Apple CEO Steve Jobs has resigned as CEO of Apple, the company he cofounded in 1976 with Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. In a letter to the Apple Board of Directors and community, Jobs said:

To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

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.

I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.

Steve

His resignation is effective immediately. We'll update as soon as we know more.

Update: TechCrunch reports that COO Tim Cook (a gay man, for what it's worth) will replace Jobs as CEO. "Jobs will be Chairman of the Board of Apple and Cook will take a position on the board as CEO. Jobs actually submitted his resignation to the Board today and ‘strongly recommended’ that the Board name Tim Cook as CEO."

Jobs has been fighting pancreatic cancer since 2004 and announced a medical leave of absence in January. However, he had appeared at the iPad 2 launch in March and the iCloud launch in June.