I am writing this while crying. Steve Jobs just died. A quick glance at the technology news and blog sites tells me I am not alone in my emotions.
We knew this was coming. So why the tears? Asking that question is akin to asking why there is such a fanatical worldwide community of Apple "Fanboys," "Macheads," and other uber-enthusiasts who salivate at the latest news -- whether accurate or flat-out rumor -- about his company and its products.
It's like asking why investors, in the words of Guy Adami, "get all lubed up" for each AAPL earnings announcement. It's like asking why some people love their iPhones beyond reason or why a friend of mine sleeps with her iPad. Or why I treat my iPod like it's a piece of jewelry, not a simple music player.
Steve Jobs was the Walt Disney of his generation. He personally transformed several industries. Others will write more articulate and complete obituaries of his accomplishments. I will only try to address the question of why the deep sadness and tears.
I think it is this simple: Steve Jobs brought us joy and amazement and there is sadness that this unique imagination is now gone.
As Twitter user Matt Galligan wrote (as quoted the NY Times obituary), “(Steve) touched an ugly world of technology and made it beautiful.” Computers were cold and hobby-like until Steve gave us an interface that thrilled us via the Mac OS. Music players were nice-to-have until Steve gave us a product that was a must-have. Phones were smart, until the iPhone made them brilliant. Tablet PCs were around for over 10 years; but until the iPad was introduced, they were a non-entity.
The common thread: people experience joy while using these products. One feels more powerful, indeed empowered, when using an Apple device. Steve agonized over the details of his user interface, so we could move beyond usefulness to thrill. He paid the same fanatical attention to the design and fit-and-finish of his products.
How his customers feel while using his products is a core business driver of the Apple story. It is exceedingly rare for a company and its products to engender such a deep emotional response from customers.
Steve cared deeply about his customers' experience, and in some sense I think people understood this. This connection is common to some of the greatest companies, products and corporate visionaries. It’s how some people felt about the first Ford Mustang. Or that first Sony color TV. As a consumer, I want to buy Apple products. As an investor, I want to buy the stock.
So this is why we cry. Hopefully Steve’s greatest legacy will be inspiring the management and employees of Apple, Inc. to (similar to what happened at The Walt Disney Corp.) commit to making certain his company's best years are ahead.
Thank you, Steve. I will miss you.
