Steve Jobs has passed on, but his legacy remains something that cannot fade. His influence at Apple will continue to be felt in the years to come, thanks largely to the fact that he personally oversaw plans for the next four years of products before his death.
The Daily Mail reports:
“He has also been overseeing the development of the delayed iCloud project, which will allow Apple users to store their music, photos and other documents remotely and masterminding updated versions of the iPod, iPad, iPhone and MacBooks, ensuring at least four years’ worth of products are in the pipeline, according to Apple sources.”
Jobs was known for being heavily involved in every detail of Apple during his time as company CEO. He still remained involved in product decisions while on medical leave before his resignation. He even came back from medical leave to unveil the iPad 2 to the world last March.
Apple’s current executive team was reportedly handpicked by Jobs over the years. Current CEO Tim Cook worked closely with Jobs for 14 years before accepting the position of CEO after Jobs’ resignation in August of 2011.
According to reports, Jobs closely oversaw development of the next generation iPhone even while the 4S was already in the pipeline for its October release. Other future products, like the next generation iPad and Mac models, have almost certainly been influenced directly by Jobs himself. Large companies like Apple are typically working on and testing new products years before a public announcement is made.
As a profitable company, Apple will continue to do well in the years to come. Jobs was a visionary, and the leadership he hired to lead Apple into the future shares his passion and vision.
What cannot be replaced is Jobs himself. His notorious attention to detail, refusal to follow the status quo, secretive nature, and drive to create products that inspire will be missed greatly by Apple and Apple fans alike.
