Steve Jobs remembered by industry

News of Apple founder Steve Jobs death late Wednesday was greeted with heartfelt expressions of grief and solidarity from around the world, by business leaders, politicians and in particular the media moguls whose content he distributed to hundreds of millions.Disney CEO Bob Iger called Jobs ''a great friend as well as a trusted advisor.'' ''His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the businesses he built. It will be the millions of people he inspired, the lives he changed, and the culture he defined. Steve was such an 'original,' with a thoroughly creative, imaginative mind that defined an era. Despite all he accomplished, it feels like he was just getting started. With his passing the world has lost a rare original, Disney has lost a member of our family, and I have lost a great friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Laurene and his children during this difficult time.''Jobs died of pancreatic cancer after fighting the illness valiantly for eight years, constantly innovating all the while. He stepped down as CEO in August.Time Warner chef Jeff Bewkes said ''the entire Time Warner family mourns the loss of Steve Jobs. The world is a better place because of Steve, and the stories our company tells have been made richer by the products he created. He was a dynamic and fearless competitor, collaborator, and friend. In a society that has seen incredible technological innovation during our lifetimes, Steve may be the one true icon whose legacy will be remembered for a thousand years.''Said News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch: ''Today, we lost one of the most influential thinkers, creators and entrepreneurs of all time. Steve Jobs was simply the greatest CEO of his generation. While I am deeply saddened by his passing, I'm reminded of the stunning impact he had in revolutionizing the way people consume media and entertainment. My heart goes out to his family and to everyone who had the opportunity to work beside him in bringing his many visions to life.''Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer said ''The digital age has lost its leading light, but Steve's innovation and creativity will inspire dreamers and thinkers for generations.'' Sony's pioneering music player, the Walkman, was blown away by the iPod.Fans paid homage to jobs around the global blogosphere in tweets and posts and lined Apple stores in NY with candles and photos. Pre-orders of books on Jobs soared on Amazon.com. "Steve Jobs," the authorized biography by Walter Issacson, due out Oct. 24, has become the site's best-seller. Publisher Simon & Schuster Thursday moved the publication date a month earlier as orders skyrocketed. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com