Steve Jobs Recovering From Hormone Imbalance, To Remain CEO

[WhySoSerious]

Letter From Apple CEO Steve Jobs
(PR Newswire 01/05 08:30:23)

Dear Apple Community,
For the first time in a decade, I'm getting to spend the holiday season
with my family, rather than intensely preparing for a Macworld keynote.
Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set
off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing
stories of me on my deathbed.
I've decided to share something very personal with the Apple community so
that we can all relax and enjoy the show tomorrow.
As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason
has been a mystery to me and my doctors. A few weeks ago, I decided that
getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1
priority.
Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the
cause -- a hormone imbalance that has been "robbing" me of the proteins my
body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this
diagnosis.
The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and
straightforward, and I've already begun treatment. But, just like I didn't
lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it
will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple's
CEO during my recovery.
I have given more than my all to Apple for the past 11 years now. I will
be the first one to step up and tell our Board of Directors if I can no longer
continue to fulfill my duties as Apple's CEO. I hope the Apple community will
support me in my recovery and know that I will always put what is best for
Apple first.
So now I've said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to
say, about this.
Steve
SOURCE Apple

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/01/05/steve-jobs-missing-macworld-due-to-health/)

Apple has published a letter today from Apple CEO Steve Jobs that confirms speculation that Steve Jobs is missing Macworld due to health issues: specifically recovering from a hormone imbalance that has been causing unhealthy weight loss.

Dear Apple Community,

For the first time in a decade, I’m getting to spend the holiday season with my family, rather than intensely preparing for a Macworld keynote.

Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed.

I’ve decided to share something very personal with the Apple community so that we can all relax and enjoy the show tomorrow.

As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors. A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority.

Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause—a hormone imbalance that has been “robbing” me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis.

The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I’ve already begun treatment. But, just like I didn’t lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple’s CEO during my recovery.

I have given more than my all to Apple for the past 11 years now. I will be the first one to step up and tell our Board of Directors if I can no longer continue to fulfill my duties as Apple’s CEO. I hope the Apple community will support me in my recovery and know that I will always put what is best for Apple first.

So now I’ve said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this.

Steve

Apple's board of directors also distributed the following statement:

It is widely recognized both inside and outside of Apple that Steve Jobs is one of the most talented and effective CEOs in the world.

As we have said before, if there ever comes a day when Steve wants to retire or for other reasons cannot continue to fulfill his duties as Apple’s CEO, you will know it.

Apple is very lucky to have Steve as its leader and CEO, and he deserves our complete and unwavering support during his recuperation. He most certainly has that from Apple and its Board.

Since Apple's announcement that Phil Shiller would be giving this year's keynote there has been intense speculation as to the reasons, both politically and health based (http://www.macrumors.com/2008/12/16/apples-macworld-exit-due-to-politics-not-health-issues/).

Article Link: Steve Jobs Missing Macworld Due To Health (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/01/05/steve-jobs-missing-macworld-due-to-health/)

[canyonblue737]

Read between the lines here folks...

1. "As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors."

Jobs and Apple have been saying for a year that it was nothing significant. NOT knowing the cause of mass weight loss IS significant.

2. "A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority."

Obviously it has grown WORSE since you last saw Steve and finally a few weeks ago became important enough that he had to make fixing the problem his #1 priority. Again while I applaud his decision and assume that the doctor's new diagnosis will help cure the problem, this statement doesn't imply the simple, insignificant issues that Apple and Steve tried to portray for the last year.

A persons health care is a private issue, no doubt. However when the person runs a multi-billion dollar publicly traded company it is inappropriate and ILLEGAL to make false statements that could impact stock price, and that included implying a health issue isn't significant when it is now crystal clear it is.

[CBX]

Just seen this on bbc http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/default.stm wasnt sure where to post it...

[amac4me]

All the best in your recovery Steve

[xparaparafreakx]

There he said it. He not dying. Stop making forum topics about what happens to apple after Steve.

Good luck on your recovery.

[GeekLawyer]

That's an awfully dramatic spin to put on it.

Though, I suppose, technically correct.

From the original thread:

Sounds like an over-active thyroid. I'm just glad to hear that there's a medical answer that's more nuanced than "OH NOES! TEH STEVE IS DYING!!!"

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[Cave Man]

Good news for sure.

[mward333]

We're wishing Steve Jobs a full and quick recovery!

[Kilamite]

That's really decent he's come out and said that - especially since it is a very personal thing. But I guess when he's in such a huge position - CEO of Apple - that rumours of his health do damage the company as we saw with the rumour of his death and the effect that had on their shares briefly.

Here's to a speedy recovery Steve! *holds up a pint*

Read it from Apple's site here:

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/01/05sjletter.html

[Luap]

I hope its not a bit of spin to cover up something worse.. Apple is fooked without him.
Best wishes to Steve!

[wolfshades]

He didn't need to post anything person but chose to do so anyway. Good call - glad there was a diagnosis for him, and that there's a good prognosis for recovery.

[Agathon]

Perhaps people can leave him alone now. His health is his business, and he's made it abundantly clear that he wants his privacy respected.

Even CEOs and celebrities have a right to privacy.

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Well I'm glad this will put rumors to rest!

Get well soon Steve!

[arkitect]

I hope its not a bit of spin to cover up something worse..
Probably is.

Apple is fooked without him.
Now, you know that is not true.
;)

[Santa Rosa]

Best wishes and a speedy recovery.

[MBX]

"The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I've already begun treatment. But, just like I didn't lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple's CEO during my recovery."

Does anybody know what he means by "simple and straightforward"? What kind of treatment is it?

[UltraNEO*]

OK..
Let's all email him and tell him our troubles...
cause he seems to care about us. :D

[Kilamite]

Perhaps people can leave him alone now. His health is his business, and he's made it abundantly clear that he wants his privacy respected.

Even CEOs and celebrities have a right to privacy.

Yeah, but this is Steve we're talking about. The man who saved Apple.

You saw how much of a knock the shares took when a rumour about his death popped up. He needed to let the world know.

[jennyp]

we'll know he's ok when the MacBook Fat comes out

[iCantwait]

oh steve, i pine for you

[arkitect]

Does anybody know what he means by "simple and straightforward"? What kind of treatment is it?

I thought it was common knowledge in the USA?
Eat more, excercise less?
:D

[milani]

Steve, take a holiday and get healthy! You've earned it.

[GeekLawyer]

"The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I've already begun treatment. But, just like I didn't lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple's CEO during my recovery."

Does anybody know what he means by "simple and straightforward"? What kind of treatment is it?

If it's a problem with T3 and/or T4 over-production, the doctors can suppress those hormones. There are other treatments, as well.

This, of course, is nothing more than my own speculation.

[BBC B 32k]

Peace and Happiness to SJ and his family. A little privacy and dignity is all that is required. Let's not speculate any more and give SJ all the time he requires.

[Agathon]

Yeah, but this is Steve we're talking about. The man who saved Apple.

You saw how much of a knock the shares took when a rumour about his death popped up. He needed to let the world know.

People's fundamental rights are not for sale.

Sorry.

[wolfshades]

I thought it was common knowledge in the USA?
Eat more, excercise less?
:D

Absolutely!

And remember, kids:

Lots of TV time and pretzels are your friend.

[emotion]

Read between the lines here folks...

1. "As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors."

Jobs and Apple have been saying for a year that it was nothing significant. NOT knowing the cause of mass weight loss IS significant.

I assume you mean "massive" weight loss. This clearly isn't that. He'd be dead now if that was the case.

He currently has a chronic illness. Many people live very successful lives suffering from chronic illnesses (myself included)....


2. "A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority."

...snip...

A persons health care is a private issue, no doubt. However when the person runs a multi-billion dollar publicly traded company it is inappropriate and ILLEGAL to make false statements that could impact stock price, and that included implying a health issue isn't significant when it is now crystal clear it is.

...and it doesn't interfere with their abilities to do their job.

Not that SJ will read this but I hope he's better soon. I mean that for the sake of his health (and the peace of mind of his loved ones) not the stupid shareholder concerns above.

Perspective!

[Stebus]

I think it was appropriate for him to wait until they had correctly diagnosed the problem before going public with it. Could you have imagined if he had said "I'm losing wait and don't know why.. but I'll still be CEO!", God.

Here's hoping 'Steve is dying' threads die out because of this. ;)

[ucfgrad93]

Perhaps people can leave him alone now. His health is his business, and he's made it abundantly clear that he wants his privacy respected.

Even CEOs and celebrities have a right to privacy.

