“Concerns about Steve Jobs’ health aren’t going away. Today’s NY Post quotes a ‘Wall Street source’ who says hedge fund managers are still freaked out after seeing Jobs’ rail-thin appearance at the iPhone launch event last month. It also cites ‘multiple sources’ who’ve met Steve in recent weeks and are ‘troubled by his thin appearance.’ Reuters has now picked up the Post’s story; the wire service doesn’t add anything to the report, but the fact that it is repeating it gives it extra weight,” Peter Kafka writes for Silicon Alley Insider.
“We’ll take Apple at its word: Steve is OK. But his appearance, coupled with the fact that he previously didn’t disclose his cancer for 9 months, mean that he’s going to be dogged by these questions indefinitely,” Kafka writes. “Apple could try quashing the issue by issuing a comprehensive health report — in the same way that presidential candidates do — but we think Steve is unlikely to accept that level of public scrutiny.”
Kafka writes, “A more reasonable strategy for Apple, and one they are going to have to accept sooner or later: Lay out a real succession plan… Apple is going to have [to] convince Wall Street that it has a clear idea of what it intends to do if needs to replace Steve. Even if he’s in the the best of health — and we hope he is — he can’t run Apple forever.”
Full article here.
Regardless of whether or not this is pre-earnings report stock manipulation (it is), the fact that Job’s health can be used at any time by unscrupulous investors to influence Apple’s stock price dictates that Apple needs to lay out a clear succession plan immediately, if not sooner. Apple investors should demand not only much more clarity on the state of Jobs’ health, but also a clear plan for what the company will do after he retires (which hopefully won’t happen for a decade or more). This is the price you pay when a company is run by an exceedingly rare and visionary individual like Steve Jobs.
Sell, Sell, Sell. Then buy.
“Even if he’s in the the best of health — and we hope he is — he can’t run Apple forever.”
They obviously haven’t seen the specs yet for Mac OS XII.
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it makes me really angry, that they get away with it. this is FUD and nothing but FUD. and yes mdn is right: the only way tp prevent that bullshit in the the future is to publicly state today that steve is fine in the Q&A;session after the report and announce a succession plan soon.
What do you expect from some worthless trash tabloid?
Apple’s intense desire for secrecy including deception, failures to meet expected goals and benchmarks, Jobs’ apparent gauntness. Jobs’ renowned maniacal determination for control, and no consensus regarding who may be Jobs’ replacement have raised legitimate questions of Apple’s future.
What if Jobs and many others at Apple aren’t suffering from the egotistical projection that the successes of the past few years are the product of one man. And what if there is no imminent threat to Jobs health and his appearance is, as has been reported, an expected consequence of a successful surgery to treat a past problem. Do you really think Apple should change it’s focus and processes from long term development to answering what every bozo has to say on a daily basis. Do you think any possible articulation of their leadership plans would silence the bozos? It’s not Apple that’s failing to meet it’s responsibilities, it’s the press.
be afraid
Steve may be a hard task master, but he is the best thing for Apple. I wish to see him around for a long time. Long Live Steve!!
I’ll still give 8 to 1 odds that Steve out lives Monkey Boy by more the 5 years.
Here ya go:
dhanya.skariachan@reuters.com
Ballmer is at least 30 pounds overweight…which causes heart plaque, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes from stress on the pancreas, low energy, and a stale mind.
Steve Jobs, to me, looks like a runner who is just getting older. Ballmer is clogged up and can afford a personal trainer.
Steve Jobs has the stress of having to keep hanging the moon for the rest of the world, while Ballmer lives on the sheer determination of the next jelly doughnut disquised as his love for developers.
Maybe this is why J.Ive has just picked up a new assistant?
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And … don’t worry about Monkey Boy, his BP will blow his head right off after Snow Leopard eats 7’s lunch then asks for seconds. And that’s assuming SL is nothing more than a leaner, meaner, fitter update to Leopard, with no significant new features of its own. If SL is much more than just a significant re-write – which no one is arguing against, just wondering if it deserves its own number – then both 7 AND 8 are in trouble.
