In the spirit of gadget teardowns, we take apart Apple's iconic leader to see what makes him tick.n Steve Jobs TeardownTechies love a good teardown, especially one with pictures. Engineers at iFixit or iSuppli, for instance, love ripping off a tech gadget’s exterior and exposing the parts. CIO.com has launched a feature that “tears down” the most popular and talked-about people (see the Oracle CEO Larry Ellison teardown), events and productions in the high-tech world. This is Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ day. Casing: Fool-ProofHardened outer shell that only comes in a black turtleneck and blue jeans. The word “impenetrable” comes to mind. Memory: Version 1.0Many 20-somethings probably think Jobs is a relatively recent phenomenon, but he’s been stomping around Silicon Valley since co-founding Apple in 1976. His obsession with control over product design helped Microsoft beat Apple in the PC era and led to his firing in 1985. Jobs floundered with NeXT and hit the jackpot with Pixar, only to return to Apple in 1996. His turnaround of Apple is built on a history of successes and failures. Slideshow: Rotten Apple: Apple’s 12 Biggest Failures Slideshow: 12 Years of Big-Time Apple Innovations Power: Creative ProcessorMost CEOs earned MBAs and rode the well-trod sales and marketing path to the top spot, but Jobs came from the creative ranks. He attended a small liberal arts college (albeit for one semester) and crashed calligraphy classes, which later influenced Apple product design. Just goes to show where his energy comes from. Special Features: Religious MarketingThis unit contains spiritual marketing powers that have attracted a loyal customer following. Jobs understands how to tell a story that is chock full of mystery and builds to an incredible climax. His marketing prowess is often cited as the best in the business. Communication: Non-User FriendlyJobs tends to put non-Apple people, even captains of industry, immediately on the defensive. Intimidation scale is set permanently to high, and there’s zero tolerance for most press inquiries. Temperature Control: HotThis unit runs fiery hot and is often aimed at competitors and the press, and especially at leakers of Apple secrets. Apple fans will mistake this vitriolic heat for passion; they’re drawn to Apple products like moths to the flame. For Apple shareholders, though, there’s no burnout in sight. Slideshow: Eight Signs You’re an Apple Addict Apple: An Evil Empire in the Making? Battery Life: RechargedWhen Jobs took a leave of absence for health reasons last year, Apple stock took a hit. Pundits weighed an Apple future without the visionary Jobs. Apple’s battery began to drain. It turned out Jobs needed a new liver — and got one in Tennessee. Now Jobs and Apple are recharged. Security: Privacy BreachHow did this get in an Apple story? Apple Patent: InfringementJobs is a once-in-a-lifetime CEO, so beware of the many knock-offs. Many companies want to clone him as their leader, but there can be only one. Slideshow: 10 Apple Trivia Questions Related content opinion The changing face of cybersecurity threats in 2023 Cybersecurity has always been a cat-and-mouse game, but the mice keep getting bigger and are becoming increasingly harder to hunt. By Dipti Parmar Sep 29, 2023 8 mins Cybercrime Security brandpost Should finance organizations bank on Generative AI? Finance and banking organizations are looking at generative AI to support employees and customers across a range of text and numerically-based use cases. By Jay Limbasiya, Global AI, Analytics, & Data Management Business Development, Unstructured Data Solutions, Dell Technologies Sep 29, 2023 5 mins Artificial Intelligence brandpost Embrace the Generative AI revolution: a guide to integrating Generative AI into your operations The CTO of SAP shares his experiences and learnings to provide actionable insights on navigating the GenAI revolution. By Juergen Mueller Sep 29, 2023 4 mins Artificial Intelligence feature 10 most in-demand generative AI skills Gen AI is booming, and companies are scrambling to fill skills gaps by hiring freelancers to make the most of the technology. These are the 10 most sought-after generative AI skills on the market right now. By Sarah K. White Sep 29, 2023 8 mins Hiring Generative AI IT Skills Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe