It started well before his death - it started with him returning to Apple.
Right with the first iMacs, iPods and iPhones - and continued with aluminum unibody MacBooks.
Right, actually started WELL before his death. It started with the Mac (which he did NOT want to have Apple II type slots). The Mac II with slots ONLY came about once SJ had left. When he came back, he introduced the slotless iMacs.