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Yesterday Apple CEO Steve Jobs sent a letter to employees explaining that his health issues are more “complex” that he initially thought and that his medical leave will now likely extend until the end of June.
Tim Cook, Apple’s COO, will step in to oversee day-to-day operations in his absence. This will be the second time Cook has taken over for Jobs. Cook is considered a Silicon Valley outsider. He’s very low-key, but respected.
But what happens if Jobs doesn’t come back? Many bloggers and Twitter users are speculating that this may be that time we will ever see Mr. Jobs.
WIRED and nytimes.com even published articles titled: “Steve Jobs Probably Won’t Come Back to Apple” and “What If Steve Jobs Doesn’t Come Back to Work?“
Most people want Jobs to come back. Jobs has done amazing things while CEO of Apple. Jobs has even become a cult-like hero among techies and Apple fanboys. But Apple should have a plan B and the company should live on and flourish for decades to comes.
“Following the initial news around Macworld Expo that Jobs was going to forgo the keynote and had a hormonal imbalance, whispers grew to loud murmurs, saying that Apple needed a backup plan for CEO – and fast – but now that murmuring has become a roaring crescendo,” said Louis Gray from LouisGray.com. “And while I put myself at significant risk at being labeled a fanboy who kneels at the multi-colored altar, I have to express how losing Jobs for more than a few months will be a significant blow, not just to Apple and its customers, but to Silicon Valley and the world at large.”
Jobs has done wonders for not only Apple and the personal computer, but he also transformed digital media itself. The way music and videos are purchased and enjoyed is a direct result from the success of the iPod and iTunes. Love him or hate him, Jobs has used Apple’s technology to revolutionize the world.
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