Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs has died after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

A post on Apple’s website says the company has “lost a visionary and

creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being”.

At the Apple headquarters in

Cupertino, California, flags

are being flown at half mast. Meanwhile fans of Jobs and Apple company have held vigils and left

tributes outside Apple shops around the world.

During his life, Jobs cultivated a reputation as a forthright leader who could take niche technologies – such as the

mouse and the graphical window-based interface – and make them popular

with and accessible to the public.

He introduced the iMac computer, the iPod and the extremely iPhone to the world. His death came

just a day after Apple unveiled its latest iPhone 4S model.

In 2004, Jobs announced that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer and he had a liver transplant five years later.

In January, he took medical leave, before resigning as CEO in August and handing over his duties to Tim Cook.

In

his resignation letter, Jobs said: “I believe Apple’s brightest and

most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching

and contributing to its success in a new role.”

His death brought tributes from some of the world’s most powerful leaders,

Russian president Dimitri Medvedev tweeted:  “People like Steve Jobs change our world. My sincere condolences to his

loved ones and to everyone who admired his intellect and talent”

Mark Zuckerburg has said: “Steve,

thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you

build can change the world. I will miss you.”

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates: “For those of us lucky enough to

get to work with Steve, it’s been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve

immensely.”

US President Barack Obama also paid

tribute to Jobs in a statement, saying “the world has lost a visionary”.

“Steve was among the greatest of American innovators – brave enough to think

differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented

enough to do it,” Obama said.

“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.

“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.”