Agreed, and I hope it is a quick recovery.

[Lancetx]

Hopefully now all of the idiotic speculation (Gizmodo) will finally end once and for all. Best of health to you Steve. :apple:

[dubhe]

Best wishes Steve - get well soon

[Boydbme]

Get well soon Steve Jobs.


I am glad you get to spend time with family, you have more than earned. Can't wait to see what Steve 2.1 has in store for all of us come spring.

[drummerlondonw3]

Just want to wish Steve all the best. I think it's something that everyone can sympathize with and I hope he has a quick recovery.

David :apple:

[canyonblue737]

People's fundamental rights are not for sale.

Sorry.

There is legal precedent that a company with knowledge of a health issue of a CEO that could effect their job and company performance must disclose it.

Sorry. A shareholder has a fundamental right too.

He doesn't need to explain anything to us, but for the last year shrugging off his weight loss in public and having Apple PR release statement after statement saying there are no health concerns is flat out illegal.

[Cryteria]

Hey All,

Look, I love Apple and Steve Job and you all love Apple and Steve Jobs. I hope to God I'm wrong, but I just don't believe any of that. It sounds too good to be a letter written by Jobs and released. It sounds to me like they're covering their butts with the stock holders the day before the last Macworld which Apple attends. It saddens me greatly, but I believe we'll see the obituary for Steve Jobs within the year...

[talkingfuture]

Hope he gets well soon, now all the speculation can die before tomorrow and we can concentrate on the new products.

[madrag]

Hopefully now all of the idiotic speculation (Gizmodo) will finally end once and for all. Best of health to you Steve. :apple:

this is very naif...
now the speculation will have even more power.
in a month or so SJ will step out, and in three months he's dead.

This is very a negative view of mine, but after reading that letter (carefully written, probably by his staff), for me, I feel it is a preparation for his goodbye.

[Yvan256]

Get well soon, Steve.

[wolfshades]

Hey All,

Look, I love Apple and Steve Job and you all love Apple and Steve Jobs. I hope to God I'm wrong, but I just don't believe any of that. It sounds too good to be a letter written by Jobs and released. It sounds to me like they're covering their butts with the stock holders the day before the last Macworld which Apple attends. It saddens me greatly, but I believe we'll see the obituary for Steve Jobs within the year...

Once again, wiser heads have seen through all of this. This is Apple's grand attempt to separate us from even more of our money, and Steve's actually been dead for nigh on 10 years now. That skinny guy at the Macworld events is his twin brother.

You read it here first.

[nightrider270]

i'm wondering if the blood tests were done on Mac

[Porco]

Get well soon Steve. I'm glad he's commented on it all, but I think it's a shame he felt he had to.

Hey All,

Look, I love Apple and Steve Job and you all love Apple and Steve Jobs. I hope to God I'm wrong, but I just don't believe any of that. It sounds too good to be a letter written by Jobs and released. It sounds to me like they're covering their butts with the stock holders the day before the last Macworld which Apple attends. It saddens me greatly, but I believe we'll see the obituary for Steve Jobs within the year...

So you're basically calling him a liar, nice. :rolleyes: Don't you think the shareholders would be a lot angrier if they later found out it was all lies?!

[Masquerade]

Does anybody know what he means by "simple and straightforward"? What kind of treatment is it?

well thats steve figure of speeching. Even his treatment looks an apple product!
i hope that he gets well.

[grooveattack]

oh this will be annoying.
how will the world takes this!?

Steve: i have lost weight for a long time but have found the problem and me and my doctors are sorting it.

world: OH MY GOD HE IS DEAD!!!

most frustrating.
any way,
get well soon.

[hmmfe]

I assume you mean "massive" weight loss. This clearly isn't that. He'd be dead now if that was the case.

He currently has a chronic illness. Many people live very successful lives suffering from chronic illnesses (myself included)....



...and it doesn't interfere with their abilities to do their job.

Not that SJ will read this but I hope he's better soon. I mean that for the sake of his health (and the peace of mind of his loved ones) not the stupid shareholder concerns above.

Perspective!

One of the best posts I've read in some time. It has restored some of the faith in humanity I've lost reading some of the reactions thus far. Thanks emotion!

[Prom1]

Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors thinkthey have found the cause a hormone imbalance that has been robbing me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis

The "think" part still worries me - but a CEO's personal health that is not in jeopardy - something to be concerned about sure - shouldn't be translated into the stock! up $2US on the Nasdaq?! Well its good news that he's working towards health.

Get well soon, Steve.

Indeed! We still need that distortion field ... the Mac Pro, MacBooks still need some serious UMPH with a touchscreen ;) .

So don't go yet Steve. Glad he got to spend the holidays with family ... maybe some new ideas and passion was instilled during that time.

[rph105]

Happy to hear this from the man himself! MACWORLD TOMORROW Wo0o0o0!!!

[Sonicjay]

Does anybody know what he means by "simple and straightforward"? What kind of treatment is it?

Start eating meat.. ;)

we'll know he's ok when the MacBook Fat comes out

haha, nice

[Stebus]

Health problems don't equal death you know. I certainly don't believe that this is simply a spin story, it is quite specific (as specific as you are going to get from Apple) about a problem that people have noticed the whole year. Do people want him to die or something? I for one would rather live in a world of optimism rather than your depressing, negative one.

[dalvin200]

maybe he'll get an apple logo transplanted onto his new hormones :p

nah, just kidding!!

good luck Steve (not that he'll ever read this).. and look forward to seeing you fit and healthy in late spring for an Apple event :D

ps: i can't believe people are nitpicking at his statement.... :(

[gibbz]

It's even posted on Drudge (http://drudgereport.com)

[APPLENEWBIE]

Is the OP an exact quote of SJ's statement? I note several typo's that would seem to suggest that it is not... hopefully...

Get well Steve.

[MacTraveller]

Many moar years to you. Get well, Dear Leader!!

[thm2@law.george]

This story badly misreads Jobs' statement and is flat wrong.

Jobs wrote:

Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed.

I've decided to share something very personal with the Apple community so that we can all relax and enjoy the show tomorrow.


It does not say that Jobs had Schiller deliver the keynote due to his health, nor can that be reasonably inferred.

If you disagree, point out to me the exact language that says Jobs is not giving the keynote because of his health.

[mdriftmeyer]

The "think" part still worries me - but a CEO's personal health that is not in jeopardy - something to be concerned about sure - shouldn't be translated into the stock! up $2US on the Nasdaq?! Well its good news that he's working towards health.



Indeed! We still need that distortion field ... the Mac Pro, MacBooks still need some serious UMPH with a touchscreen ;) .

So don't go yet Steve. Glad he got to spend the holidays with family ... maybe some new ideas and passion was instilled during that time.

You must have a neuroses if you fixate on a word. All medical treatment is a probability model based analysis, just as in life. There are no 100% perfect solutions. All of life is a work in progress.

Have a drink or meditate, or just do some rigorous exercise and let your mind release some endorphines. Your outlook will improve.

[kas23]

Hmmm, as a physician, I'm still trying to decipher Steve's message. First of all, it is NOT his thyroid gland. Cross this off the list as this would be one of the very first tests to run. You wouldn't finally diagnoss hyperthyroidism after one year. Second, it's very interesting it took almost a year to come up with a diagnosis. This does not bode well as this diagnosis is either a very obscure disease or a diagnosis of exclusion (read: We know what it is NOT, but we still don't really know the diagnosis, so we'll cause it disease X so we still look good).

Now, he did have part of his small intestine taken out (and likely part of his stomach too). This could certainly cause weight loss, but this wouldn't appear so late in the game. He could be suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency, but I don't think this would cause such a large weight loss. There is an entity called protein-losing enteropathy where basically your body spills protein from the gut - and based on his description, this may be what he has. But this is a syndrome (there are many different causes for this) and his physicians would likely still have to dig around for the root of the cause. His treatment would likely be nutritional - just keep putting in protein faster than it is coming out.

Nevertheless, we should all wish Steve the very best in his recovery and remember that the fate of the company does not solely rest on his shoulders. I wish Phil good luck too.

[Small White Car]

There is legal precedent that a company with knowledge of a health issue of a CEO that could effect their job and company performance must disclose it.

Sorry. A shareholder has a fundamental right too.

This condition didn't, doesn't, and won't affect his job. If that had changed, yes, they'd have to tell us about it. But that's didn't happen.


Look, I love Apple and Steve Job and you all love Apple and Steve Jobs. I hope to God I'm wrong, but I just don't believe any of that. It sounds too good to be a letter written by Jobs and released. It sounds to me like they're covering their butts with the stock holders the day before the last Macworld which Apple attends.