Woo-Hoo?
As I recall, one very plausible explanation for Steve’s slim appearance in early June, was the fact that he had been globe-trotting around the world to set up all those telephony deals for the international iPhone 3G roll-out.
Intense international travel will take it out of anyone, even Steve.
Remember, health is our greatest wealth. (-_-)
iWill,
If Jobs is unable or unwilling to care for himself, one has to wonder if his mental faculties are intact. Perhaps Jobs doesn’t have someone he trusts to manage these negotiations meaning (a) there are no persons at Apple qualified to handle the tasks, (b) Jobs maniacal desire to exert control is becoming a psychological obsession bordering on the insane, or (c) both.
When all the “experts” say: sell, sell, sell.
Then it is time to buy, buy, buy.
ralph from berlin,
It makes me angry too. But what do you expect from people who have long looked to the news as not a place to find out what is going on, but a place to go to find out what to think about it.
Remember people, Orwell thought he was writing a FICTION!!!! Don’t let the talking heads tell you what to think.
MW=blue as in I am blue too.
Apple’s “plan”:
1. Pray that Steve can survive the year.
2. Hire body doubles.
3. Hire Argentinean plastic surgeons to make faces.
4. “Move” Jobs to a remote location, inaccessible except to a cadre of his closest “advisors”.
5. Fold.
NYT has reached an all time low…first the plagarism now knocking on SJ’s health when he is about to anounce some really cool numbers.
We need to get the SEC on these guys to find out what favors M$ does for them.
Just my $0.02
What would Wall Street’s thoughts be if Jobs was really fat?
< 12:00pm Bear
> 12:00pm Bull
Than simple
it’s a measure of the Microsoft Mediocrity Cult’s frustration and deep anger with Apple that the only thing they have left is slime oozing from the New York Post. Anonymous, of course.
The maggots in the Mediocrity Cult lapped up the slime and transformed it into… more slime. It’s what they do. It’s all they got, and it’s the way of the ugly, the deformed, the stupid, the unsophisticated, the grossly overweight, the unimaginative, the mediocre…in short, it’s the way of the Mediocrity Cult.
Lol!
These days you don’t have to write a negative article…you only have to write a negative headline.
Yeah, but what if they don’t LIKE the succession plan??
Apple says Phil Schiller will take over but Wall Street thinks it should be Tim Cook. Or Bertrand Serlet. Or Scott Forstall. Or Jonny Ive. Or John Sculley. What then?
This sounds like smoke and mirrors bullshit FUD to keep the stock price down. It’s f*&ked;up.
Peace.
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Olmecmystic
For Job’s sake Steve, eat a sammich! Don’t go all Karen Carpenter on us!
“zdonzconmx”,
If “zdonzconmx” is unable or unwilling to care for himself, one has to wonder if his mental faculties are intact. Perhaps “zdonzconmx” doesn’t have someone he trusts to manage these negotiations meaning
(a) there are no persons at “zdonzconmx inc.” qualified to handle the tasks,
(b) “zdonzconmx” maniacal desire to exert control is becoming a psychological obsession bordering on the insane, or
(c) both.
(d) “zdonzconmx” unhealthy penchant to hide behind non-sensical names created by “laying hands” on the keyboard, and spewing bile all over everyone’s screens.
Guess what “zdonzconmx”, or who ever you really are, no one cares what you think because you’re simply a shit disturber looking for attention through starting flame wars.
Nap time now? (-_-)
“elucidate”
Good word!
I like the way it rolls off the tongue… kinda like lollypop.
Now if only someone could work both those words into a sentence.
*sigh*
The fact is that Steve Jobs garners such attention and stature because Apple is producing such excellent products. Jobs’ talent is not in creating these products, but in identifying the best among prototypes, as well as hiring the best talent to make them.
