Apple CEO Steve Jobs back in the spotlight
SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple CEO Steve Jobs returned to the public spotlight Wednesday for the first time since taking a medical leave earlier this year, saying he "wouldn't be here" had it not been for a liver transplant.
Jobs said he now has the liver of a young adult who died in a car crash. "I hope all of us can be as generous and think about becoming organ donors," Jobs said, taking the stage at an event to promote new Apple music products.
His last major public appearance was at an Apple event last fall, where his thin physique produced a lot of questions about his health. By the end of the year, the company announced he would take a medical leave. He returned in June after undergoing a liver transplant.
Jobs said "I'm loving every day," and working with teams to come up with new products.
He wore his trademark jeans and black t-shirt, looking thinner than his previous appearance and speaking quietly. At the event, Jobs spent much less time on stage, leaving much of the presentation to other executives.
The big product news Wednesday: Apple introduced several updated iPods, including a new Nano with a built-in video camera.
The new Nanos, available for $149 with 8 GB of memory or $179 with 16 GB, went on sale Wednesday.
Jobs pointed to the smash success of the Pure Digital Flip video cameras, which sell with 4 GB of memory for $149. "We've seen video explode in the last few years and we want to get in on this," he said.
The new Nanos also include an FM radio and a pedometer. The tiny iPod Shuffle has seen its price drop to $49, from $79, while the iPod Touch (which has iPhone-like functionality, but no phone) now starts at $199, formerly $229.
Additionally, Apple announced several software updates.
A new version of iTunes has a cleaned up interface and improved "Genius" features, which help listeners find music and mixes based on songs they like. A feature called iTunes LP includes album extras, such as photos, videos and liner notes.
You can create a wishlist too — and post it on Facebook. A new sync function makes it easier to organize your apps in iTunes, then sync them to your iPhone or iPod Touch.
ITunes Home Sharing allows you to copy songs, movies, and other content to up to five authorized computers. That way you can play a song downloaded in the office on a PC in the kitchen. It works on both PCs and Macs.
An iPhone software update, available now as a download at the iTunes store, offers "a bunch of new features and bug fixes," Jobs said.
Apple updated sales statistics on its products.
At the iTunes Music Store, some 8.5 billion songs have been sold.
Some 220 million iPods have sold to date, with 20 million of them the iPod Touch and 100 million Nanos.
Apple said some 30 million iPhones have been sold to date, with 75,000 software applications available for free or for sale, with 1.8 billion downloads.