If you're right, this would be tha absolute dumbest thing Apple could do. If this happens, their stock will be worth $2 next year. So my question to you is, why do you think all the executives at Apple want to destory their company? Because I can't think of a reasonn.

[drgardner]

Hey All,

Look, I love Apple and Steve Job and you all love Apple and Steve Jobs. I hope to God I'm wrong, but I just don't believe any of that. It sounds too good to be a letter written by Jobs and released. It sounds to me like they're covering their butts with the stock holders the day before the last Macworld which Apple attends. It saddens me greatly, but I believe we'll see the obituary for Steve Jobs within the year...

Short sell much?

[Saladinos]

Perhaps people can leave him alone now. His health is his business, and he's made it abundantly clear that he wants his privacy respected.

Even CEOs and celebrities have a right to privacy.

I disagree. As CEO as Apple, Steve is responsible for other people's money. It's not his company. Taking care of his health is part of his responsibility to them. By not making his health his #1 priority, he is actually putting Apple in more danger.

The easiest way to determine which side is right is to think about the worst that could have happened. That would be that he died. Obviously a huge personal tragedy to his family, but also unfair to the thousands (tens of thousands?) of investors who have poured millions of dollars in to Apple, only to see it wiped away because Steve mistook active involvement with Apple's best interests. He's not just living his own life - he is managing substantial amounts of money for other people. If you re-mortgaged your house to give me a million dollars that I'd repay in a year when I had a terminal condition that would kill me in less than that, you'd be pretty annoyed when I died and couldn't repay it. It would be just as irresponsible.

Don't let the personal tragedy of his death distract you from the fact that ignoring your health until you're so thin that you're on death's door is irresponsible when other people depend on you - investors, children, whoever.

I'm not lecturing him on how to be a good CEO. I know nothing about what it takes to be an executive at that level. What I'm doing is criticising his decision to keep the fate of other people's money shrouded in secrecy. It's an ethical decision, one that no amount of experience can help you decide.

That said, I'm glad for Apple's sake that it's not serious.

[canyonblue737]

One of the best posts I've read in some time. It has restored some of the faith in humanity I've lost reading some of the reactions thus far. Thanks emotion!

Let me be clear. #1 I hope Steve get better. Not for the shareholders, but for him, his family, and the fact the world is a better place with geniuses like him in it. #2 I don't believe that Steve has to or should give all the details of his health to the public, I simply believe that allowing Apple to say nothing is wrong when Steve knew there is was a mistake.

[kas23]

You must have a neuroses if you fixate on a word. All medical treatment is a probability model based analysis, just as in life. There are no 100% perfect solutions. All of life is a work in progress.


Correct, very few things are 100% in medicine.

[AlexisV]

There is legal precedent that a company with knowledge of a health issue of a CEO that could effect their job and company performance must disclose it.

Sorry. A shareholder has a fundamental right too.

He doesn't need to explain anything to us, but for the last year shrugging off his weight loss in public and having Apple PR release statement after statement saying there are no health concerns is flat out illegal.

Define 'health issue'. Going to work every day as usual, but losing a few kilos over a few months is no reason for PR statements about health concerns. There's losing weight, and there's losing a severe amount of weight which leads to ill health.

Just look at Matt Perry / Calista Flockhart. People can lose a lot of weight and do their jobs quite happily.

[emotion]

There is legal precedent that a company with knowledge of a health issue of a CEO that could effect their job and company performance must disclose it.

Sorry. A shareholder has a fundamental right too.


You're whining. Why? Apple are doing phenomenally well for tech company. Relax.


He doesn't need to explain anything to us, but for the last year shrugging off his weight loss in public and having Apple PR release statement after statement saying there are no health concerns is flat out illegal.

He (and Apple legal) informed the world he had a form of cancer. That's enough. There's a million things that can go wrong around that. They fulfilled their obligations to inform.

[gGGg]

The "think" part still worries me

"Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause—a hormone imbalance that has been “robbing” me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis."

[kk1ro]

Get well soon, Steve.

I applaud his decision to address the user community. Just another example of how much Apple trusts their customers. Bravo.

[sushi]

Good to hear. It should lay rest to some of the rumors.

Compared to pancreatic cancer, a hormonal imbalance is almost trivial, relatively speaking.

Not surprised that Steve released a letter along with Apple's BOD. So many negative rumors concerning Steve and Apple's future as of late.

Best to you Steve on your recovery.

Best to you Phil on your Keynote!

[Blue Velvet]

Second, it's very interesting it took almost a year to come up with a diagnosis.

But did it? My emphasis.

A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority.

[atropos]

Is my first glory day in 2009, haha I just email him that ... all the best, get well soon :cool: ..... I m feeling relief now

[drgardner]

Hmmm, as a physician, I'm still trying to decipher Steve's message. First of all, it is NOT his thyroid gland. Cross this off the list as this would be one of the very first tests to run. You wouldn't finally diagnoss hyperthyroidism after one year. Second, it's very interesting it took almost a year to come up with a diagnosis. This does not bode well as this diagnosis is either a very obscure disease or a diagnosis of exclusion (read: We know what it is NOT, but we still don't really know the diagnosis, so we'll cause it disease X so we still look good).

Now, he did have part of his small intestine taken out (and likely part of his stomach too). This could certainly cause weight loss, but this wouldn't appear so late in the game. He could be suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency, but I don't think this would cause such a large weight loss. There is an entity called protein-losing enteropathy where basically your body spills protein from the gut - and based on his description, this may be what he has. But this is a syndrome (there are many different causes for this) and his physicians would likely still have to dig around for the root of the cause. His treatment would likely be nutritional - just keep putting in protein faster than it is coming out.

Nevertheless, we should all wish Steve the very best in his recovery and remember that the fate of the company does not solely rest on his shoulders. I wish Phil good luck too.

Just curious - you practice where? And in what field? Just want to make sure I don't end up seeing a physician who's happy to diagnose in public, someone he's never seen, based on a total lack of data.

[kas23]

Let me be clear. #1 I hope Steve get better. Not for the shareholders, but for him, his family, and the fact the world is a better place with geniuses like him in it. #2 I don't believe that Steve has to or should give all the details of his health to the public, I simply believe that allowing Apple to say nothing is wrong when Steve knew there is was mistake.

I'm am not a shareholder, but he is the CEO (he has responsibilities towards the corporation) and board member (and responsibilties to the shareholders) of a very prestigious global corporation. His life is going to be under a microscope and he likely knew this when he decided to take these responsibilities.

[Catacang]

I wish him to get well soon!
Steve is very important but I believe the company has plenty of people prepared to keep thing running without him... nobody is irreplaceable, anyway, I hope he gets a fast recovery :)

[63dot]

There is legal precedent that a company with knowledge of a health issue of a CEO that could effect their job and company performance must disclose it.

Sorry. A shareholder has a fundamental right too.

He doesn't need to explain anything to us, but for the last year shrugging off his weight loss in public and having Apple PR release statement after statement saying there are no health concerns is flat out illegal.

You are right. His letter does appear to be in good faith and it satisfies that precedent. Anyway, the best to Steve for a speedy recovery and whatever decision he goes with in the future. He has done so much for Apple and helped expand a computer company into a multimedia company brand that is so strong it could exist without Macs. iPods/iTunes/iPhone alone is far more impressive than many companies in their entirety in the silicon valley.

[Small White Car]

Just curious - you practice where? And in what field? Just want to make sure I don't end up seeing a physician who's happy to diagnose in public, someone he's never seen, based on a total lack of data.

Are you for real?

Seriously? :rolleyes:

[kurosov]

There is legal precedent that a company with knowledge of a health issue of a CEO that could effect their job and company performance must disclose it.

Sorry. A shareholder has a fundamental right too.

He doesn't need to explain anything to us, but for the last year shrugging off his weight loss in public and having Apple PR release statement after statement saying there are no health concerns is flat out illegal.

And what proof do you have that he saw this as a serious issue in the past?

Although it may suprise some people it is entirely possible, and normal for people to loose a little weight due to age, cancer treatment etc.

It could be that only recently have the levels of weight dropped so low that it was deemed a health concern.

Imagine the state of the world if every fat person thought they where seriously ill everytime they lost a few pounds.

[mynameisraj]

Hang in there steve - I hope everything works out :)

Steve always adds that extra "boom" to keynotes ;)

[kas23]

Just curious - you practice where? And in what field? Just want to make sure I don't end up seeing a physician who's happy to diagnose in public, someone he's never seen, based on a total lack of data.

