UPDATE 9pm: STEVE Jobs, the man who co-founded Apple and revolutionised modern-day life with inventions like the iPhone, iPod and the iPad, has died at the age of 56 following years of ill-health.
Mr Jobs had suffered a number of health problems, including pancreatic cancer and a liver transplant, but the exact cause of his death was not revealed.
Apple fans, his co-workers and his tech rivals paid tribute to Mr Jobs, labeling him a "creative genius" and an "inspiring mentor" and saying his impact "will be felt for many generations to come".
Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter lit up with tributes, with #RIPSteveJobs and #ThankYouSteve quickly becoming the top worldwide trending topics on the latter.
Many said they learned of his death while using a device Mr Jobs invented, a point made by US President Barack Obama in his tribute.
Mr Obama said Mr Jobs "exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity", in a statement issued by the White House.
"He transformed our lives, redefined entire industries, and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: he changed the way each of us sees the world," Mr Obama said.
"The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve's success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented.
"Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Steve's wife Laurene, his family, and all those who loved him."
As news of his death broke, Apple.com's homepage was changed to a simple black-and-white photo of Mr Jobs in his trademark black turtleneck and small round glasses, with the caption "Steve Jobs, 1955-2011".
Apple, the company Mr Jobs co-founded with Steve Wozniak in 1976, posted a tribute message on its website and called on fans to share their "thoughts, memories, and condolences" by emailing them at rememberingsteve@apple.com.
source : Apple
