An Apple Without Steve Jobs?

Of the various celebrities and pop stars who have achieved household name status, CEOs are hardly included on the list.

During his tenure as the head of Apple, Jobs transformed the fledgling tech company into something of a pop sensation, with Jobs as its poster child. Jobs’ announced revolutionary products such as ipod have long been events comparable to rock concerts, with thousands lining up for hours just to get a glimpse of Apple’s rock star CEO.

So it came as a bit of a shock to the tech world -- and the rest of America, for that matter – when they read the following lines from Jobs’ memo to the company:

“I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s C.E.O., I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.”Now that Apple’s fearless leader is out of the hot seat, and his successor, is gearing up to take over, many are now wondering -- will Apple be the same?

Many are scared that the answer is ‘no.’ But overall, the consensus from tech experts is mostly positive. At least for the time being.

“In the short run -- the next two to three years -- Apple pipeline is so well defined, that I doubt much will change,” Noah Robischon, an executive editor of Fast Company, told FoxNews.com. “But the question is -- what happens to a company after you lose a visionary leader? Does the talent stay? Are you able to innovate the way you did before?”

Many in the tech world have their theories as to why Apple had the amount of success it has had, but the common thread usually involves Jobs’ ability to see his products from the customer’s perspective.

“A lot of tech companies forget that they’re trying to change people’s lives,” Mark Spoonauer, Editor-in-Chief of Laptop Magazine, told FoxNews.com. “Jobs more than any other, understood that. That’s why when you see things like the iPad being advertised, [Apple doesn’t] lead with clock speed or megahertz; it’s more about how it’s going to affect your life. That’s why they’ve been able to ‘out innovate’ the competition.”

Overall, the loss of Jobs isn’t exactly something that other companies haven’t experienced before.

“Bill Gates no longer really runs Microsoft Warren Buffet is more or less running Berkshire. This isn’t the first time that someone has moved on,” Robischon told FoxNews.com. “So it’s really a question of how the company manages to foster innovation. Building teams that are creative and that aren’t just centered around supply chain management.”