This is clearly a Macrumors message board, am I correct, so take it for what it is - speculation on a rumor site And this is clearly not a medical professional forum, therefore I have zero professional responsibilities. If a person posts his medical information in public, anyone has rights to analyze it, even you. Cool off.

[ianmac47]

Oh please, stop with the fear mongering headlines. Have you or anyone you ever met ever had a weight changing hormone imbalance? He could have just as easily become a 300lb monster as much as becoming a 100lb stick. This sort of thing is common, treatable, and not that unusual.

[swagi]

Hmmm, as a physician, I'm still trying to decipher Steve's message. First of all, it is NOT his thyroid gland. Cross this off the list as this would be one of the very first tests to run. You wouldn't finally diagnoss hyperthyroidism after one year. Second, it's very interesting it took almost a year to come up with a diagnosis. This does not bode well as this diagnosis is either a very obscure disease or a diagnosis of exclusion (read: We know what it is NOT, but we still don't really know the diagnosis, so we'll cause it disease X so we still look good).

Now, he did have part of his small intestine taken out (and likely part of his stomach too). This could certainly cause weight loss, but this wouldn't appear so late in the game. He could be suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency, but I don't think this would cause such a large weight loss. There is an entity called protein-losing enteropathy where basically your body spills protein from the gut - and based on his description, this may be what he has. But this is a syndrome (there are many different causes for this) and his physicians would likely still have to dig around for the root of the cause. His treatment would likely be nutritional - just keep putting in protein faster than it is coming out.

Nevertheless, we should all wish Steve the very best in his recovery and remember that the fate of the company does not solely rest on his shoulders. I wish Phil good luck too.

So, basically, in short the best treatment was posted a page back (and I also wanted to post it)

START EATING MEAT AGAIN!

This would especially help with B12, but also offer some highly valuable digestive protein.

He wouldn't be the first vegan to run into severe medical problems.

*now hides from the upset veggie crowd*

Get well soon, Steve. Take a trip to Argentina, I heard the Gauchos are famous for their protein-rich diet.

[.:R2theT]

Read between the lines here folks...

1. "As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors."

Jobs and Apple have been saying for a year that it was nothing significant. NOT knowing the cause of mass weight loss IS significant.

2. "A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority."

Obviously it has grown WORSE since you last saw Steve and finally a few weeks ago became important enough that he had to make fixing the problem his #1 priority. Again while I applaud his decision and assume that the doctor's new diagnosis will help cure the problem, this statement doesn't imply the simple, insignificant issues that Apple and Steve tried to portray for the last year.

A persons health care is a private issue, no doubt. However when the person runs a multi-billion dollar publicly traded company it is inappropriate and ILLEGAL to make false statements that could impact stock price, and that included implying a health issue isn't significant when it is now crystal clear it is.

Actually I think you are a bit misguided in these statements.

First, there is no way of knowing what Steve's/Steve's doctors/Apple's take on the weight-loss was and whether it was a significant health issue or not. Generally that is how it is with health issues. It is just annoying until it becomes a real health issue.

Second, he just made a statement regarding his health. Never did he say that his health was the reason for him not attending Macworld. Apple has already been phasing out other trade shows. Apparently it is very expensive(read: millions of $$$) to do these things and if Apple obviously doesn't feel it is getting its bang for its buck. Plus, Apple likes to do things in its own time not because a show is happening.

As far illegality, I don't think so. If Steve Jobs was hiding something from the Board of Directors then there might be issue. But he has no reason to be compelled to tell the public anything about his health. People need to get over themselves. A 24-hour news cycle and an ever-increasing voyeuristic attitude towards other people's lives seems to be giving folks a real sense of entitlement. People should leave the man alone.

I hope he is getting some good rest with his family and relaxing a bit. He deserves it.

[swagi]

And what proof do you have that he saw this as a serious issue in the past?

Although it may suprise some people it is entirely possible, and normal for people to loose a little weight due to age, cancer treatment etc.

It could be that only recently have the levels of weight dropped so low that it was deemed a health concern.

Imagine the state of the world if every fat person thought they where seriously ill everytime they lost a few pounds.

I definitely have to agree. Especially in females hyperthyerosis seems to be a very welcome circumstance, as long as you don't start developing neurological problems. :D:D:D

[Santa Rosa]

Can't wait to see what Steve 2.1 has in store for all of us come spring.

You mean Steve 1.1.4 :)

[glassbathroom]

This story badly misreads Jobs' statement and is flat wrong.

Jobs wrote:

Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed.

I've decided to share something very personal with the Apple community so that we can all relax and enjoy the show tomorrow.


It does not say that Jobs had Schiller deliver the keynote due to his health, nor can that be reasonably inferred.

If you disagree, point out to me the exact language that says Jobs is not giving the keynote because of his health.

I quite agree with this post. This is sloppy journalism.

[thomas040]

Steve. I think I love you. No Homo.

[Saladinos]

This condition didn't, doesn't, and won't affect his job. If that had changed, yes, they'd have to tell us about it. But that's didn't happen.

You don't know that, and he didn't know that. Hormonal imbalances can drastically affect a person's mood and decision making capabilities. Ever heard of puberty? Of course, not all hormonal imbalances cause mood changes.

He didn't know what he had. He might have had a condition that did affect his ability to act as CEO. Not finding out sooner was irresponsible. Denying that is like saying it's alright to drink and drive, so long as you don't hit anybody.

[notjustjay]

... unfair to the thousands (tens of thousands?) of investors who have poured millions of dollars in to Apple, only to see it wiped away because Steve mistook active involvement with Apple's best interests. He's not just living his own life - he is managing substantial amounts of money for other people. If you re-mortgaged your house to give me a million dollars that I'd repay in a year when I had a terminal condition that would kill me in less than that, you'd be pretty annoyed when I died and couldn't repay it. It would be just as irresponsible.

Steve is not the only person qualified to run Apple. If I gave you a million dollars and you died, I would still expect your estate to provide me with the desired payoff.

[kas23]

Steve. I think I love you. No Homo.

It's called a mancrush.

[sushi]

Hmmm, as a physician, I'm still trying to decipher Steve's message. First of all, it is NOT his thyroid gland. Cross this off the list as this would be one of the very first tests to run. You wouldn't finally diagnoss hyperthyroidism after one year. Second, it's very interesting it took almost a year to come up with a diagnosis. This does not bode well as this diagnosis is either a very obscure disease or a diagnosis of exclusion (read: We know what it is NOT, but we still don't really know the diagnosis, so we'll cause it disease X so we still look good).

Now, he did have part of his small intestine taken out (and likely part of his stomach too). This could certainly cause weight loss, but this wouldn't appear so late in the game. He could be suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency, but I don't think this would cause such a large weight loss. There is an entity called protein-losing enteropathy where basically your body spills protein from the gut - and based on his description, this may be what he has. But this is a syndrome (there are many different causes for this) and his physicians would likely still have to dig around for the root of the cause. His treatment would likely be nutritional - just keep putting in protein faster than it is coming out.
If you are really a physician, and have dealt with cancer patients, then the delay in figuring things out would not be a mystery to you sir.

Also, quite frankly, I am a bit amazed that you have tried to make a diagnosis, or at least determine what is wrong with him, without access to his personal medical data.

Anyhow, Steve's health is his personal issue.

[numbsafari]

A persons health care is a private issue, no doubt. However when the person runs a multi-billion dollar publicly traded company it is inappropriate and ILLEGAL to make false statements that could impact stock price, and that included implying a health issue isn't significant when it is now crystal clear it is.

First off, you don't know exactly how rapidly he has been losing weight. Often times that can be the sort of thing that sneaks up on you. He may have felt just fine over the summer even though he was losing weight.

Would it be any less "ILLEGAL" to run out and blow something like this way out of proportion when you don't know whether it's simply that he hasn't been getting enough B12 in his diet or because he's got a major health problem that is irreversible?

To me, it seems like they did the right thing: they went and found out the answer before making a public statement. My guess is that's more in-line with the law than running out and blowing a horn every time the man heartburn.

[APPLENEWBIE]

"...and Ive already begun treatment... So now Ive said more than I wanted to say

..."


So.. It's all a plot by Jonathan Ive to take over Apple!:D

[Di9it8]

Perhaps people can leave him alone now. His health is his business, and he's made it abundantly clear that he wants his privacy respected.

Even CEOs and celebrities have a right to privacy.

I second that thought.

[leekohler]

Awww! This stinks. I hope that he gets better soon.

