Though on leave since January, Steve Jobs stayed visible at Apple
Despite relinquishing his day-to-day duties at Apple back in January, Steve Jobs has remained a major force at Apple in 2011, introducing key products and negotiating blockbuster deals.
Jobs announced he would take a medical leave of absence -- but remain CEO of Apple -- in January. At the time, the company co-founder said he would remain involved in major strategic decisions at the company.
As it would turn out, he did a lot more than that over the next seven months.
Until Wednesday, when Jobs announced he could no longer serve as Apple CEO, the legendary technology icon remained the face of the company. Almost immediately after his medical leave was announced, reports from within the company indicated that Jobs was still hard at work on perfecting the company's next-generation iPad, which launched in March, and the new iPhone, which has yet to be announced.
In spite of those reports, most people were still surprised when Jobs returned to the stage in early March to introduce the iPad 2. Greeted with a standing ovation, Jobs delivered the keynote in his trademark blue jeans and black mock turtleneck shirt. He noted to the audience that Apple had been working on the second-generation iPad for awhile, and he didn't want to miss its unveiling.
When a controversy over an iOS location database file broke out in April, Jobs was on the front line, attempting to calm public concern that Apple might be tracking their location. Jobs, along with the rest of Apple's executive team, explained that a database file stored on the iPhone did not delete location data because of a bug. The issue was fixed in a subsequent software update.
Jobs took to the stage once again in June, sharing the presentation duties with Apple Vice President for Worldwide Product Marketing Phil Schiller, and Senior Vice President of iOS Software Scott Forstall. Together, they showed off Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, iOS 5, and the forthcoming iCloud.
Jobs' iconic "one more thing" at the event was the new iTunes Match service, set to launch this fall, which will allow users to match up their personal library of ripped songs with high-quality tracks on iTunes for $24.99 per year.
Only a few days later, Jobs then made a presentation of a very different kind before the Cupertino City Council. There, he personally pitched a new 12,000-employee campus in the city which he said looks like a "spaceship" because of its giant circular design.
The authorized biography of Steve Jobs is scheduled to arrive in November.
Jobs' proposal and accompanying presentation impressed the council so much that the Cupertino mayor publicly said there is "no chance" the project will be rejected. Both Apple and Jobs have deep roots in Cupertino, and city officials plan to keep it that way.
As recently as this month, reports also indicated that Jobs had a hands-on role in Apple's ongoing negotiations with China Mobile, the single largest wireless provider in the world with more than 600 million customers. A deal between Apple and China Mobile is expected to be reached at some point before the end of this year.
Even as Jobs has remained in the spotlight, his continuing health problems have also remained in focus. In July, The Wall Street Journal reported that members of the Apple Board of Directors had informally explored CEO succession options.
There, too, Jobs stayed involved, and personally e-mailed a reporter to rebut the claims made in the story. The then-chief executive reportedly responded, terse as always, with: "I think it's hogwash."
Jobs announced he would take a medical leave of absence -- but remain CEO of Apple -- in January. At the time, the company co-founder said he would remain involved in major strategic decisions at the company.
As it would turn out, he did a lot more than that over the next seven months.
Until Wednesday, when Jobs announced he could no longer serve as Apple CEO, the legendary technology icon remained the face of the company. Almost immediately after his medical leave was announced, reports from within the company indicated that Jobs was still hard at work on perfecting the company's next-generation iPad, which launched in March, and the new iPhone, which has yet to be announced.
In spite of those reports, most people were still surprised when Jobs returned to the stage in early March to introduce the iPad 2. Greeted with a standing ovation, Jobs delivered the keynote in his trademark blue jeans and black mock turtleneck shirt. He noted to the audience that Apple had been working on the second-generation iPad for awhile, and he didn't want to miss its unveiling.
When a controversy over an iOS location database file broke out in April, Jobs was on the front line, attempting to calm public concern that Apple might be tracking their location. Jobs, along with the rest of Apple's executive team, explained that a database file stored on the iPhone did not delete location data because of a bug. The issue was fixed in a subsequent software update.
Jobs took to the stage once again in June, sharing the presentation duties with Apple Vice President for Worldwide Product Marketing Phil Schiller, and Senior Vice President of iOS Software Scott Forstall. Together, they showed off Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, iOS 5, and the forthcoming iCloud.
Jobs' iconic "one more thing" at the event was the new iTunes Match service, set to launch this fall, which will allow users to match up their personal library of ripped songs with high-quality tracks on iTunes for $24.99 per year.
Only a few days later, Jobs then made a presentation of a very different kind before the Cupertino City Council. There, he personally pitched a new 12,000-employee campus in the city which he said looks like a "spaceship" because of its giant circular design.
