Rumors Run Riot About Steve Jobs' Health
Steve Jobs’ Health is a heavily debated topic in the tech industry and there is a line dividing those who think Jobs health is “robust’ and those who think that despite PR statements, there is definitely something wrong with the Apple CEO.
We could go on and on about what it would mean for Apple to lose Steve Jobs as Chief Executive Officer for whatever reason, but we won’t. Instead we offer you this scrap of an example: Yesterday, the Cupertino company announced that Steve Jobs would not be giving his traditional Keynote at the 2009 MacWorld conference due to take place in January and Apple stocks dropped a reported 2 percent.
However, those so quick to panic at the thought of an Jobsless Apple or even an Appleless MacWorld should probably reign in their concerns for the time being. The health of the CEO is nobody’s business but his own. Again, this is something that has been disputed as the months go by and Jobs appears at shows looking pale and gaunt. Those disputing the matter are usually the first to admit Jobs’ health is a private matter but the company’s health is a matter concerning shareholders. That brings about the question of whether or not a Jobs departure would affect Apple’s health as a company.
It’s hard to say. Obviously, you can never say never, but we’d be inclined to believe it’d be a case of business as usual if Jobs decided to leave the company or was forced to resign for personal reasons, such as bad health. Jobs has lead Apple through the hard times and turned it into a successful company with money in the bank during a time when not a lot of companies can say the same. There is more talent than ever at Apple, and sure, a change in leadership would mean a change in operations. Everyone has their own way of doing things but Jobs did not make Apple what it is today all by himself. Behind him is a gifted and skilled group of executives that are often forgotten when people start to harp on about Steve’s health.
Jim Goldman for CNBC reports that sources inside the company tell him Jobs’ decision was “more about politics than his pancreas.” Sources said that if Jobs was for some reason unable to perform any of his responsibilities as CEO because of health reasons, which would include the Macworld keynote, Goldman could "rest assured that the board would let me know." This is exactly what we’re talking about.
When Jobs was diagnosed with cancer several years ago he kept quiet about it for nine months. He then had surgery and told his staff he would be fine. This course of action was heavily criticized by those who feel shareholders had a right to know. When the CEO was diagnosed with cancer, a biopsy soon revealed that it was a rare form of pancreatic cancer, which, if diagnosed in time, was treatable with surgery.
If Steve knew his condition was not life threatening, much less a threat to his position at Apple, who’s business is it but his own? Staff and shareholders were informed after the surgery was performed (and was successful) and told Steve would be taking the month of August to recuperate. Seems like Steve did his job. As soon as he was unable to perform his responsibilities as CEO, he came clean right away.
What do you think a Jobsless Apple would be like? Do you think the health of the company is dependent on the CEO and founder or do you think, now that Apple has grown and matured into a successful company, the right replacement could pull it off? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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If you look at the history of Apple it is easy to conclude that Steve Jobs was a major if not single handed influence in building Apple into the company it is today. When Steve Jobs was at the helm Apple produced and people listened to him on the outside and he dominated and controlled from within. If you read stories about how he runs the company it is clear why Apple has such precise focus. I believe that once he leaves that focus will slowly wander into a company that just doesn't seem that important. I know nothing of Phil Schiller but when I watch a keynote I tend to fast forward through his stuff to get back to what Jobs has to say...and it isn't because he is a good presenter. Steve Jobs is Apple. He is synonymous with the name and the little logo on the box. Apple is a culture. Apple is brilliant marketing. You would have better luck putting Mac and PC on stage to do presentation than Phil Schiller (no disrespect to the guy). I am sure he is smart and all but it simply comes down to public perception and what they know. I use both Mac and PC and I can say that I pay close attention to any media release that Apple throws out at any event...another reason why they don't need MacWorld. Apple is big enough to control the media in their own right. But...with Steve Jobs gone I have a feeling that the allure of waiting to see what his replacement has in store on the huge trademark presentation screen behind him will be gone. Too bad Phil can't at least change his name to Steve. It might help him out a bit. But Phil as the new Steve? I doubt it. Not in presentations. Not internally. I just don't buy it.
I think Jobs' first departure showed that Apple is NOT capable of surviving without him. It would be nice to think that the company has grown in that time, and changed its ways, but its hasn't. A simple look at their product line and business practices shows its still the same exact Apple it always has been. The only difference is that they now make the iPod. The only reason Apple's computers are still on the market is because Jobs' brought his NeXTSTEP OS with him when he rejoined the company (OSX IS NeXTSTEP).
Regardless of any actual impact Jobs has on the inner workings of Apple, the public face of the company cannot survive with him. If Jobs suddenly departed Apple, the drop in stock price would cripple the company to a point they could never recover from. Apple would quickly realize that without a charasmatic leader, people are going to be less willing to pay the Apple cool-tax. I don't think Bill Gates or Steve Blamer have ever convinced someone to install Windows just by wearing a turtle-neck sweater and holding up a retail box.
It would be hilarious to hear that he died on the toilet after a long night with diarrhea he got after eating Taco Bell. Taco Bell would go under from a large Law suite from Apple, which would end in Apple owning Taco Bell. Apple would then be able to offend all of your senses and orifices, cornering the market on full body torture.
YAY steve has cancer!! lol YAYAAAAAAAA!
Wow, didn't know becoming a butt hurt Mactard forfeited your sense of humor.
That said, I certainly hope OSX continues to sell well, keep Microsoft on their toes. And maybe if we're lucky, they'll make a product that doesn't suck. Something that makes sales on more than some retarded sense of elitism and the need for oversimplified computing.
I'd like to see Wozniak run Apple instead of Jobs.
Taco Bell would go under from a large Law suite from Apple, which would end in Apple owning Taco Bell.
Pepsi owns Taco Bell.
Pepsi 84.38B > Apple 79.26B
Figures courtesy of Google, would have expected Pepsi to have a larger lead than that.
I wouldn't care who apple's boss is, the company is the same. Their illfated political choices were the same before he took the wheel, so I don't think anything hugely exciting would change.
No it is not a heavily debated topic in the tech industry, nobody cares! Hes just another CEO so stop acting like he is some god, his company is pathetic and hes just another guy. nobody cares!
i doubt apple will stay profitable without jobs shilling out over priced hardware.
Apple will survive as a company without Jobs. Much like Bill Gates and Microsoft, there are plenty of talented business leaders at Apple to keep their products going. Apple's R&D is one of the best in the technology market, incorporating design from the beginning of the product cycle, not just pasting something "pretty" over a clunky code base, like how Vista is set up. I think it will be a rough patch for a few months at Apple if Jobs dies, but I think they will recover.
Whoops... no. The health of a major CEO is certainly business to many, not to just the person in question. The fact that shares fell due to (perhaps incorrect) concerns about his poor health quite clearly indicates that his health is business (literally) to a great many people, mostly probably investors.
No it is not a heavily debated topic in the tech industry, nobody cares! Hes just another CEO so stop acting like he is some god, his company is pathetic and hes just another guy. nobody cares!
you sir are moronic. yeah... nobody cares about apple and his company is pathetic, that's why they just rule the online music business, and growing every year. ask apple's competitors if they "care" about apple. retard.