[Freis968]

God Bless You Steve. May you endure a full recovery.

[Wingnut330]

I thought it was common knowledge in the USA?
Eat more, excercise less?
:D

It's worked for me!

[Full of Win]

Well I'm glad this will put rumors to rest!

Get well soon Steve!

Ha Ha - this is Mac Rumors. The rumors will never die until he does.

[iBlue]

Whatever it is, it isn't as simple or as innocuous as he is making it sound.

[koobcamuk]

There he said it. He not dying.

Well, that's what he has said now. When did anyone last see him?

Whatever it is, it isn't as simple or as innocuous as he is making it sound.

Agreed.

Have you seen the leaked pictures of Freddie Mercury just before his death? Not that I think Steve has AIDS, but I do think that there is more to this than we're being told. He needs to make gaining weight a priority otherwise we won't see him again as it will weird out people too shallow to see past illness.

I wish Steve a swift recovery and best wishes to his family.

I also hope that his health has been the reason for some of the crap coming out of Apple in 2008 and I hope we're back on track by 2010.

[Riemann Zeta]

Does anybody know what he means by "simple and straightforward"? What kind of treatment is it?
The treatment isn't that complicated:

"You'll want to focus on the neglected food groups: the congealed group, the whipped group and the choclatastic. Remember, if you're not sure about something, rub it against a piece of paper: if the paper turns clear, it's your window to weight gain."

Bye bye everybody!

[.:R2theT]

Whatever it is, it isn't as simple or as innocuous as he is making it sound.

You really don't know that. You may be correct but it pure speculation.

[Small White Car]

You don't know that, and he didn't know that. Hormonal imbalances can drastically affect a person's mood and decision making capabilities. Ever heard of puberty? Of course, not all hormonal imbalances cause mood changes.

He didn't know what he had. He might have had a condition that did affect his ability to act as CEO. Not finding out sooner was irresponsible. Denying that is like saying it's alright to drink and drive, so long as you don't hit anybody.

He knows now and he told us.

"Not finding out sooner" means what, exactly? Every time a CEO gains or loses weight they need to put out a press release? Really??

It's not like he was bleeding from the ears. At what point is gradual weight change a problem? 5 pounds? 10? What magical number have you decided on?

[Dave00]

It's a really odd description. I'm trying to think of a "hormone imbalance" that robs one of protein. It's probably a combination of being purposefully vague, and not fully understanding the problem enough to describe it. Given his history of pancreatic cancer, he could have pancreatic insufficiency, which impairs digestion and causes weight loss, and is fixed by supplementing with pancreatic enzyme pills. However, this is not a hormonal problem. Main hormone produced by the pancreas is insulin, and certainly diabetes caused by pancreatic failure would cause weight loss. But that's a pretty easy diagnosis and does not require a sophisticated test. There are also a whole host of malabsorption problems that cause weight loss, some of which are difficult to diagnose - but I can't think of any that are related to hormones, other than hyperthyroidism, which again is not a difficult diagnosis. Huh. Well, hopefully that will correct that problem and we'll see him back looking his robust self. I predict Apple stock dips on this, might be a good time to stock up, benefit from fear.

Dave

[137489]

A persons health care is a private issue, no doubt. However when the person runs a multi-billion dollar publicly traded company it is inappropriate and ILLEGAL to make false statements that could impact stock price, and that included implying a health issue isn't significant when it is now crystal clear it is.


I am someone who works in the healthcare industry. Under the HIPAA laws, it is illegal for anyone to dispel protected health information (PHI) without the consent of the patient. that means, unless you are the patient; or you are a doctor and have a signed agreement, from the patient, to disclosed information to certain individuals that the patient choses only - then by law you are required to protect and keep that information confidential.

Protected health information includes: Name, Date of Birth, address, SS#, Medical record number, account/Unit Number (usually a number identifying a particular hospital visit), any other identifing information where one could easily determine the individual, diagnosis, treatments (including medication both over-the-counter and prescription), etc.

this part of the law is in place due to insurance companies, employers, etc using this information to determine whether or not a person is insurable, employable, keeps their job, credit rating, and whether or not a doctor or hospital wanted to treat the person. Just like the old company practices decades ago of firing women because they were pregnant (and therefore a risk).

the fact of apple saying nothing is wrong - implies that Steve either did not tell them, or specifically asked them to keep it quiet until he was sure what it was and at such a time he wanted to disclose it.

fines for breaking HIPAA laws start at $10,000 per person per occurance and jail time. fines are also imposed to the company employing that person.

and from the seminars I went to, it is treated (by the government) that if X (person or company) illegally released information once, then based on the % of records they had access to, then the fines are multiplied by that percentage. the reason is, if they released detailed enough information once, then they did it multiple times.

Like the company who gave the seminar said "$10k is nothing, buy the time it is through, it is usually $100k or more for the individual and upwards of $1million for the company). And it does not stop with fines and jailtime either. If you break HIPAA law, then you as an individual is barred from working in healthcare again and the company can also be forced not to be in healthcare again.

the government does not fool around with HIPAA.

the fact that "the health is isn't significant" in your comment above, probably just meant that Steve was feeling good and there was not a concern. Now with this letter, it probably means that his weight dropped below a percentage that would seem to be an unhealthy weight fluctuation, and Steve felt it was time to disclose information to stop all the nonsense.

Isn't it funny (and I even get this from my doctors)... when I pack a few pounds, they say I need to lose weight. as soon as I start losing weight, they ask if I had been sick and start probing into why I lost weight :confused:


Apple and Steve did right (both morally and legally) not to say anything until Steve was ready to address his health himself.

Unfortunately, I do not think HIPAA laws applies to rumor and speculation. Here it would be nice if it did, because thanks to a few analysts and rumors - stock is down and now there is a credibility issue.

so the question is with your statment "it is inappropriate and ILLEGAL to make false statements" ok, was the statement false, a rumor, a speculation, or just someone saying "he is fine" which is a grey cover-all to not dispel anything.

Just like when someone asks you "hey how you doing?" and you answer "Good" when the truth may be that your not-so-good and just did not care to talk about it.

[glitch75]

Get well Steve! We love you brother!!!

[iBlue]

You really don't know that. You may be correct but it pure speculation.

:rolleyes: Of course it is speculation. It is also how any smart CEO would handle such rumours.

[SleepyHead157]

it's just sad that he had to write a public letter so people would leave him alone

[63dot]

The cancer has come back - he is looking for alternative measures to treat it. Don't ask me how I know this, but its not good...

We don't know this for certain. While cancer is one probability, there are other chronic health issues people have mentioned in the above posts including one physician. People on this thread have mentioned they themselves have chronic health issues and can perform their duties.

If Steve Jobs were a paratrooper or professional wrestler, I can see where he may lose his job due to health issues, but until we know more, he is the CEO of a company he saved and successfully expanded. The Americans with Disabilities Act otherwise forbids the banning one from being hired, or from one being fired due to a disability, and this includes chronic illness.

[sushi]

Whatever it is, it isn't as simple or as innocuous as he is making it sound.
You may be right.

I think that the reason that Steve and the Apple BOD released their statements is due to the intense speculation right before this MacWorld. They had to do something to quell the tangents.

[minijon]

Only Steve can release a notice about his health, as the CEO of a major company, and see the stock price up over $3.00

[the vj]

I told you all, he was sick!

This community is way to naive, I even opened a tread last night with my pronostic of Apple without Jobs. Apple is taking him away from the crowd in small steps.

Apple has not being driven by Jobs this year because of the amount of unpopular things they are doing. It is driven by some one who is sucking out the juice from the Apple and people's money. Is becoming more a corporation than the community it used to be.

Is Apple keeps this track in 10 years will be gone.

[Saladinos]

Steve is not the only person qualified to run Apple. If I gave you a million dollars and you died, I would still expect your estate to provide me with the desired payoff.

No, but investor confidence and hence valuation of the company is influenced significantly by the idea that Steve will be taking the company forward. By not finding out sooner, he misled investors by making them believe he was in perfect health. Luckily, his condition wasn't serious. That doesn't mean he did the responsible thing. The results do not justify his handling of the situation, they just mean that there is no imminent danger of his death.

The point was that my estate would not be able to repay the debt - that I had no family and no assets of value.

[MacinJosh]

"...and Ive already begun treatment... So now Ive said more than I wanted to say

..."


So.. It's all a plot by Jonathan Ive to take over Apple!:D

I noticed too :) He doesn't use proper punctuation... I wonder if that's intentional, lazyness or ignorance :)

Anyway, I hope him a speedy recovery.