The authorized biography of Steve Jobs is scheduled to arrive in November.
Jobs' proposal and accompanying presentation impressed the council so much that the Cupertino mayor publicly said there is "no chance" the project will be rejected. Both Apple and Jobs have deep roots in Cupertino, and city officials plan to keep it that way.
As recently as this month, reports also indicated that Jobs had a hands-on role in Apple's ongoing negotiations with China Mobile, the single largest wireless provider in the world with more than 600 million customers. A deal between Apple and China Mobile is expected to be reached at some point before the end of this year.
Even as Jobs has remained in the spotlight, his continuing health problems have also remained in focus. In July, The Wall Street Journal reported that members of the Apple Board of Directors had informally explored CEO succession options.
There, too, Jobs stayed involved, and personally e-mailed a reporter to rebut the claims made in the story. The then-chief executive reportedly responded, terse as always, with: "I think it's hogwash."
Comments
I plan to see steve on the mother ship.
Thats what I want to see. Ribbon cutting opening time for the new Apple HQ, with SJ cutting the ribbon!
it all change many times. But like Steve said one time. Every 6 months something new.
See you one day in the" Cloud" Steve
It was bound to happen sooner than later. All the battles that Apple is fighting against all comers seem to be in Apple's favor.
He surely is aware of all that is about to happen regarding perhaps China Mobile, Sprint an other carriers coming on board. The new transitional product about to be unleashed. iPhone 5 being the one to rule all phones. And if that cheaper version iPhone comes out. It will be the iPod, iPad all over again. He knows that once iPad 3 comes out it will cement ghat for many many years. iCloud and all the stuff we are waiting for now will blow evertone away.
Add to that the Spaceship has to be built.
And his personal Residence has to be finished up.
Man, I got tired just reminding myself whats coming up. Better believe he needed to remove himself from running the Biggest & Baddest company in the world.
He deserves a TON of credit. BRAVO Steve.
Thats what I want to see. Ribbon cutting opening time for the new Apple HQ, with SJ cutting the ribbon!
The mother of all ribbon cutting ceremonies. Yeah.
Whatever may occur, his name and Apple will forever be linked. He has shaped and reshaped the tech world for many years to come. I feel quite fortunate to have witnessed over the past 3+ decades pure genius in motion.
More than likely that Wall Street article may have been off. But it probably stuck in Jobs mind, that why not now.
It was bound to happen sooner than later. All the battles that Apple is fighting against all comers seem to be in Apple's favor.
He surely is aware of all that is about to happen regarding perhaps China Mobile, Sprint an other carriers coming on board. The new transitional product about to be unleashed. iPhone 5 being the one to rule all phones. And if that cheaper version iPhone comes out. It will be the iPod, iPad all over again. He knows that once iPad 3 comes out it will cement ghat for many many years. iCloud and all the stuff we are waiting for now will blow evertone away.
Add to that the Spaceship has to be built.
And his personal Residence has to be finished up.
Man, I got tired just reminding myself whats coming up. Better believe he needed to remove himself from running the Biggest & Baddest company in the world.
He deserves a TON of credit. BRAVO Steve.
Great post. Lotta work. Thanks, that's the attitude.
The company, as many have said, is his greatest product. It's got great hardware and software integration, and it may be an easy ship for the likes of a great captain like Tim Cook to steer.
It would be great to see, but I fear it may not happen. News of this nature is normally held off until close of business on Friday, so putting it to press mid-week may suggest an unfortunately dire situation.
Since you don't know anything, maybe a callous thing to say.
Chin up, people, and keep your fears to yourself and your fingers off the keyboard till you calm down.
My apologies if that offended; not my intention. True, I know nothing of his current health status, but we all know that companies regularly put off info likely to adversely affect stock prices until after close of business Friday. My fear is only that, a fear, and I hope I'm wrong.
Peace.
Apologies right back. Thanks for clarifying.
I am happy. I plan to see my brother Steve at the mother ship. Not a bad thing but a happy thing. Lets all sing cambia. Cambia my friend cambiaaaaaaa. Cambia my friend cambiaaaaaa. I think I got that spelled right. If not you get the jest.
Kumbaya, I think. But I don't get the jest.
http://daringfireball.net/
Kumbaya, I think. But I don't get the jest.
He means gist. I got that, but I didn't get Kumbaya from "Cambia".
He means gist. I got that, but I didn't get Kumbaya from "Cambia".
Aha, I just got the gist . . . He had me thinking about Infinite Jest and all kinds of things.