Apple says Steve Jobs feeling a little under the weather recently
Apple has responded to concerns spreading across internet blogs regarding the health of Steve Jobs after photos taken Monday at the WWDC conference in San Francisco show him looking a little more frail than usual.
Specifically, the Wall Street Journal points to a headline on the Drudge Report that read "Concern over Apple Steve Jobs’s physical appearance…,” which linked to photos of the chief executive without further comment.
Responding to questions on the matter Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Cupertino-based electronics maker told the financial paper that Jobs has been plagued by a "common bug" in recent weeks, but that he felt it essential that he make good on delivering the opening keynote address at the annual Apple developer conference and personally take the wraps off the company's new 3G iPhone.
Jobs's physical health has been an on-again, off-again topic of discussion ever since he was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer four years ago, which he beat after undergoing a successful surgery.
Investors and Apple loyalists pay particular attention to the chief executive's appearance because they consider him to be irreplaceable to the company he rescued from the doldrums a little over ten years ago. Not helping matters are reports that Jobs hid his battle with cancer for a full nine months before informing shareholders and anyone outside his most intimate of inner circles.
Photo taken of Steve Jobs Monday | Copyright REUTERS/Kimberly White..
Last year, financial publication Barron's suggested that Jobs may be worth more to Apple than any other chief executive in the world, estimating that Apple's market cap would instantly bleed $20 billion in value should he abruptly be forced to abandon his leadership role at the company.
The last time Apple provided an update on Jobs's health was nearly two years ago when similar concerns began to mount following his appearance at the 2006 Apple developers conference. At the time, the company's VP of worldwide corporate communications Katie Cotton downplayed the concerns, saying Jobs's health was "robust."
Specifically, the Wall Street Journal points to a headline on the Drudge Report that read "Concern over Apple Steve Jobs’s physical appearance…,” which linked to photos of the chief executive without further comment.
Responding to questions on the matter Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Cupertino-based electronics maker told the financial paper that Jobs has been plagued by a "common bug" in recent weeks, but that he felt it essential that he make good on delivering the opening keynote address at the annual Apple developer conference and personally take the wraps off the company's new 3G iPhone.
Jobs's physical health has been an on-again, off-again topic of discussion ever since he was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer four years ago, which he beat after undergoing a successful surgery.
Investors and Apple loyalists pay particular attention to the chief executive's appearance because they consider him to be irreplaceable to the company he rescued from the doldrums a little over ten years ago. Not helping matters are reports that Jobs hid his battle with cancer for a full nine months before informing shareholders and anyone outside his most intimate of inner circles.
Photo taken of Steve Jobs Monday | Copyright REUTERS/Kimberly White..
Last year, financial publication Barron's suggested that Jobs may be worth more to Apple than any other chief executive in the world, estimating that Apple's market cap would instantly bleed $20 billion in value should he abruptly be forced to abandon his leadership role at the company.
The last time Apple provided an update on Jobs's health was nearly two years ago when similar concerns began to mount following his appearance at the 2006 Apple developers conference. At the time, the company's VP of worldwide corporate communications Katie Cotton downplayed the concerns, saying Jobs's health was "robust."
Comments
Everyone I know here in los angeles has a cold right now. Its going around the west coast cities. I know I for one look like major ASS when I get a bad cold.
LOL.
if it's just a cold, i'm sure he'll be fine again soon.
Everyone I know here in los angeles has a cold right now. Its going around the west coast cities. I know I for one look like major ASS when I get a bad cold.
And I look like four-star general ass when I get sick.
No matter how much they deny it, I'm concerned..until Teh Steve is seen in public again at a healthy body weight, anyway.
While watching the stream of the Keynote, I noticed how gaunt he looked. He also just seemed frail overall, the way he moved, etc.
Ever since he was treated for cancer, Apple has been trotting out other officers in these presentations, trying to plan for a transition. It seemed especially true this time when Jobs did less than half of the Keynote.
