“According to a previously reliable source, Apple misrepresented the reasons behind MacWorld and Jobs’ keynote cancellation,” Jesus Diaz reports for Gizmodo. “The real cause is his rapidly declining health. In fact, it may be even worse than we ever imagined:”
Steves health is rapidly declining. Apple is choosing to remove the hype factor strategically vs letting the hype destroy apple when the inevitable news comes later this spring.
This strategic loss will be less of a bang with investors. This is why MacWorld is a no-go anymore. No more Steve means no more hype. Saying they are no longer needing [MacWorld] is the cover designed by the worldwide “loyalty” department.
Diaz reports, “This source has repeatedly been 100% correct before. Those times, however, were always related to news and images of unreleased Apple products. I can only hope that, in this more personal matter, it is absolutely wrong and this just means that Steve Jobs is retiring according to his plan.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: “I can tell you that sources inside the company tell me that Jobs’ decision was more about politics than his pancreas. Sources tell me that if Jobs for some reason was unable to perform any of his responsibilities as CEO because of health reasons, which would include the Macworld keynote, I should ‘rest assured that the board would let me know.'” – Jim Goldman, CNBC, December 16, 2008
MacDailyNews Note: Barron’s has picked up the Gizmodo rumor report here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “RadDoc” for the heads up.]
Once upon a time, a real journalist wouldn’t print such a story unless it could be independently confirmed. Now, some suffice with a single anonymous source, especially if it’s a juicy story. Shame on them. What’s really telling is that no one seems to pay a price for spreading such tales. These people need to be fired.
Guys, stop a sec and think. This is a rumor. Apple did not start this rumor. Apple is not required to refute this rumor. To do so opens them up to refuting every/any rumor that is negative. Where would it stop? Then, if they suddenly stopped refuting rumors everyone would be all over them that it’s finally true!
The whole idea that they have to certify Steve’s health is absurd. He is obviously functioning as CEO at this moment. Otherwise they will make an announcement. Period.
Secondly, when he did have the original cancer, he was still functioning as CEO and he needed to go through the treatment options and operation to determine if he would be able to continue as CEO or would have to step down.
We know the results. He was cured, he was able to continue after the operation. Apple was not required to make any statements during the period until after the operation when the situation became resolved up or down.
Steve has apparently had ongoing minor complications, which are not life threatening, or job threatening. They are nutrition-related, getting the flu, etc. There is no need for panic over these.
Thirdly, remember, his form of original cancer was slow acting and not aggressive and much easier to treat than most pancreatic invasions. Even if this were to recur, god forbid, it will probably be easily treatable. It’s not the end.
On a human level it’s understandable to be concerned. But we’re seeing these rumors stated as facts from anonymous sources and leaked at strategic moments related to the stock price. That is despicable.
I have to weigh in on this.
First, without actual confirmation, these types of “leaks” are only hurting the value of Apple stock and they are also taking attention away from the quality of Apple products and services.
Second, Jobs is a visionary and an entrepreneur, and a leader and a maverick. Apple has put together a team of management and high-morale staff across the Apple enterprise from storefront to boardroom, that share a lot of his passion for user interface, product design, and public relations in the information age. Otherwise, Apple would not be as successful as it is.
Yes, he has been the leader, but he has had input and assistance from thousands of others that work to advance Apple on the leading edge of technology everyday.
These types of headlines undermine the hard work that Jobs has done in building something bigger than himself, something that will last, and something that means so much to so many.
Tech news has consistently slagged off apple, all the time. A while back it was all about beleaguered apple, and now tha tthey are obviously not beleaguered, we have crap abut the share price and Job’s health.
Why is anyone surprised? The big media corporations own most of the tech media as well as everything else. Everyone is obsessed with gambling these days, don’t forget that for all the pomposity and pretensions of importance, that’s all share dealing is. If idiots choose to base their entire economic system on it, that doesn’t make it any less stupid.
I’m sick of seeing links in brackets next to every fsking mention of a tech company in an article, as if I would want to go look them up or something.
Mac news should be about macs, and leave all the stupid mindless scrambling to the greedy fsckers in the markets.
What are the facts.
Is the contract with IDC naturally up next year?
Has Apple been dissatisfied with the MacWorld Expo?
It does not seem a good logical policy to announce new products right after Christmas. The end of June seems more reasonable, with time to educate and introduce and get production up for the next school and holiday season.
I am hoping Steve gives a dazzling performance of introducing the iTablet (Mac Touch) for the 25th Mac Anniversary on January 24, 2009.
At that time he should blast these rumors to smithereens.
erm.. I should point out that all you folks who are ‘long on apple’ (is that right?) are not the problem, and such people don’t need analysts and suchlike because you are not really gambling, you know what you’re doing and it’s the idiots who swap and change all the time without knowing a company in any depth who screw everything up.
Jobs is not a Vegan, he’s a Pescetarian
@Sundog
Concerning Fox News.
I didn’t forget. FOX News is not worse. It is nothing but a circus mirror reflection of the others. When you watch FOX (I’m assuming you watch it since you have an opinion on it), you know how the rest of us feel watching ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and so on.
Most people who hate FOX news eat the crap served up by the rest without so much as a burp. FOX takes the same story, spins it back the other way and people go nuts.
FUD is FUD. Most news outlets report that in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, American unemployment hit 7% in November. FOX reports that even in the worst economic crisis since the Carter Administration, American employment is holding at 93%.
This is not looking good. Lets face it folks, Steve lately has not just looked thin, he’s looked sick. Now with Macword coming, if they have nothing new except demos of Snow Leopard, I could see why Steve might stay away. On the other hand if Apple releases some new and exciting products, (17″ MacBook Pro, Redesigned Mini, iPhone Nano) I can’t imagine Steve missing this unless something was truly wrong
Bullshit. Stop posting this crap. I can no longer count the number of rumour articles about Jobs’ health on my hands alone. This insane, ludicrous and completely trivial crap needs to stop being posted. Even if Jobs was ill, he’s not the company.
