Steve Jobs: Apple, Pixar, And A Life of Reinvention

Steve Jobs Biography Summary

Profile

He helped turn the personal computer from a hobbyist device into something ordinary people could bring home and learn quickly.

He also lived through a rare kind of business arc: building a company, losing it, then returning to rebuild it at a much larger scale.

His story is not just about invention. It is about decisions, control, and the cost of betting on a clear vision in public.

Origins

He was born on February 24, 1955, in San Francisco. He was placed for adoption and raised by Paul and Clara Jobs in the Bay Area.

That childhood unfolded in the region that would later be known as Silicon Valley. He showed an interest in engineering, but his interests also moved across art, ideas, and design.

As a teenager, he knew Steve Wozniak, a friend who was deeply skilled in electronics. That relationship later became the core of Apple’s origin story.

• Born in 1955 in San Francisco and adopted as an infant
• Raised in the Silicon Valley area, where electronics and new companies were becoming part of daily life
• Connected early with Steve Wozniak, who would become Apple’s technical cofounder

After high school, he enrolled at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. He later dropped out, though he continued to sit in on classes that held his attention.

In early 1974, he worked at Atari as a video game designer. Later that year, he traveled to India to experience Buddhism, then returned to Silicon Valley.

Those stops mattered because they added range to his approach. He did not focus only on what machines could do, but also on how they looked, felt, and fit into life.

Early Growth

Back in Silicon Valley, he reconnected with Wozniak in 1974. When Wozniak described a computer logic board he had designed, he pushed for a bigger step: start a business.

That decision became Apple in 1976. The first product was a board known as the Apple I, built in the Jobs family garage.

Money was tight, and the early funding came from selling personal items. It was a small move that matched a larger bet: that ordinary people would want personal computers.

• 1976: Apple is founded with Steve Wozniak
• The Apple I begins as a garage-built logic board
• Apple incorporates in 1977 as work accelerates and products expand

Apple II followed with a keyboard and a molded plastic case. It quickly became a symbol of the personal computer boom.

In 1980, Apple had a record-setting public stock offering. By 1983, it had entered the Fortune 500 faster than any company had to that point.

As Apple grew, the question changed. It was no longer whether the company would survive. It was whether it could scale without losing the intensity that drove its early work.

Breakthrough

In 1979, he led a small group of Apple engineers to Xerox PARC. The visit exposed him to the graphical user interface, an approach that could make computers easier to use.

Apple began reshaping projects to build on those ideas. One effort became Lisa, while another became a lower-cost system that would be called the Macintosh.

This was a turning point because it moved Apple away from computers that felt technical and toward computers designed around the user.

• 1979: Exposure to graphical interface ideas at Xerox PARC
• Early 1980s: Work shifts toward Lisa and the Macintosh
• 1984: Macintosh is introduced in a major public launch

In 1983, Apple recruited John Sculley to be CEO. He was brought in to help guide Apple as it grew into a large corporation.

He reportedly convinced Sculley by challenging him with a sharp question about selling “sugar water” versus joining a revolution. It was persuasion with a clear purpose: get a proven executive to help Apple scale.

In January 1984, he introduced the Macintosh in a high-profile demonstration. The launch became a model for product events, setting expectations for how big technology companies could present innovation.

But the first Macs were underpowered and expensive, and they had few software applications. Sales disappointed, and tension inside the company rose.

Apple improved the Macintosh over time, and the Mac became the company’s lifeblood. Yet the conflict over pace, control, and results continued to build.

Challenges

By 1985, the internal conflict reached a break. Sculley persuaded Apple’s board to remove the cofounder from managerial roles.

He left the company he helped build and quickly started NeXT. The new firm aimed to build powerful workstation computers for the education market.

NeXT’s hardware stood out for design and engineering, but it faced strong competition from less costly machines. In the early 1990s, the company focused more on its software system, NEXTSTEP.

• 1985: Leaves Apple after the board removes him from management
• 1985: Starts NeXT, targeting advanced computers for education
• Early 1990s: NeXT shifts focus toward software

In 1986, he acquired a controlling interest in Pixar, a computer graphics company that had been part of Lucasfilm. Over time, he built Pixar into a major animation studio.

In 1995, Pixar released Toy Story, the first full-length feature film made entirely with computer animation. Pixar’s public stock offering that year made him, for the first time, a billionaire.

Pixar’s success proved that his reach was not limited to computers. He could build teams and products in fields that had different cycles, different rules, and different audiences.

Disputes And Criticism

His public story includes conflict, and much of it comes from how intensely he drove product work. At Apple, his demanding style produced results, but it also created friction.

The 1985 removal from management shows how quickly a founder can lose power when performance and trust break down. The board chose stability and structure over the founder’s control.

