In a newly published letter from The Steve Jobs Archive, Apple CEO Tim Cook reflects on the decision that reshaped his career: joining Apple in 1998 at the request of Steve Jobs. The letter, dated August 2024 and released publicly this week, offers a personal account of Apple’s uncertain position in the late 1990s and Cook’s early impressions of Jobs’ leadership.
When Cook first spoke with Jobs, Apple was facing financial instability and doubts about its long-term survival. Jobs had recently returned to the company he co-founded, working to stabilize operations and redefine its product strategy. Cook recalls being warned that accepting a position at Apple carried substantial risk. At the time, he was already established in his career, and the move represented a significant professional gamble.
According to Cook, that initial conversation with Jobs changed his perspective. He describes Jobs as deeply focused on a future in which technology would expand creative potential and strengthen human connection. The clarity and conviction of that vision, Cook writes, outweighed the uncertainty surrounding Apple’s immediate prospects. He ultimately accepted the role, a decision he now characterizes as the most important of his professional life.
Cook credits Jobs not only with reshaping Apple, but with influencing his own leadership philosophy. He describes Jobs as a demanding mentor who pushed those around him to improve and think differently. While Apple’s turnaround would eventually include products such as the iMac, iPod, and later the iPhone, Cook’s letter centers less on product milestones and more on the broader purpose he believes the company embodies.
The letter was released by The Steve Jobs Archive to coincide with what would have been Jobs’ 71st birthday. Founded in 2022 by friends and family of Jobs, the archive serves as a digital collection of speeches, emails, photographs, and other historical material related to his life and work. It also offers fellowships for young creators and entrepreneurs.
Alongside Cook’s contribution, the archive published letters from several other prominent figures, including former Apple design chief Jony Ive, Disney CEO Bob Iger, and industrial designer Dieter Rams. A new introductory letter from Laurene Powell Jobs was also included. Previously, many of these letters were shared only with archive fellows.
The collection is available online and through the Apple Books app at no cost, expanding public access to firsthand reflections on Jobs’ influence. While Apple today is one of the world’s largest technology companies, Cook’s account underscores how uncertain its future once appeared—and how leadership decisions made during that period continue to shape the company’s trajectory.
