The tech world erupted Wednesday night as Apple visionary Steve Jobs announced that he was stepping down from his role as CEO, passing the torch to former chief operating officer Tim Cook. Every analyst and pundit who was awake had his or her say on the matter, but one man in particular offered his thoughts from a perspective few have enjoyed. “He really has had to sacrifice a lot to run Apple,” Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak told BYTE in an interview on Wednesday evening. “I mean, just your time, everybody wants you day and night, that’s what I mean by sacrifices. It takes so much out of anyone to be under just contant [sic] pressure and demands like that.” Wozniak continued, “Steve needs now to just have some ‘Steve time.’ He deserves it.” On whether or not Jobs’s departure might have a negative impact on Apple’s business, Wozniak noted, “You’ve got to remember. He was surrounded by great, great people at Apple … and those people are still there. I don’t think the core Apple culture will change because of (Jobs’) leaving, not for a long time. Apple is set up. It just needs to stay financially responsible.”