[MacTraveller]

God Bless You Steve. May you endure a full recovery.


http://mail.google.com/mail/?attid=0.1&disp=emb&view=att&th=11ea75ab749ebb00


It's tacky, but yes. If I could send him a Get Well postcard, this is what I would send. Truly he deserves our best wishes for a speedy recovery. :)

[Sweetfeld28]

Heres to a speedy recovery, Steve.

[jayducharme]

I too wish him a speedy recovery. I'm really glad he published that announcement. It was fairly obviously during his previous appearances that something was wrong, and remaining silent only added fuel to the rumor fires. As always, his response was well-measured.

The human body is an incredibly complicated machine. I can understand how it's taken doctors this long to determine what was going on. My son had the opposite problem: he was overweight for most of his childhood. He ate right and exercised but just couldn't keep the weight off. Finally, doctors hit upon an under-active thyroid as the cause. After he was put on medication for it, his weight just dissolved.

So now that Steve Jobs' doctors have figured out the problem, I'm sure he'll be back in shape by spring.

[APPLENEWBIE]

I noticed too :) He doesn't use proper punctuation... I wonder if that's intentional, lazyness or ignorance :)

Anyway, I hope him a speedy recovery.

Or an inaccurate quotation.

[Santa Rosa]

You may be right.

I think that the reason that Steve and the Apple BOD released their statements is due to the intense speculation right before this MacWorld. They had to do something to quell the tangents.

Then again, you may be wrong, sometimes the seemingly most complex problems, have the simplest solutions.

[sushi]

Apple has not being driven by Jobs this year because of the amount of unpopular things they are doing.
And how do you know this?

Pure speculation on your part, me thinks.

[ddTaylor]

There he said it. He not dying. Stop making forum topics about what happens to apple after Steve.

Good luck on your recovery.

He is dying - as is everybody. Seriously though - Apple and Mr. Jobs have been less than forthright over the years and there are many things about this 'open letter to the Apple community' that set off alarm bells. If you read the letter beyond the health context you realize Steve is not running Apple currently and may not run it again anytime soon. It also stated in plain English that they THINK they found the cause of the problem - nowhere does it say they FOUND the problem. I smell CYA on the part of Apple in regards to recent stock slumps and rampant speculation. That is the responsibility of any company - but this just seems off to me. Why wait until now to report this? Why not do it right after it was announced he would not be attending MacWorld? We will never know - more than likely.

I am not a fan of Mr. Jobs in most any respect - I feel he has done many things contrary to Apple and THEIR long-term health but I truly and honestly wish him the best in his recovery for whatever problem(s) ail him. I also hope Apple lowers the price of the entire computer line, gives us a mid-tower between the Mini and Pro line that is upgradable and, oh - a Nano iPhone. Did I mention a 32GB iPhone 'regular'? :) I know, I know - and yes, I am only kidding.

D

[apolloa]

A persons health care is a private issue, no doubt. However when the person runs a multi-billion dollar publicly traded company it is inappropriate and ILLEGAL to make false statements that could impact stock price, and that included implying a health issue isn't significant when it is now crystal clear it is.

LOL, sorry mate, we have been living in a world for the last 3 years or so where people spread rumours to bankrupt company's to make profit, insider trading is almost "Normal" practice etc. Why the hell do you think the world's economy is in such a state? So I for one do not blame Apple ONE bit for doing what they have, and I see it as in no way illegal when I think what investors, share holders and banks have been doing in the US and Europe to screw us up so much in the last few years and they will just get nice big fat bonuses for it.
I saw one twat say his bankers would all get a very reduced bonus package, but he forgot to mention his staffs average wage is around 250 thousand pounds per annum! Damn, put that Ferrari on hold then.

Rant Over.

[WhySoSerious]

"The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I've already begun treatment. But, just like I didn't lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple's CEO during my recovery."

Does anybody know what he means by "simple and straightforward"? What kind of treatment is it?

"a hormone imbalance that has been "robbing" me of the proteins my
body needs to be healthy."

i guess he just needs to eat some protein power bars.... :confused:

[TuffLuffJimmy]

I told you all, he was sick!
<snip>
Is Apple keeps this track in 10 years will be gone.

Few said he wasn't. Most only said it's none of our business, then wished Jobs a speedy recovery.
You do realize that you're talking about another person's life, why don't you have a little compassion and be nice in your post.

[patricksan]

Great News! Perfect to start a very good year.

[.:R2theT]

No, but investor confidence and hence valuation of the company is influenced significantly by the idea that Steve will be taking the company forward. By not finding out sooner, he misled investors by making them believe he was in perfect health. Luckily, his condition wasn't serious. That doesn't mean he did the responsible thing. The results do not justify his handling of the situation, they just mean that there is no imminent danger of his death.

The point was that my estate would not be able to repay the debt - that I had no family and no assets of value.

Steve Jobs body does not belong to the investors. Apple will exist after Jobs leave. Will there be an initial decrease in stock value? Sure.

This is my problem with and the reason why I think we are in such financial dire straits right now. The company is valued based on personality and emotion. Here is a company that has increased its market-share year after year, great products in the pipeline and $25 Billion($25 Billion is a ridiculous amount of money) in the bank. The company should not be valued based on whether or not Jobs is at the helm. And if Jobs hasn't been able to create a planned-obsolescence plan for when he does want or have to leave then he isn't doing his full job as CEO.

[marold280]

Speedy recovery Steve. All the best for your family :)

[jweinraub]

Am I the only one that got missing characters on the smart quotes, em dashes, etc.?

I use a PC at work, so not sure if that is the issue, but I did try Western, Unicode, and a variety of other encoding schemes and they all resulted in bad encoding...

[-hh]

I disagree. As CEO as Apple, Steve is responsible for other people's money. It's not his company. Taking care of his health is part of his responsibility to them. By not making his health his #1 priority, he is actually putting Apple in more danger.

The easiest way to determine which side is right is to think about the worst that could have happened. That would be that he died...
I'm not lecturing him on how to be a good CEO. I know nothing about what it takes to be an executive at that level. What I'm doing is criticising his decision to keep the fate of other people's money shrouded in secrecy. It's an ethical decision, one that no amount of experience can help you decide.

That said, I'm glad for Apple's sake that it's not serious.

Understand your position, but now let's extend it to all CEO's:

Gosh, Microsoft's Steve Balmer's looking a bit chubby there ... what's his latest Cholesterol test say, and can we have a detailed rundown of what %-blockages exist in each of the main arteries to the heart? Afterall, his age & weight does mean that coronary health is a very real risk factor and a heart attack will take someone out a lot more suddenly than weight loss, so we can't try to dismiss it as simple paranoia.

Define 'health issue'. Going to work every day as usual, but losing a few kilos over a few months is no reason for PR statements about health concerns. There's losing weight, and there's losing a severe amount of weight which leads to ill health.

Particularly since weight loss tends to be a slow process and for most Americans, their Doctors would absolutely love for them to go drop 20lbs.

As such, the weight loss pattern here is: "good-good-good-doing great!-good-good-keep it up-good-good-okay-okay-okay-um-er-thats enough-no-no-enough-no-no-stop-stop-stop-STOP!-STOP!"


I'm am not a shareholder, but he is the CEO (he has responsibilities towards the corporation) and board member (and responsibilties to the shareholders) of a very prestigious global corporation. His life is going to be under a microscope and he likely knew this when he decided to take these responsibilities.

True, but it would be reasonable also to not put him under the microscope because of double standards.

As I said above, "Balmer's looking mighty chubby"... yet there's no public outcry for weekly updates on his health. So why the double standard? How about a motivation other than illegal stock manipulation.


-hh

--

Best iWishes, Steve!

[headfuzz]

Get well soon Steve.

[ddTaylor]

Not that SJ will read this but I hope he's better soon. I mean that for the sake of his health (and the peace of mind of his loved ones) not the stupid shareholder concerns above.

Perspective!

I could not agree more! Well said, and right on point. Thank you. It does affect Apple and those who hold stock in the company - but come on! Life is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than the dollar or pursuit of...

D

[pprior]

What a bunch of crap.

If you are the icon of a multibillion dollar company whos stock price and therefore shareholder assets depend SIGNFICANTLY on you as the CEO then you have a fiduciary obligation (!) to be honest about health issues.

By denying any health issues for over a year, as a stockholder I have been let down by both the board and by Mr. Jobs himself. While apple stock is not a major part of my portfolio, the prinicple of the matter is critical - you CANNOT hide details and in fact outright LIE to the public in cases like this.