His personal life also entered public view at times. Published biographies describe a legal dispute related to paternity and support connected to his eldest child.

• 1985: Removed from Apple management amid internal conflict
• Public accounts describe a paternity dispute connected to his first child
• Health privacy and disclosure became a topic of discussion during later years

Later, health became part of the public narrative as well. He disclosed some milestones, but not many details, and the limits of disclosure became a recurring public topic.

Even with criticism, the pattern stayed consistent. He took responsibility for direction, pushed for high standards, and accepted major risks when he believed the outcome was worth it.

Reinvention

In 1996, Apple acquired NeXT. That deal brought him back to the company he had cofounded, placing him close to Apple’s core decisions again.

In 1997, he returned as Apple’s CEO. The company was struggling, and his return was treated as a hard reset in leadership and focus.

The shift that followed became one of the major business turnarounds of the era: simplify, sharpen product direction, and rebuild public momentum.

• 1996: Apple acquires NeXT, bringing him back to Apple
• 1997: Returns as Apple CEO
• 1998: Apple introduces the iMac

In 1998, Apple introduced the iMac. The product became an early symbol of Apple’s renewed direction in consumer design.

In 2001, Apple introduced iTunes and the iPod. These launches expanded Apple’s role beyond computers and into digital media.

In 2007, Apple introduced the iPhone and formally rebranded as Apple Inc. That shift reflected an Apple identity built around more than one device category.

In 2010, Apple introduced the iPad. The company’s product line now covered computers, music devices, and mobile systems, all built around Apple’s design priorities.

Over time, Apple became a world leader in telecommunications and consumer technology. Much of that change traced back to choices made during this reinvention phase.

Where It Stands

In 2003, he was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer. The following year, he announced he had undergone surgery to remove a tumor.

In 2009, he received a liver transplant. In August 2011, he resigned as CEO of Apple, and Apple’s board named Tim Cook as CEO while electing him chairman.

He died on October 5, 2011, in Palo Alto, California, at age 56. Apple’s board publicly announced his death that day.

• Personal computing: Helped push the PC into mainstream life
• Design and product launches: Shaped how major technology products are introduced and sold
• Animation: Built Pixar into a studio that changed modern animation, beginning with Toy Story
• Recognition: Posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022

His legacy sits at the intersection of technology and culture. He influenced how computers look, how products are marketed, and how design is used as a business advantage.

He also left a family behind. He married Laurene Powell in 1991, and they had three children together; he also had a daughter from an earlier relationship.

He is reported to be buried at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto. Public accounts describe the grave as unmarked.

Timeline

The dates below show the major pivots and outcomes across his life. Each year marks a clear change in direction, responsibility, or impact.

Some years represent personal milestones, and others mark business inflection points. Together, they show a pattern of rapid building, sudden setbacks, and repeated reinvention.

The result is a biography defined by big decisions that changed how people use technology and how companies present it.

1955

Born February 24 in San Francisco, California, and placed for adoption.

1974

Works at Atari as a video game designer and later travels to India to experience Buddhism.

1976

Cofounds Apple with Steve Wozniak and begins building early products in the family garage.

1977

Apple incorporates, and Apple II becomes a major early success in personal computing.

1979

Leads an Apple team visit to Xerox PARC and pushes Apple toward graphical user interface ideas.

1981

Apple completes a record-setting public stock offering and accelerates into large-company scale.

1983

Apple recruits John Sculley as CEO as the company grows into a major corporation.

1984

Introduces the Macintosh in a major public launch that reshapes product event culture.

1985

Leaves Apple after the board removes him from managerial roles; starts NeXT.

1986

Acquires a controlling interest in Pixar, beginning a long build in computer animation.

1995

Pixar releases Toy Story, the first full-length feature film made entirely with computer animation.

1996

Apple acquires NeXT, bringing him back to the company he cofounded.

1997

Returns as Apple CEO and begins a major turnaround in focus and product direction.

1998

Apple introduces the iMac, signaling a renewed consumer design strategy.

2001

Apple introduces iTunes and the iPod, expanding the company into digital media.

2003

Diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer.

2004

Announces surgery to remove a tumor.

2006

Sells Pixar to Disney, becoming Disney’s largest shareholder through the deal.

2007

Apple introduces the iPhone and rebrands as Apple Inc.

2009

Receives a liver transplant during ongoing health challenges.

2010

Apple introduces the iPad, expanding Apple’s lineup of major consumer devices.

2011

Resigns as Apple CEO in August, becomes chairman, and dies October 5 in Palo Alto.

2022

Receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously.

FAQs

These questions cover the details people most often want when they look up his life story. The answers keep to what is widely documented in major biographical references.

