Steve Jobs Taking a Medical Leave of Absence

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Hamilton Nolan

01/17/11 09:31AM

Filed to: Apple

Apple just announced that CEO and mastermind Steve Jobs is taking a "medical leave of absence." That sounds bad.

In a statement to employees this morning, Jobs said:

"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 C.E.O. and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company."
The statement continued: "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."

Jobs is still recovering from a liver transplant less than two years ago. Tim Cook is the company's chief operating officer and a longtime Jobs deputy. Apple stock is already down overseas on the news.

[Photo: Getty]

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DoctorNine Hamilton Nolan 01/17/11 10:57AM

I hope Mr. Jobs actually gets the privacy and family time that he has requested. Pancreatic cancer is an awful disease, and post-transplant complications are common. The feeding frenzy over news about his condition has been overwrought and overly invasive for years. Still, he has managed to be a professional and gentlemanly throughout it all.

Good on him.

Considering Apple's recent stock history though, this is the perfect time for those looking long to buy.

alexLmx6 Hamilton Nolan 01/17/11 09:51AM

Later they'll reveal that Apple's whole design department is just a drinking bird at a keyboard.

Should our next product be white? Okay, should our next product be shiny? Okay, should our next product cost too much and do too little? Yay, another winner!

Oh, oh, or maybe his leave of absence is to go and buy some more black turtlenecks!! Ahh I've got so many wonderful jokes.

As much as I don't care for Apple products I wish Steve Jobs all the best though, medical problems are no laughing matter.

acerbicovine alexLmx6 01/17/11 09:59AM

@alexLmx6: Your sincerity shines through.

JellyFox alexLmx6 01/17/11 10:34AM

@alexLmx6: That turtleneck joke made me laugh. Hard.

DoctorNine alexLmx6 01/17/11 10:50AM

Since you are mocking turtlenecks, I guess I should point out that he likes mock turtlenecks.

Subtlety...

Graviton1066 Hamilton Nolan 01/17/11 10:17AM

Can this happen to Mark Zuckerberg next please?

Arken Graviton1066 01/17/11 10:27AM

@Graviton1066: Wow. What a tactful, appropriate thing to say.

ShadyEsperanto Graviton1066 01/17/11 10:52AM

@Graviton1066: Not funny, not snarky. Just mean.

Es Bueno Arken 01/17/11 11:21AM

@Arken: Meh, people have said worse about Sarah Palin here.

BrainyHistorian Graviton1066 01/17/11 11:23AM

@Graviton1066: When karma bites you on the ass for your douchiness, don't come around here for sympathy.

ShaunTKennedy Hamilton Nolan 01/17/11 09:39AM

I love how Apple stock fluctuates wildly based on Jobs' day to day presence in the office, as though Apple Inc. was just Jobs working alone in his garage.

Arken ShaunTKennedy 01/17/11 09:43AM

@ShaunTKennedy: To be fair, pretty much any stock drops when a CEO with known health problems takes a leave of absence.

ShaunTKennedy Arken 01/17/11 09:46AM

@Arken: Oh, I know, but it seems like Apple's particularly prone to it.

matthew006 ShaunTKennedy 01/17/11 09:59AM

@ShaunTKennedy: They are. Just look at the wonderful line of products Apple had in the pipeline just prior to Jobs' return. I would think investors with working memories would be a bit nervous if the despotic visionary who pulled that company from the dung heap fell silent.

ShaunTKennedy matthew006 01/17/11 10:06AM

@matthew006: Prior to his return =/= during his leave of absence.

Apple fanboys amaze me. Apple's the greatest company ever, but if Jobs were to leave, the company would go right in the shitter because they're so terrible.