Apple CEO Steve Jobs, 55, today sent the following email to all Apple employees:
Team,
At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health. I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company.
I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple’s day to day operations. I have great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011.
I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy.
Steve
Source: Apple Inc.
The timing of the announcement seems designed to allow the markets time to absorb the news as major markets such as NASDAQ are closed today due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Apple will announce fiscal year 2011 first quarter (Q111) financial results after market close on Tuesday, January 18, 2011. As usual, MacDailyNews will cover Apple’s conference call with analysts live, beginning at 2pm PST/5pm EST.
MacDailyNews Take: Get well, Steve!
The Interwebs are about to burn!
Godspeed, Steve
He was starting to looker better. I wonder what it could be? Hope he’s alright.
I don’t like that he mentions all of 2011…
I wish him well and really hope he returns soon
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-Pi
now you know why that company wanted to know what apple’s plans are after Jobs is gone
Oh no, this is not good news to hear. I have suspected though that he has not been well for some time now and his coloring and extreme thinness are of of great concern. The survival rate for his type of cancer is five years perhaps a little longer if you”re lucky and even with a liver transplant odds do not guarantee anything. Keeping you and your family in our prayers Mr. Jobs.
Yikes, buying opportunity on the way. Get well Steve
Peace out!
Hope you get better ma Homie!
looking forward to see you soon.
Of course all the wall st. idiots will be trying to make money from this.
WE LOVE YOU STEVE!
Awww, he sounded so vunreble. Makes me like him and Apple even more.
Steve,
We in the extended Apple family wish you a speedy recovery.
Pancreatic to be specific. Later a liver transplant was performed. Still terrible
Absolutely right. I bet Apple drops substantially over the next 2 or 3 weeks, prior to any new announcements… New products and solid launches will show Jobs is important, but Apple can survive sans Steve.
Would be interesting to see what impact it will have on the stock price. My guest 25% decline at least. Any takers?
Aaaaaaand cue utter chaotic panic in 3…2…1…
Get well soon , Steve!
Oh shit. Here we go again….
Steve,
I hope you get better soon, so you can better enjoy the things that matter to you, and if that includes coming back full time to Apple, then we will look forward to Steve Jobs 4.0, and if not, I want to thank you for changing the world again and again.
Nooooooooooooo, let the internet flames begin.. Get well soon Steve.
@ Pupa
Considering the market is closed today, and the quarterly numbers are released tomorrow, with the Verizon iPhone just announced officially and crazy rumors about iPad 2, Apple picked an ideal time for this medical leave news to come out.
There will be a dip, but I do NOT think 25%.
Steve, the best to you and a speedy recovery.
The team that are running Apple now will ensure the pace continues even if the worst happens. These are Jobs’ people, not outsiders wanting to impose their stamp on the company. IMO Steve can, and should, step down and concentrate on what really matters. I certainly hope it’s not as severe a problem as he’s had previously.
Get well soon.
I think I am going to write a 13 page paper in How Steve has ran to company inti success
Apple will start to fail without him. He’s a one in a zillion, irreplaceable. Only under him did Apple put a dent in my universe. I have little optimism with no Steve Jobs. If only there was a way to get him to the fountain of youth.