I wish Steve the best, and as my mother died from pancreatic cancer I have a special thankfulness that he has done so well. HOWEVER, I also expect him and the board to be honest and upfront about the health issues because they DO affect my wallet.

[dvorak319]

The press release doesn't say anywhere that he's not attending Macworld because of his health. The title is completely wrong and misleading.

[uk_blaster]

For a guy who has seemingly lived a life of superior diet, eating nothing but fruit for a time, and who I assume doesn't eat all the "crap" that we have been told will eventually kill us (i.e. red meats, Sodium drenched fast food and high fat, etc.) he sure has had allot of health problems over the last 5 or 6 years.

Here's to hoping he gets everything sorted out in the New Year.

[MoreBS]

This one has proper punctuation:

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/01/05sjletter.html

[iBlue]

... HOWEVER, I also expect him and the board to be honest and upfront about the health issues because they DO affect my wallet.
And Apple's, which is a logical (albeit unfair) reason for probable dishonesty.

[BBC B 32k]

Great News! Perfect to start a very good year.

Very sarcastic, even for us Brits.
I hope :confused:

[RyanR.]

Good Luck Steve! I hope you feel better soon. Maybe then Apple can get back to what they do best.

[angemon89]

He probably just needs some red meat in his diet.

[63dot]

I told you all, he was sick!

This community is way to naive, I even opened a tread last night with my pronostic of Apple without Jobs. Apple is taking him away from the crowd in small steps.

Apple has not being driven by Jobs this year because of the amount of unpopular things they are doing. It is driven by some one who is sucking out the juice from the Apple and people's money. Is becoming more a corporation than the community it used to be.

Is Apple keeps this track in 10 years will be gone.

Yes, he has an illness and he stated it already in his letter.

I have been with this macrumors community since the summer of 2000 (as another handle) and yes, in general, we are gullible. But maybe we are dreamers and some of the most hairbrained ideas I heard here came to fruition in an Apple product a year or more later (one piece iMac with LCD, cell phone, Apple using Intel).

The reason Apple fired SJ in the first place is that he didn't realize that Apple had grown up and become a corporation. The reason he has done so well this time is that he does treat Apple like a corporation, because we have moved up from Mac user groups and Guy Kawasaki telling people about a new company, to a recognized worldwide brand. If Apple ever goes into a mindset it isn't a company, then it will be gone in ten years.

Steve has done it right this time. He saved Apple, expanded their reach even under the threat from Apple Records, and brought the company into a leadership position in cell phones and MP3 players, as well as industrial computer design.

[SoybeanStasher]

Shareholders are apparently pleased with his candor, since the stock is up 3.7% as I write this.

Apple has been doing everything it can to prove to the world that it can go on without Steve. Jobs has been giving up the stage to surrogates for a while now, and the transition was complete with this year's MacWorld.

Still, it needs to continue to prove to shareholders that the operation of Apple can go unhindered with his absence, and I'm sure that the continued presence of other Apple executives on stage at these types of events will help with that. But outside these events, they need to pump up the names of other big players within the company.

Apple's a strange animal in that people (other than Wall Street analysts) care about the company's executives. Nintendo's like this too, with fanboys like me tracking Iwata and Miyamoto's every move. Both of these companies have to deal with a different kind of PR than most others.

[Small White Car]

Very sarcastic, even for us Brits.
I hope :confused:

Lots of people thought he was dying. Now he says he's not.

That's "great news," isn't it? I don't think he was being sarcastic.

[apolloa]

Steve Jobs body does not belong to the investors. Apple will exist after Jobs leave. Will there be an initial decrease in stock value? Sure.

This is my problem with and the reason why I think we are in such financial dire straits right now. The company is valued based on personality and emotion. Here is a company that has increased its market-share year after year, great products in the pipeline and $25 Billion($25 Billion is a ridiculous amount of money) in the bank. The company should not be valued based on whether or not Jobs is at the helm. And if Jobs hasn't been able to create a planned-obsolescence plan for when he does want or have to leave then he isn't doing his full job as CEO.

Well said, Apple was going down the toilet FACT after they fired Steve the first time. What did he do on his return? Thought ******* it, threw most ideas out the window, and saw a massive hole in MP3 players, boom launched the iPod. This saved Apple, he has now done the same with it's computers IMO over the last 3 years, the switch to Intel was a fantastic one. And lets not forget he's not a friggin robot, I'm sure like most entrepreneurs he wants to go on for ever working but one day he'll retire, just look at Gates.
He will never let it go as it is HIS company after all, but when he does leave I've a feeling Apple will be in very safe hands with a continued vision of Steve directing it.
I wish him all the best and hope he gets well soon.

[Riemann Zeta]

For a guy who has seemingly lived a life of superior diet, eating nothing but fruit for a time, and who I assume doesn't eat all the "crap" that we have been told will eventually kill us (i.e. red meats, Sodium drenched fast food and high fat, etc.) he sure has had allot of health problems over the last 5 or 6 years.
Nobody gets out alive...even neo-hippies. All the wheatgrass and seaweed shakes in the world won't save you in the end. Of course I say this as a person who enjoys their meat products. Mmm, meat products.

[AtHomeBoy_2000]

And Apple's stock is up today... go figure.

[.:R2theT]

What a bunch of crap.

If you are the icon of a multibillion dollar company whos stock price and therefore shareholder assets depend SIGNFICANTLY on you as the CEO then you have a fiduciary obligation (!) to be honest about health issues.

By denying any health issues for over a year, as a stockholder I have been let down by both the board and by Mr. Jobs himself. While apple stock is not a major part of my portfolio, the prinicple of the matter is critical - you CANNOT hide details and in fact outright LIE to the public in cases like this.

I wish Steve the best, and as my mother died from pancreatic cancer I have a special thankfulness that he has done so well. HOWEVER, I also expect him and the board to be honest and upfront about the health issues because they DO affect my wallet.

If this is not affecting his ability to fulfill his duties as CEO then there is no obligation to say anything. Plus, I imagine Jobs to be more of an active CEO than most other CEOs out there. Even at half of what he does he is probably twice the CEO than most.

[Str8edgepunker]

Wow, it doesn't sound quite that bad but I'll keep my fingers crossed. Get well Steve!

[Neerazan]

I for one am happy to hear from Steve himself that he is on the mend, I send my best wishes to him and his family and friends...

I am unsurprised but dismayed to see the amount of douchebags on this forum that choose to spin this very public message from such a private man about the true state of his health into wild speculation of all sorts, pretty much entirely negative... and call him a liar into the bargain.

[Small White Car]

Still, [Apple] needs to continue to prove to shareholders that the operation of Apple can go unhindered with his absence.

Eh, I think that task is impossible. When Steve leaves the stock will totally TANK, no matter what Apple does. Like, drop 40% or something like that.

And even though I own a bit, I don't care at all. Whatever, it'll be a good time to buy. Give it 3 years and watch as the Mac and a variety of MobileOSX devices thrive and you'll see investors get their confidence back!

So yeah, day-traders should be spooked, but anyone who plans to invest for several more years really shouldn't care.

[sjo]

I am someone who works in the healthcare industry. ...
Apple and Steve did right (both morally and legally) not to say anything until Steve was ready to address his health himself.


apple communications officer specifically said that steve's withdrawal from macworld keynote had nothing to do with steve's health. that is "not saying anything", that's plain lie.

for a listed company, lying in matters that have (or may have) impact on stock price is NOT right (neither morally nor legally). it's wrong.

[Small White Car]

apple communications officer specifically said that steve's withdrawal from macworld keynote had nothing to do with steve's health. that is "not saying anything", that's plain lie.

And if they were currently saying he's missing Macworld because of his health, you'd have something.

But lookie here...nowhere did they say that!

[ChildOL]

I am sure the reason Steve's health has declined in regards to weight and catching flus are directly due to his vegetarian like lifestyle. Believe it or not a low intake of cholesterol and essential animal fats can over time cause hormonal imbalances not to mention more susceptibility to infections including colds and flus as well as blindness, heart disease, and metabolic diseases.

If you want to learn how important animal products and fats are to your health and the myths of vegetarianism CLICK HERE (http://www.westonaprice.org/mythstruths/mtvegetarianism.html)

If anyone reading this post cares about his health they would bring all this info to Steve.

[Hooka]

Dude not cool. He's a person not an iphone.Hey All,

Look, I love Apple and Steve Job and you all love Apple and Steve Jobs. I hope to God I'm wrong, but I just don't believe any of that. It sounds too good to be a letter written by Jobs and released. It sounds to me like they're covering their butts with the stock holders the day before the last Macworld which Apple attends. It saddens me greatly, but I believe we'll see the obituary for Steve Jobs within the year...

