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Steve Jobs has been named “Person of the Year” by the Financial Times. The U.K. publication said that it was this year’s release of the iPad that helped complete “the most remarkable comeback in modern business history.”
He bested other prominent figures that were probably considered, including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Eric Schmidt, two other executives that have proven they know how to be successful in today’s tech space.
But now that Jobs has been awarded that title, expect the debate over whether or not he deserves it to commence. Undoubtedly, some will be saying that he doesn’t, based on Google’s prominence in the mobile market or Microsoft’s dominance in the OS market. However, those critics seem to be viewing Steve Jobs’ past year incorrectly. He did quite a bit in 2010. And he deserves the Financial Times’ title.
Here’s why:
1. The iPad
It’s hard to find any other product or strategy that Apple followed this year that was bigger than the iPad. The company’s tablet, which features a 9.7-inch display and the same iOS operating system available on the iPhone, started the tablet craze in 2010. It was also the device by which all other tablets were judged. Even better for Steve Jobs, the company sold a whopping 4.1 million iPad units during its last reported quarter.
2. The iPhone 4 is a major step up
The iPhone has been around since 2007. For many consumers, it has proven to be their go-to device for mobile productivity. But in 2010, Apple unveiled a huge update over the iPhone 3GS. The iPhone 4 offered a refined design, video conferencing with the help of a front-facing camera, and the new Retina Display to improve the experience of using the smartphone. It’s easily one of the most appealing mobile devices on the market.
3. Look at the financials
If Apple CEO is going to be judged on what he achieved in the past year, some of the attention must be turned away from devices and towards his company’s financial performance. Through 2010, Apple posted unprecedented revenue and profit figures, while continuing to see its stock price soar. In the process, it proved that it’s a top choice for savvy tech investors.
4. Jobs Had a Better Year Than Zuckerberg
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg earned one of the most prestigious honors awarded to any single person: Time Person of the Year. Whether or not he deserved that title is decidedly up for debate. But a solid argument can be made that Steve Jobs did more this year than even Zuckerberg. Facebook might have solidified its position as a social network, but Steve Jobs solidified Apple’s position in the computing market, in the mobile space, as an OS provider, and much more. It’s an impressive feat. And it’s one that Facebook and Zuckerberg arguably didn’t match in 2010.