Apple Inc closed its stores across the United States on Wednesday for several hours to commemorate co-founder Steve Jobs, who died on October 5.

Apple's retail stores were shuttered with its signature tall glass windows covered with white sheets to keep the proceedings secret.

Store employees are using the time to view a live broadcast of an event to celebrate his life. The event is being held at an outdoor amphitheater at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California, according to a source familiar with the plans.

Stores in California were closed from 9 am PDT to noon PDT, according to posted signs.

In addition to the closings, the company published a Remembering Steve page on the Internet, compiling more than 1 million email tributes it has received since Jobs died at the age of 56.

The employee celebration, which will be held from 10 a.m. PT to 11:30 a.m. PT, follows a private memorial service for Jobs at Stanford University that was attended by Silicon Valley luminaries, politicians and celebrities.

Jobs died after suffering from a rare form of pancreatic cancer. Chief Executive Tim Cook said in a memo to employees on October 10 that a celebration would be held Wednesday.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles and Poornima Gupta in San Francisco. Editing by Robert MacMillan)

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