Apple management know the routine and the process. I am sure there are many good candidates at Apple who can run the company as well as Jobs. There certainly doesn’t seem to be a shortage of know-it-alls in the press or the blogs who think they can run Apple better than Jobs, with all the criticism and advice they filling their columns.
I am sure Dvorak, Endrele, etc. wouldn’t mind having a go at it?
I figured he’d appear healthy on stage in a couple months to shut up the naysayers.
If he’s still very thin or doesn’t appear on a stage, we obviously got a problem.
@ROB
< 12:00pm Bear
> 12:00pm Bull
Than simple
So much for your theory…..unless you were referring to Pacific time!! We can only hope!!
APPLE INC(NasdaqGS: AAPL)
NEW Real-time: 161.96 -3.19 (-1.93%) 12:03pm ET
Last Trade: 163.21
Trade Time: 11:48AM ET
Change: 1.94 (1.17%)
Prev Close: 165.15
Open: 166.90
Bid: 163.24 x 100
Ask: 163.25 x 200
So perhaps it would please the hedge fund powers that be to no end if Steve Jobs were to show up at his next public appearance in the same fat suit used by Mike Meyers (as Dirty Bastard) in Austin Powers.
Perhaps then Steve would look similar to those who are detracting him for his appearance. Maybe that’s why they like Steve Ballmer. He’s one of them.
Appearance is different from reality. Rather than make rash assumptions, I prefer the truth. It’s sad to see how low hedge funds, PR firms working for competitors, and sleazeball publications like The New York Post and Silicon Alley Insider will stoop. And it’s interesting that the two publications are based in New York, about as far from the action in the Silicon Valley as possible. That alone should be indicative of something.
iWill,
Who?
Maybe Apple just needs to report the state of Jobs health. A better idea is Steve Jobs should put out a memo himself about his health. Or better yet, Steve should answer everyones health concerns when they announce earnings today and be done with it. Everyone gets sick you know. He’s not immune to illness.
Someone should publish a time series of Steve Jobs’ photos. Surely, the fanbois here at MDN have these stashed in their shrines. How about it? Are you willing to post Job’s photos for the past 10 years, or will the visible deterioration of Jobs’ health be too obvious.
Ignore the troll.
Most of us know who it is and why he should always be ignored.
Steve IS going to live forever…….think positive
Do not read this post!
Most of us know who it is…
Who? Who? Aren’t we all anonymous?
and why he should always be ignored.
Why? Why? Because fanbois haven’t an intelligent argument.
Oh gosh! M$ would pay anyone to push on the ejection’s button!!
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Gee! Steve is just too good to left in command… Apple rules… and it might go on as long Steve is driving!
Don’t worry folks, this guy is jounger then i… and i have still few years to go smooth before retirement!!!
Do you think Steve would be healthy if he was one of these fat ones?
To be thin is definitely not a proof for illness!
You know what freaks me out is that this kind of crappy stock manipulation is legal. Or if it isn’t legal that our stupid government doesn’t do anything about it.
That’s why idiots like Kramer who has admitted that what he does is illegal is still able to do it. Come on SEC and DOJ, get on the ball and do your jobs.
Gentle Readers,
There once was a troll named wfglkklkmnmlxkmn
Who cursed up a storm and
zcnznclnlkz
He thought he could read,
but instead just pee’d and
zdonzconmx
Silly Boy.
Now, on with the news!
I love Apple fanbois. They’re an endless supply of entertainment.
They’ve been saying the same thing about me and Mick since ’67.
It’s been 4+ years since Steve had his operation. The general rule of thumb is that if the same cancer has NOT returned within 5 years the patient is cured. It’s a rough rule, but the fact that Steve is almost to the 5 year point, the odds of recurrence are unlikely.
I have it from sources that Steve Jobs is going to die one day….oh damn, wait a second — so will I….
New York Post, not NYT. How ironic. Check your facts before you blow off.
Based on the iPhone 2.0 Firmware update and the MobileMe rollout and web applications — it is CLEAR that Steve Jobs is ALREADY *NOT* running the show. These were botched updates. Period. And they *still* suck.