Magic work, develop. Develop an understanding of what I want to read, MDN.
Hmmm, Steve cannot be sick…… cause he is already dead.
Didn’t everyone hear the last rumor, that he died!!!!!! LOL
I do hear that Steve Ballmer is very sick…
Sick of hearing about Apple, sick about spending $ 20 BILLION to get the stock price up and it just keeps crashing.
Sick of ordering new chairs,
and maybe even sick upstairs….. if you know what I mean..
LOL
Just a thought.
en
Sorry to chime in folks but I also have from a source that I would never doubt ( their closeness to Apple makes it impossible to discount) that Steve’s cancer has indeed returned and he is very ill.
I know there are most who will tell me I am full of it but these are the facts as I know them.
A person who is close to Apple and Steve himself shared the info.
It was a terrible bit of news and I am still deeply disturbed by it.
More intentional Apple-manipulated and free “hype” leading up to MacWorld, courtesy of the highly-manipulatable media.
Steve Jobs must be smiling at home, as he spends “quality time” with his family instead of preparing and rehearsing for the way-to-early-on-the-calendar (especially this year) MacWorld keynote address. Steve Jobs doesn’t just read his lines off cue cards or teleprompter. He would be spending his holiday time at work, if he had to do the keynote address next week on Monday. That’s why he passed it off to Phil Schiller this year…
“If I wanted rumors, lies, and buckets of unsubstantiated FUD, I could easily go to ABC, CBS, NBC, The New York Times, CNN, MSNBC, OR AIR FREAKING AMERICA.”
Is AirAmerica still around?!?!
“If the cancer and surgery is not killing him-veganism will.”
What? Veganism will help you live forever, just ask Linda McCartney, she….what….she did? – Oh crap!
What would be great theatre would be for the rumors to keep circulating to the point where he is on death’s door, only to show up in the middle of the keynote and take over…..is Vince McMahon on Apple’s board?
@theloniousMac
No I don’t watch Fox News. Can’t stand it.
It’s Macworld, not MacWorld. The “W” hasn’t been capitalized since 1997.
Am I nitpicking here? Maybe, but this is akin to clueless bloggers capitalizing Ipod or Iphone.
I saw SJ twice in 2006 and he was very skinny, but full of energy.
But Death tomes to us all.
Steve: I really hope the talk of of your illness is exaggerated. However either way be assured that their will be a resurrection of both the righteous & the unrighteous promised by Jesus at Matthew 5: 28-29. You have been an altruist in the very spirit of the word and may very well prove to be among those restored to life in an earthly paradise following the clearing away of all those ruining the earth. Psalms 37: 9-11. I have truly enjoyed being a benefactor of your wonderful gifts. Beginning with the Apple 2c to my current MacBook Pro, iPhone combo… I have never, ever, bought a PC, always a Mac, and I’ve had a few of-em. Here’s wishing you the best of health, a speedy recovery if that’s in order, and if the rumors are true, then I’m looking forward to seeing you in God’s New System of Things. Rev. 21:3-4.
@What?
For an article like this to be out… im surprised apple didn’t dive more than it did… normally there is a health report and we are all doomed
Ok…. Jim Goldman on this matter:
I spoke to Apple after these headlines crossed and the company, which officially doesn’t comment on rumors, reiterated the reasons it offered two weeks ago: Apple was pulling out of Macworld because the company didn’t see the need to continue its investment in the expo, which included Steve Jobs’ keynote.
I was told this morning (Tuesday) that nothing has changed since then. The same reasons apply today that applied two weeks ago.
I was told two weeks ago by sources inside Apple that the decision had nothing to do with Jobs’ health. I got the same message today. Period.
I will say again: if Apple is lying, holding some truth back, manipulating its own stock by manipulating the truth, someone — indeed a lot of people — could be going to jail. Do I like the way Apple has handled this ongoing story? No. But do I traffic in rumors to fill the void the company has created by not choosing to be more forthcoming about Jobs’ health? Absolutely not.
When Apple’s got something material to report, I trust that it will. Meantime, unsourced garbage nuking its shares is just that.
Now rest….
I hope for Mr Jobs and his family that this rumor is not true.
@MIkeK
You must not have much invested in AAPL to say that. Look at the chart after 12pm, one article cost Apple possibly a billion dollars.
Steve doesn’t need to say in an interview that he is fine. For the sake of the investors in AAPL, he should hold a press conference, show that he is fine, make the rumongerors look stupid, and say he will not hold another press conference over such nonsense in the future again. From that point, noone will believe any more rumors.
It’s a pain to do, but it IS necessary.
Further to what MacB had to say:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=979374888&__source=yahoo|headline|quote|video|&par=yahoo
CD,
That’s not quite so. A bit over two months ago, Steve did exactly what you’re saying. It wasn’t exactly a press conference, and it wasn’t called for the purpose of Steve’s health rumors, but nonetheless, he was there, reporters were there, he took questions and answered them. Before taking any of them, though, he showed a slide saying something to the effect of …”Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated”, followed by “110/70” (his blood pressure).
How often is Steve Jobs required to certify his well-being to the public in order for everyone (or at least majority) to be satisfied? How often is this asked of other CEOs who have undergone cancer treatment (and there are many out there)?
It just isn’t ever enough. Therefore, Jobs is just tired of all of it and decided to ignore it. May the world make what they wish. Ultimately, company performance will eventually have the expected effect on its stock. It did bounce back since that noon time drop today, after all. Even Wall Street isn’t THAT stupid…