputerrevolution.[4][5]Hewasco-founder,chairman,andchiefexecutiveofficerofAppleInc.Jobswasco-founderandpreviouslyservedaschiefexecutiveofPixarAnimationStudios;hebecameamemberoftheboardofdirectorsofTheWaltDisneyCompanyin2006,followingtheacquisitionofPixarbyDisney.

　　Inthelate1970s,Appleco-founderSteveWozniakengineeredoneofthefirstcommerciallysuccessfullinesofpersonalcomputers,theAppleIIseries.JobsdirecteditsaestheticdesignandmarketingalongwithA.C."Mike"Markkula,Jr.andothers.

　　Intheearly1980s,JobswasamongthefirsttoseethecommercialpotentialofXeroxPARC'smouse-drivengraphicaluserinterface,whichledtothecreationoftheAppleLisa(engineeredbyKenRothmullerandJohnCouch)and,oneyearlater,ofAppleemployeeJefRaskin'sMacintosh.Afterlosingapowerstrugglewiththeboardofdirectorsin1985,JobsleftAppleandfoundedNeXT,acomputerplatformdevelopmentcompanyspecializinginthehigher-educationandbusinessmarkets.

　　In1986,heacquiredthecomputergraphicsdivisionofLucasfilmLtd,whichwasspunoffasPixarAnimationStudios.[6]HewascreditedinToyStory(1995)asanexecutiveproducer.HeremainedCEOandmajorityshareholderat50.1percentuntilitsacquisitionbyTheWaltDisneyCompanyin2006,[7]makingJobsDisney'slargestindividualshareholderatsevenpercentandamemberofDisney'sBoardofDirectors.[8][9]Apple's1996buyoutofNeXTbroughtJobsbacktothecompanyheco-founded,andheservedasitsinterimCEOfrom1997,thenbecomingpermanentCEOfrom2000,onwards,spearheadingtheadventoftheiMac,iTunes,iPod,iPhone,andiPad.[10]InbuyingNeXT,Applealso"acquire[d]theoperatingsystemthatbecameMacOSX."From2003,Jobsfoughtaneight-yearbattlewithcancer,andeventuallyresignedasCEOinAugust2011,whileonhisthirdmedicalleave.HewasthenelectedchairmanofApple'sboardofdirectors.

　　OnOctober5,2011,around3:00p.m.,JobsdiedathishomeinPaloAlto,California,aged56,sixweeksafterresigningasCEOofApple.Acopyofhisdeathcertificateindicatedrespiratoryarrestastheimmediatecauseofdeath,with"metastaticpancreasneuroendocrinetumor"astheunderlyingcause.Hisoccupationwaslistedas"entrepreneur"inthe"hightech"business.