When a detail is not consistently documented in reliable sources, the answer notes that directly. This keeps the focus on what can be supported.

If you want deeper context, the Sources section below lists the major references used for this biography.

Who was Steve Jobs?

He was an American businessman and product leader best known as the cofounder of Apple. He also founded NeXT and built Pixar into a major animation studio. He led Apple as CEO during a period of major product launches.

When and where was he born?

He was born on February 24, 1955, in San Francisco, California. That date and place appear in major reference biographies. He was placed for adoption as an infant.

Who raised him?

He was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs. Biographical references describe them as his adoptive parents. He grew up in the Silicon Valley area.

Who were his biological parents?

Biography references identify his biological parents as Joanne Schieble and Abdulfattah “John” Jandali. They were graduate students when he was born. Not all sources provide the same depth of detail, but these names are widely published in major biographies.

Did he go to college?

He attended Reed College in Oregon. He later dropped out but continued to sit in on classes. This experience is often noted as part of his early formation.

What did he do before Apple?

He worked as a video game designer at Atari. He also traveled to India to experience Buddhism. These steps are listed in major biographies as part of his early path.

When was Apple founded?

Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Early work began in the Jobs family garage. The company incorporated in 1977.

Who cofounded Apple with him?

Steve Wozniak cofounded Apple with him. Wozniak designed key early technical components, while Jobs played a major role in pushing the business forward. Both names appear across major biographies.

What made Apple II important?

Apple II became one of the early signature products of the personal computer boom. It helped Apple grow quickly and build public visibility. Major biographies describe it as an immediate success for the company.

What happened with Xerox PARC?

In 1979, he led a group to Xerox PARC to see a demonstration of interface ideas. That visit influenced Apple’s push toward graphical user interfaces. It helped shape projects that led to the Macintosh era.

When did the Macintosh launch?

The Macintosh was introduced in 1984. Biographies describe it as a major public launch and a key step in user-friendly computing. Early versions sold below expectations, but the Mac line later became central to Apple.

Why did he leave Apple in 1985?

Biographies describe rising tension inside Apple after early Macintosh results and leadership conflict. In 1985, Apple’s board removed him from management roles. He then left the company he cofounded.

What was NeXT?

NeXT was the company he started after leaving Apple in 1985. It focused first on advanced computers for the education market and later placed more emphasis on software. Apple acquired NeXT in 1996.

How did he become connected to Pixar?

In 1986, he acquired a controlling interest in Pixar, which had been part of Lucasfilm. He helped build it into a major animation studio. Pixar later became known for computer-animated films.

What was Toy Story’s role in his story?

Toy Story was released by Pixar in 1995 and is widely documented as the first full-length computer-animated feature film. The film’s success helped establish Pixar’s reputation. Pixar’s public stock offering that year also marked a major financial milestone for him.

When did he return to Apple?

Apple acquired NeXT in 1996, and that brought him back to Apple. In 1997, he returned as Apple’s CEO. This return is a major turning point in his biography.

What major products launched under his later Apple leadership?

Major biographies credit him with overseeing launches that included the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. These products helped reshape Apple’s public identity and market position. They also changed expectations for consumer technology design.

When did he resign as Apple CEO?

He resigned as Apple’s CEO on August 24, 2011. Apple’s board named Tim Cook as CEO and elected him chairman. This change is documented in Apple’s newsroom release.

How did he die?

He died on October 5, 2011, in Palo Alto, California, at age 56. Major biographies connect his death to complications from pancreatic cancer. Apple’s board publicly announced his death the same day.

Where is he buried?

Public biographies report that he is buried at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto. The grave is commonly described as unmarked. Not all official records are public, so details beyond that are not reliably documented.

Was he married, and did he have children?

He married Laurene Powell Jobs in 1991. Biographical sources list four children: Lisa Brennan-Jobs, Reed, Erin, and Eve. Some sources provide full birthdates, but the key family facts are widely documented.

Did he receive major awards?

Major reference biographies list the Presidential Medal of Freedom as a posthumous honor in 2022. That award is listed as an award and honor in authoritative profiles. It reflects a broader public recognition of his impact.

Quotes

Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me.

It’s not a faith in technology. It’s faith in people.I was lucky – I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple In my parents’ garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years, Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4,000 employees.

I think money is a wonderful thing because it enables you to do things. It enables you to invest in ideas that don’t have a short-term payback.

 

Sources:

• Britannica: Steve Jobs, Saving Apple
• Biography.com: Steve Jobs Biography
• Infoplease: Steve Jobs Biography, Jobs, Steven Paul
• Apple: Jobs Resigns CEO, Board Statement
• Image Attribution: commons.wikimedia.org