While I hope whatever is ailing him (be it transient or serious) is resolved soon.
quite thin, check the hips and thighs, looks like he weighs 130-140 pounds (I am 5'8'' and weigh about 155 and he is a lot thinner than I); anorexic looking, or possibly chemo; but, as upbeat as ever.......also noticed a warmer praise of his team than ever before (coincidence?)
i spotted this at the time, it did make me wonder.
I've also noticed more and more that Steve is having his tech guys up on stage to discuss the products, as if to transition us slowly away from Steve being the keynote leader.
I may be completely wrong, (I hope I am) but I don't think I am. I took care of a friend with cancer for 4 years and there's a huge similarity between how Steve looks now and how my friend did.
Ok, Steve's health does not appear to be robust. I thought that he looked frail in 2006 after having cancer, which is to be expected, but my jaw dropped when I saw him last night. You can see his bones through the turtleneck.
I've also noticed more and more that Steve is having his tech guys up on stage to discuss the products, as if to transition us slowly away from Steve being the keynote leader.
I may be completely wrong, (I hope I am) but I don't think I am. I took care of a friend with cancer for 4 years and there's a huge similarity between how Steve looks now and how my friend did.
I am a little concerned. He looked very bad on stage, more than how he looked it was how he moved around.
The second issue is last week remember Apple moved a bunch of execs around and added some new top guys. This says to me they are preparing for a transition and wan the people in place.
Finally if something were to happen Apple's stock will tank big time.
Best wishes to Steve if indeed it is something more serious.
p.s. also he hid his bout with cancer the first time!
No matter how much they deny it, I'm concerned..until Teh Steve is seen in public again at a healthy body weight, anyway.
He's a vegan. He'll never reach a healthy body weight...
The day Jobs leaves the industry it will become a much less interesting place, though. On the other hand, maybe it would do his health some good to spend the summer on the beach.
You don't lose 20-30 pounds and look like the death is staring in your face over a cold.
The man looks gaunt--even anorexic in appearance. That is not just a cold.
I hate that Apple feels pressured to comment , "oh, yeah... you know, he actually WAS feeling under the weather..." Steve has always possessed outstanding vibrancy of ideas, and an energy that helps distract us from the fact that we all age, grow old, and eventually die. I trust that Steve stays with us as long as possible, and I know he will squeeze every ounce of creativity out of himself for us while he is. I should accomplish as much by the time I'm only 53.
But still--from now on, every time I get a cold, I'm going to call in to work and say, "and you know.. I'm not getting any younger..."
The problem is, there's no way Apple or even Steve can really reassure anyone about his health, because almost any explanation they can give will sound like spin, something Apple/Steve is famous for. The only way to dispel the worrying over his health is for him to make a public appearance at a healthy body weight.
He should quietly take an extended vacation and/or greatly reduce his day-to-day duties and focus almost entirely on his health issues, if he's not doing so already. I really, really hope it isn't cancer-related. Hope ya get better soon, Steve.
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Cold my ass.
For those of you in other places - there has been a really bad cold going around CA for the last 4-6 months. The cold last 1 month+. I had it for nearly two months and lost 10 lbs. If you have a lowered immunity and get this cold its even worse (i.e. a cancer survivor).
Why do people even listen to Drudge? I dont trust him for news yet alone diagnostics of peoples health via a picture. Who does he think he is Tom DeLay?
Just and FYI the same cold George Michael had durring his American Idol performance that made people start speculating about his health as well.
He's a vegan. He'll never reach a healthy body weight...
The day Jobs leaves the industry it will become a much less interesting place, though. On the other hand, maybe it would do his health some good to spend the summer on the beach.
I resent that remark about vegan's never reaching a healthy body weight. I have been a vegan since I was 13 (am 24 now) and I have always maintained an average body weight for a person my height. Veganism does not make one look gaunt. Illness does. Veganism is not an illness.
I wish Steve the best. He has done me proud and we are better on earth for having come in contact with his creations.
By the way, Steve is not even a vegan (or so wikipedia posits).