Jobs Ready to Return to Apple Helm
Μετά από μήνες απουσίας λόγω ενός προβλήματος υγείας, ο Steve Jobs επανέρχεται στην Apple Inc.
Σας παραθέτω το κείμενο αυτούσιο όπως το έγραψαν ο YUKARI IWATANI KANE και ο JOANN S. LUBLIN στην εφημερίδα The Wall Street Journal.
After months of uncertainty about Steve Jobs's health, the Apple Inc. chief executive appears on track to return from medical leave this month, said people familiar with Apple.
The big question now among Apple's business partners, investors and fans: Will Mr. Jobs make his reappearance at Apple's annual software developers' conference next week in San Francisco, possibly to unveil a new iPhone?
Mr. Jobs, a survivor of pancreatic cancer, went on medical leave in January. He had earlier exhibited significant weight loss, and cited a nutritional problem related to a hormone imbalance. The unexpected departure, and the few details about Mr. Jobs's ailment, left some investors worried about whether he would return.
Since then, Apple hasn't provided any updates on Mr. Jobs's health.
While Mr. Jobs has been on sick leave, some Apple directors have gotten weekly updates about his medical condition from the CEO's physician, according to a person familiar with the matter. Mr. Jobs's recovery "is coming along" and he is on schedule to return to work later this month, said this person, who has seen Mr. Jobs in recent weeks.
"He was one real sick guy,'' added this person. "Fundamentally he was starving to death over a nine-month period. He couldn't digest protein. [But] he took corrective action.''
Mr. Jobs occasionally has come into Apple's headquarters since his leave began, said a person who has seen him there.
Speculation is mounting among Apple's business partners and analysts about whether Mr. Jobs will make an appearance at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference next week -- particularly because he is known for making surprise announcements at events.
Much of the buzz appears to be conjecture of the type that has swirled around Apple and Mr. Jobs for years. But two people who do business with Apple said senior Apple managers have told them the company is now trying to coordinate Mr. Jobs's return with a product launch or public event.
"We look forward to Steve returning to Apple at the end of June," Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said Thursday, reiterating the company's previous statements. Mr. Jobs didn't respond to a request for comment. Apple has said its marketing chief, Philip Schiller, will give Monday's keynote address -- a role reserved for Mr. Jobs in past years.
With or without Mr. Jobs at the conference, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster expects Apple to unveil a new iPhone model, even if the company doesn't immediately start selling it.
Others caution against expecting Mr. Jobs back next week. "He likes to surprise people, but we don't think that's likely to happen at WWDC," said Richard Doherty, an analyst at technology consultancy Envisioneering Group.
Apple is ready enough with its latest iPhone to be in a position to unveil it next week, said a person who has seen the new model. The new phone will look similar to last year's model but has more processing power and some new features like video editing, this person said.
A June or early July release of the new iPhone would be timely because original iPhone owners on a two-year service contract with AT&T Inc. will be eligible to upgrade their devices.
It isn't clear whether Mr. Jobs would return to his full set of duties immediately. But whatever role Mr. Jobs officially takes up, many Apple watchers think Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook will continue to run the day-to-day operations as he had been doing even before Mr. Jobs went on leave.
The past five months without Mr. Jobs have given investors confidence that Apple can run smoothly without him. Apple's shares have risen 68% since Mr. Jobs announced his leave Jan. 14, compared with a 24% increase in the Nasdaq Composite Index over that period.
"I think it's becoming less and less of a key variable," says Mike Binger, a fund manager at Minneapolis-based Thrivent Asset Management, which owns Apple shares. "This past time period has proven that Apple as an entity can survive without Steve Jobs going to work on a daily basis."
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