Political and business leaders across Europe on Thursday paid tribute to one of the world's greatest IT minds after Apple's co-founder Steve Jobs died at the age of 56.

"Steve Jobs transformed the way we work and play; a creative genius who will be sorely missed," said British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Steve is a "great entrepreneur, innovator and a major force in the digital revolution we are living through," said French President Nicolas Sarkozy in a statement on his facebook page.

"His talent for revolutionizing entire economic sectors by the power of imagination and technology is an inspiration for millions of engineers and entrepreneurs around the world," Sarkozy added.

Expressing an acute pain, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon called the co-founder of Apple a "visionary innovator" and "legendary entrepreneur" in his blog.

He "has contributed more than any other for the coming and the constant renewal of the information society," Fillon added.

"His humanism, creativity, the fall and re-creation of Apple along with his many accomplishments, are a constant source of inspiration for thousands of entrepreneurs in France and around the world," he said.

His legacy "will be not just his products and business achievements, but also the way in which he altered mindsets in the business world and in everyday life," said Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny.

Many of Apple's rivals also mourned the genius, who was enshrined by many IT engineers and designers as their mentor.

Expressing a respect for Jobs' "passion for simplicity and elegance" that will leave an enduring legacy, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said "thoughts of all at Nokia are with his friends and family."

In an interview with Finnish Broadcasting Company on Thursday, analyst Hannu Rauhala of Finnish Pohjola Bank said that Jobs' innovations were seminal for the mobile phone industry, and also guided Nokia to adopt touch screen technology.

Jobs' passing is unlikely to affect Nokia's market share--at least in the short-term, said Rauhala.

Dieter Kempf, president of BITKOM, Germany's largest IT industry association, believed "Steve Jobs was one of the greatest innovators of his time. He has paved the way into the digital world and enriched the lives of billions. "

Recalling the past experience of this great innovator, Kempf said Jobs "coming from humble circumstances he has built with his inspiration and his energy from scratch one of the leading companies in the global economy."

"For many, he was the shining light and role model. With him, the IT industry loses one of its leading personalities," he said.

Echoing his remarks, the leading German software producer SAP said on its website Jobs was "one of the few who always challenged assumptions and always went for the impossible. He is one of the few who really understood the true meaning of innovation: breakthrough ideas combined with unlimited scale. He had a significant impact on our industry, the world and our lives."

Ordinary people also flooded twitter, facebook and other social networks with griefs over the death of Jobs. Many went to local Apple shops, laying floral wreaths and leaving messages of sadness.

Outside the Apple flagship store in Regent street, central London, tens of Apple fans show their tributes for the Apple "visionary."

A young man had stuck a Post-it note on the window which read: "Rest in Peace Steve Jobs, you'll never be forgotten". Another handwritten card said "Steve, you were someone who understood that life is too precious not to follow your heart."