Apple CEO Tim Cook Reflects on Steve Jobs in Heartfelt Memo to Employees

Apple CEO Tim Cook today reflected on Steve Jobs in a touching memo to employees that was obtained by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Jobs passed away 10 years ago today at the age of 56 following a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer.

tim cook steve jobs side by side
In the memo, Cook said that Jobs was a husband, a father, a friend, and a visionary who left an extraordinary legacy behind, adding that not a day goes by that he doesn't think about him. Apple's former design chief Jony Ive shared similarly heartfelt comments about Jobs this week, describing him as the most inquisitive human he has ever met.

Cook's full memo reads as follows:

Team,

Today marks the 10th anniversary of Steve's passing. It's a moment to celebrate his life and to reflect on the extraordinary legacy he left behind.

Steve believed that "people with passion can change the world for the better." That's the philosophy that inspired him to create Apple. And it lives in us today.

Steve was so many things: brilliant, funny, and wise, a husband, a father, a friend, and, of course, a visionary. He challenged us to see the world not for what it was, but for what it could be. And he helped so many people, myself included, see the same potential in ourselves. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him.

This year, as much as any other, we're reminded of the profound impact our products have on the world. I feel so lucky that we spend our days creating wildly innovative tools that connect people, inspire them to think differently, and empower them to make their own dent in the universe, too. It's one of the many gifts that Steve gave to all of us.

I wish Steve were here to see the way his spirit lives on in all of your amazing work. But most of all, I wish he could see what you do next. Steve once said that his proudest achievements were the ones that were yet to come. He spent every day imagining a future that no one else could see and working relentlessly to bring his vision to life.

Steve was a singular figure, but he taught us all how to soar. I miss him, and I will cherish him always.

Tim

Apple also commemorated Jobs with a full-page tribute on its website today, including a statement from his family.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...

Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
41 months ago
Today is a very sad day. We all miss you Steve! RIP!



Attachment Image
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
41 months ago
I often wonder how things would be different if Steve was still around.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Darth Tulhu Avatar
41 months ago
It must've been terrifying to receive the news that you are now in charge of Steve Jobs's legacy.

Especially when the man was your friend.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleTLDR Avatar
41 months ago

R.I.P. Steve .... shame Apple's innovation died with you :(
You’re absolutely entitled to your opinion. But please save this type of commentary for a different post. This was just a man sharing a beautiful tribute to a friend that he loved dearly. Let’s keep things respectful and civil rather than lower the tone.

Lots of opportunities to discuss the merits of innovation in other threads.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wigby Avatar
41 months ago

The absolute gall of Tim Cook is unreal. "Not a day goes by..." Are you ****ing serious?You singlehandedly turned a once great company into your own personal soapbox. As usualy with Timmy it's nothing but slogans and platitudes. This jackass should never have been made CEO.
He managed to turn his "personal soapbox" in to the most valuable company (12x more valuable than Jobs' Apple). I'd like to see any other CEO do that.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
41 months ago
Very well written tribute to Steve Jobs by Tim Cook.


Not a day goes by that I don't think about him.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)