Steven Paul Jobs was born on February 24, 1955, in San Francisco, California. He was the son of Abdulfattah Jandali, a Syrian political science professor, and Joanne Schieble, an American graduate student. Jobs was born out of wedlock and was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs, a working-class couple from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Jobs's adoptive father, Paul Jobs, was a machinist and carpenter, and his adoptive mother, Clara Jobs, worked as an accountant. Jobs had a tumultuous relationship with both of his parents, especially with his adoptive father. He later described his upbringing as tumultuous and said that his adoptive father was "a very strict disciplinarian" who "wasn't afraid to tell me off."
Despite his difficult childhood, Jobs excelled academically and was a voracious reader. He attended Homestead High School in Cupertino, California, where he excelled in science, math, and electronics. After graduating from high school in 1972, Jobs enrolled at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. However, he dropped out after just one semester, citing the high cost of tuition as the main reason.
After leaving Reed College, Jobs traveled to India with a friend in search of spiritual enlightenment. Upon his return to the United States, he worked a series of odd jobs, including working as a technician at Atari, a video game company. It was during this time that he met Steve Wozniak, who would later become his business partner.
In 1976, Jobs and Wozniak co-founded Apple Computer, which would go on to become one of the most successful and innovative technology companies in the world. Jobs's vision for Apple was to create simple, user-friendly computers that would be accessible to people of all skill levels. Under his leadership, the company released a series of groundbreaking products, including the Macintosh computer, the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad.
Throughout his career, Jobs was known for his intense focus on design and his ability to inspire and motivate others. He was also known for his demanding and sometimes volatile personality, which earned him both praise and criticism. Despite his success, Jobs faced numerous challenges, including a life-threatening illness and a number of legal battles.
Despite these challenges, Steve Jobs remained one of the most influential and iconic figures in the tech industry until his death in 2011. His legacy as a pioneer of the personal computer revolution and as a driving force behind the development of many of the world's most innovative products lives on to this day.