Jan 14, 2009 11:48pm
Closing Arguments: Apple Without Steve Jobs
EmailApple founder and chief executive Steve Jobs announced today that he will be taking a medical leave of absence until June. A survivor of pancreatic cancer, Jobs told employees his current health issues are "more complex" than he originally thought. A little more than a week ago, Jobs issued a statement downplaying speculation about his apparent weight loss, including rumors the pancreatic condition he had suffered had worsened. The 53-year-old corporate icon attributed his appearance to a hormone imbalance. Today’s news sent Apple shares falling by more than 6 percent in after-hours trading. So tonight, we ask you: How will Apple do with Steve Jobs on the sidelines? Tell us what you think.
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Jobs is dying and so will Apple
Posted by: Jimay | January 15, 2009, 12:08 am 12:08 am
Steve Jobs is Apple. When the company turned against him, they suffered and couldn’t find their place. Once he returned, iMac was born, Itunes, Ipod, Ilife Iphone…. he is the driving force behind them, and though I realize every new concept may not be of his originality, he is the one who dared to question, the one who acted and brought us our Crash free computers. I think, therefore, iMac.
Posted by: Tim | January 15, 2009, 12:12 am 12:12 am
Steve was one of the keys at building and rebuilding Apple. His drive to be Wildly Successful has put Apple back in the leadership track of U2 (Ubber Usable) Technology. After several great tries they hit gold again with the iPod.
It will do well, perhaps not was well, but it has to learn from the mistakes of the past. They can continue to be insanely great, but it will take focus. Focus on things that Steve has led the fight back with. Usability and sizzle.
B2 (;->
Posted by: BillBingham2 | January 15, 2009, 12:12 am 12:12 am
Steve Jobs, owner of everything Apple, especially the international copyright of the operating system, is Apple.
Without Steve Jobs, if he hasn’t consigned this minor legal matter to someone with the inspiration he has (only Quicktime has internet television – did anybody Notice?) Apple, and everything Apple, goes into the Recycle Bin for seven years…
Posted by: Joseph Allison | January 15, 2009, 12:15 am 12:15 am
Steve Jobs is Very talented,and strong we wish him the best with his health issues but know that Steve Jobs is very intelligent to build a solid foundation and staff to Keep the magic of Mac alive and well.
Posted by: Donna Vedrook | January 15, 2009, 12:17 am 12:17 am
Apple will survive. I do wish Mr Jobs all the best because he has done more than wonders. I love my Apple.
Posted by: Melhorn Elizabeth | January 15, 2009, 12:24 am 12:24 am
Apple will do just fine.
Stop and look what Steve really did. What Steve did was take Apple back out of the hands of those Wall-Street Types and return it to the hands of people that enjoyed making great products, they were proud of making, using, and sharing with their friends and family.
What Steve did when he returned to run Apple, was to return the company back to the Culture that made Apple what it was when they invented the Apple II and the Macintosh.
Steve did not invent these great products, he was just the voice encouraging the engineers, programmers, and marketing people to come back home to the original vision of Apple.
Steve and his life could not say any more than what he said a few years ago delivering the commencement at Stanford.
I was part of 800 people In 1983 Hawaii Annual Sales meeting,who were given the task, of not just selling a new computer, but change the World. You see, we Mac people, just think outside the box, and keep striving to do more, with less, and do it better.
Get well soon Steve. Your in all of our prayers and while we restore your health, all of your Mac & Apple community will continue to Stay Hungry, and Stay Foolish.
Love & Prayers
Lee Schulz
Posted by: Lee Schulz | January 15, 2009, 12:24 am 12:24 am
I think Apple has grown an extraordinary following unlike any other company and that they will survive and prosper through this tragic turn of events. Steve Jobs is a very important person, but in the end, it’s the high quality products and customer service that makes Apple successful. I think their stocks will take a nosedive, but Apple will keep making the most innovative products in the world and people will keep buying. Eventually investors will realize this and their stocks will jump back up.
Posted by: Ethan | January 15, 2009, 12:28 am 12:28 am
He was the visionary of the company. The stock tanks tomorrow!
Posted by: Daniel | January 15, 2009, 1:17 am 1:17 am
No one is indispensible…Apple will do just fine.
Posted by: Gary Tirpak | January 15, 2009, 2:03 am 2:03 am
Apple has always thrived no matter what. It’s all a big hype that the media is creating, that this might be the downfall of Apple should Steve Jobs step down for a short period. If people read the facts, you should know he is still over looking the important parts of Apple while away to recuperate. Investors are just quick to jump on the bandwagon to pull out and bring down the stock. You’ll see that within time Steve Jobs will be back and bring forth a new array of software and devices to please the masses. So in a final note, lets wish for Steve to have full recovery so that he may rejoin his Apple family, friends, colleagues and fans.
Posted by: Angel E. Velazquez | January 15, 2009, 3:18 am 3:18 am
I used to work at Apple as an engineer and designer and now I’m just a stockholder. I can assure you that all of this fuss over Steve Jobs really tells me that the public really has no idea how stuff is created at Apple. Apple will be JUST FINE, people!
The ideas that Apple comes up with are generally not dreamed up by Jobs; they are dreamed up by a contingent of designers and creative folks. What happens is that the execs such as Jobs then make decisions about what they are going to take to market. That’s where sometimes things can run amok such as in the 90s when Mr. MoneyAndNoCreativity took over and shelved all of the cool stuff we were coming up with back then but even so, hello all – remember… STILL we came up with great cool stuff that revolutionized the industry so…
PLEASE GET OVER ALL of this noise about Jobs’ health. RELAX already. You’re really over-reacting and with most of the reporters really having absolutely NO real idea how products are really created and produced at Apple, please keep in mind that they are blowing this whole thing up based on their assumptions which are just not founded upon anything other than their “ideas” about product design and development.
As I said, I’m a stockholder (and former designer at Apple) and I’m not worried so… neither should anybody else be worried.
Posted by: LjR | January 15, 2009, 3:22 am 3:22 am
Apple will survive just fine because millions of people love Steve Jobs and Apple’s absolutely terrific products and will continue to buy them because they are the best. My sincere wishes for a fast and full recovery, Steve! Take care of your health, and come back strong. We need you.
Posted by: Love My Mac | January 15, 2009, 3:44 am 3:44 am
From the perspective of an investor, consumer, and employee, we’ve been here before without Mr Jobs at the day-to-day helm, and it’s a scary thought to consider the potential of Apple again suffering the long, drawn-out pain of wasting away without the guiding vision and leadership of Steve. Nobody has Steve’s cultural creativity and his midas touch with execution.
Posted by: Jim | January 15, 2009, 4:00 am 4:00 am
I see alot of nay-sayers predicting Apple’s downfall.
I, like Apple and Jobs, ‘think different’.
Posted by: Deep Release | January 15, 2009, 8:28 am 8:28 am
if he has done his job right, there will be an invisible corporate transition should the worst happen. meanwhile i think we should all wish him and his family strength to navigate whatever course their lives take. we become hysterical so easily. it’s a troubling trait.
Posted by: ellen sweets | January 15, 2009, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm
I think Jobs has given Apple a great foundation, including a sense of direction and ownership, therefore it is my belief that Apple will weather these six months of absence well. Best of luck to all of them and Jobs!
Posted by: A | January 15, 2009, 5:32 pm 5:32 pm