I am a hard core Apple/Mac/iPhone fan. Not a basher. I have 7 Macs, 7 iPods and an iPhone with a .Mac (not MobileMe) account.
correction: (not MobileMe) should read (now MobileMe)
What happened to Steve’s dog?
assuming SJ is healthy, why would they need to lay out a succession plan. he’s in his early 50s! he could do this job for another 20 years, at which point the current pool of possible successors becomes moot.
The only reason for a succession plan now is if he’s leaving the company within the next 5 years, either by choice or not.
hairball,
What is the expected life span of a person similar to Jobs with Jobs’ form of cancer? That, fanboi, is the question that is worth asking.
That has to be old zunnytune. He just can’t bear to post his name any more given the dismal state of the “zune” compared to the iPod and iPhone.
The zune is as helpless as a fart in the wind. I heard that from an old country man once. Seems appropriate.
ZuneTang was sarcastic and funny. “siht skcuer fsicast ms fbnaoi” or whatever is just bitter and jealous.
never mind
I think Steve is flying around the world making phone deals , and if thats the case someone else has been handling the launch of products. I feel it does not and should not matter what Steve or Apple says or does about Steves health or planned succesession policies. Why, because the market maker will put their own spin on it in order to manipulate the stock for their own purposes anyway. Look what happened last quarter before all the badnews that hit this quarter Apple went up 15 points and dropped 20 points and has been in a consolidation (sideways trend ) ever since.
People who trade on roumor of Steve’s health deserve what they get (Hedge fund managers) . A company thet built a reputation as a market maker for a decade and has had a stable management team for at least a half decade, that produced the results that Apple has (what’s it been 16 straight winning quarters YOY) and has seen cash reserves increase to over $12billion despite recessions, inflation , currency devaluations, steady R and D investment that is the highest in the industry, flash memory shortages and gluts. What more of a clue do theses idiots need. Apple should have Googles market cap by now but Wall Stree continually punishes the hardware trade (especially Apple) no mater how well they do.
If they meet expectations they just made it and it doesn’t bode well for the future. If they exceed expectations by record margins and give conservative guidance , well obviously they don’t think things are gonna be good in the future so that’s got to be reflected in the current stock price. Conservative guidance is Apples way of in essence keeping it’s mouth shut because as with all market analyst anything yuou say can and will be used against you. Why would Apple invite class action suits from it’s investors by making unrealisticly rosie promises to prop up the current stock price? In the game of corporate guidance the way the market is rigged by the market makers it’s a no win situatuion. These analyst and market makers would do well to look ar the fundamentals of the company, in additions to the quarterly results to make a fair judgement as to what it’s worth now and in the future. Not trade on speculation of the health of the CEO. Which idiot responds to that, these guys have been watching that moviue “Trading Places” for too long.
@bobchr,
Here, here!
The iPhone’s about to go truly global, Snow Leopard and some features of it has already been announced (which means all Macs are about to become WICKED fast in contrast to everything else), Apple stores are being built out as fast as they can get ’em done, they’re sitting on about $20B CASH with ZERO debt. WTF more do these analysts need?
If you haven’t already, go to Cult Of Mac and look at the pictures of the Beijing Apple Store opening. A couple of pictures caught my eye: the little Chinese kids sitting down at the iMacs look like typical middle class kids anywhere, and there’s a picture of literally shoulder to shoulder standing room in the store! Keep in mind that the iPhone is not even on display IN the store because it’s not (officially) on sale in China yet.
But Apple fell 11% after hours today?!? Just consider it a buying opportunity and keep on going. What can you do?
Peace.
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Olmecmystic
Any fanbois have a clue the life expectancy of a person with Jobs’ form of cancer? Let’s count the months, shall we?
Poor, sad little ldldfbklzklg?
Since you’re the biggest fanboi here, why don’t you try to answer your own, sad little question?
(mw “need”, as isn’t pathetic just how much sad little ldldfbklzklg needs attention?)