[Dagless]

Wow, thanks for sharing that Steve. Get well soon :) the show won't be the same without you.

Gah listen to me prattle on when he won't even see this.

[.:R2theT]

For a guy who has seemingly lived a life of superior diet, eating nothing but fruit for a time, and who I assume doesn't eat all the "crap" that we have been told will eventually kill us (i.e. red meats, Sodium drenched fast food and high fat, etc.) he sure has had allot of health problems over the last 5 or 6 years.

Stress and attitude account for a lot. Plus, genetics are a factor as well. I would bet he didn't change his diet after the cancer. His body could probably benefit from some flesh-foods!

I think he should take up Taiji in a major way. It can work wonders with this kind of thing.

[flottenheimer]

Get well Steve. Please.
Looking forward to your full-force return.

[SactoGuy18]

Get well soon, Steve. :)

I'm not surprised he released this letter--there are HUGE legal ramifications of Apple hiding Jobs' medical condition because of its effect on Apple stock price.

As for Jobs, he should start eating salmon and halibut steaks for a while--they are low in LDL cholesterol and are a good source of protein.

[Xenious]

Best wishes to Steve get well buddy. Now let's see what Phil can do with his own whole keynote!

[kas23]

If you are really a physician, and have dealt with cancer patients, then the delay in figuring things out would not be a mystery to you sir.


As someone who has dealt with cancer patients before (and who does now, to some extent), it is VERY surprising that it took nearly a year to come up with a diagnosis. The complications and health maintenance required for pancreatic cancer are very well documented and follow-up guideline testing is extensive for all former cancer patients. It is not a case of, "Your cancer is in remission, we'll see you in a year," but more likely "your cancer is in remission, he is a script for a PET scan and blood tests and we'll see you in 3 months."

As for trying to diagnose someone over the internet, it is clearly speculation and within a non-professional forum. Haven't you ever wondered what is wrong with a person before? Well, I am a curious human just like you. The difference is that I have some knowledge to share with the community. Haven't you ever seen medical correspondents on the nightly news offering medical insight?? And most important of all, I have no professional relationship with Steve Jobs so HIPPA does not apply.

[sweet160]

Que te vayas bien, Steve.

[macnews]

Get well Steve. Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Don't care about should he or shouldn't he. This is a HUMAN BEING. Show some kindness. Considering all the other junk companies will do to cheat and lie to share holders, I don't be grudge Apple at all.

If you are an Apple stock holder (which I am), Steve isn't young and at some point he is likely to retire sometime soon anyway. Doesn't mean Apple will crumble. Part of playing the stock game.

[63dot]

childOL,

I am not so sure about your disbelief in vegetarianism. In the red zones of the world, where people live the longest, (there are six of them) one of the areas is in the United States, where a certain fundamentalist Orange County church, preaches vegetarianism and has the highest longevity in both California and the nation.

I may not be a fan of fundamentalist Christianity or strict vegetarianism, or even understand their connection in Orange County, but it's hard to argue against the facts.

[Moof1904]

we'll know he's ok when the MacBook Fat comes out

ROTFL. That was fantastic.

[JohnnyQuest]

I think it's great that Steve wrote this letter to let us all know the reason why he won't be giving the Keynote. Get better soon! We'll all miss you this year!

[Blue Velvet]

Vegetarianism/veganism

Enough.

[Plan b]

Get well Steve.

[BTW]

Get well Steve. Take 2009 off! We'll see you at MacWorld 2010.

[BornAgainMac]

After he gets his weight back he needs to get a personal trainer and get bulked up. Show the world the new Steve Jobs in his new Steve Jobs Pro enclosure.

[powers74]

To a smooth recovery, Steve.

[MM2270]

we'll know he's ok when the MacBook Fat comes out

Haha! Good one.

[Cloudane]

Sounds like he's more than a little annoyed that he was 'forced' (through the media's tactic of claiming that he was dying) to publicly share matters which he considers absolutely private. Understandable; everyone should have their right to privacy, but unfortunately that's how it goes when you're a world famous CEO.

At least now everyone knows the score and can finally stop claiming he's dying of cancer for a little while.

Looking forward to seeing him fit and healthy for announcements around summertime :)

BTW, nowhere in that letter does Steve say that he handed over control of the keynote because of his health; only that he recognises that this event is what triggered renewed concerns about it. The headline on this site is sensationalised.

[funnyent]

Get well Steve! No more fake rumors affecting stock!

Since this was posted Apple stock has already gone up $4!!

[bruinsrme]

Interesting read for sure.

Interesting how some can disect the message word by word and how some only care that Steve's ailment may curtail their profitting from his work.

Steve has a responsibility to shareholders, but his ultimate responsibility is to himself and his family.


Get well Steve.

[WhySoSerious]

Just for the record.......i did NOT put that title on my origianl post. That title was put on (ie. changed my original title) by the mod's.

My original title to this thread read: "Letter From Apple CEO Steve Jobs"

So....don't hate on me! :eek:

[Blue Velvet]

Just for the record.......i did NOT put that title on my origianl post. That title was put on by the mod's.


I copied your post into this news thread as you were the first to break the story here on MacRumors. :)

[MongoTheGeek]

"The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I've already begun treatment. But, just like I didn't lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple's CEO during my recovery."

Does anybody know what he means by "simple and straightforward"? What kind of treatment is it?

A bacon sammich. :)

[GeekLawyer]

I have read and re-read the message from Mr. Jobs. At no point does he say that he instructed Mr. Shiller to give the Apple keynote at Macworld due to his health concerns. He remarks only that the order sparked another round of rumors about his health.

Now, you may certainly speculate that Mr. Jobs has decided to sit out Macworld due to his health, but that should be reported as the speculation it is -- not as a matter of fact -- as the record provided by Apple and Mr. Jobs does not support it.

[mogzieee]

This is a sad day for Apple fans out there, I wish Steve the best of luck with recovery and I all my thoughts are with friends and family at this time. I hope he gets back soon and hopefully see him back at WWDC.

:apple:

[mAc-warrior]

It is my hope that this finally puts an end to all the speculation and manipulation of AAPL. More importantly, perhaps this will finally allow Steve some peace, which will help in his effort to recover quickly.

Further, I take offense to the title of this thread and article on the MR homepage which does absolutely nothing to help the above points. As an Apple-enthusiast website, MR should be ashamed of themselves for posting such an inaccurate and potentially damaging title. As stated previously in this thread, there is no evidence in the letter that Steve is not giving the keynote due to the issues outlined in the letter. In fact, the opening sentence clearly states that for the first time in more than a decade, Steve is able to spend the holiday season with his family and friends, rather than having to prepare a keynote of this magnitude (which takes thousands of hours, by the way). This is as good a reason as any as to why Phil is giving the keynote.

Again, nowhere in either press release does it say that Steve is not appearing at Macworld this year due to his health issues. He is still the CEO of the company. If there are no other reasons behind the keynote change, I would expect that he would give the keynote.

I highly encourage Macrumors to correct the title of this article to be a more accurate representation of the content within it, and also other readers of this thread to express their displeasure with the title. "Steve Jobs posts open letter regarding his health", for example, would be much more accurate. Shame on MR. This appears nothing more than trolling for hits.

I wish Steve nothing but the most rapid of recoveries and the best of health in the future.

--mAc

[Warbrain]

I have read and re-read the message from Mr. Jobs. At no point does he say that he instructed Mr. Shiller to give the Apple keynote at Macworld due to his health concerns. He remarks only that the order sparked another round of rumors about his health.

Now, you may certainly speculate that Mr. Jobs has decided to sit out Macworld due to his health, but that should be reported as the speculation it is -- not as a matter of fact -- as the record provided by Apple and Mr. Jobs does not support it.

The letter pretty much makes the connection between Schiller getting the keynote and Steve making the decision based on his health.

[Ade-iMac-177]

All the best Steve!!!
get well soon!

[WhySoSerious]

I copied your post into this news thread as you were the first to break to the story here on MacRumors. :)

ya, I see that, but that wasn't the way i titled my thread. seems some here are angered that i typed that title and am trying to sensationalize it....when clearly, you can see my original thread in "Apple, Industry and Internet Discussion" forum and see my title "Letter From Apple CEO Steve Jobs".

:)

[vrillusions]

wow I'm surprised he was even that detailed. Figured it would have been a "I'm fine, stop freakin out. kthx"

...and then post a picture of a lolcat

[GeekLawyer]

The letter pretty much makes the connection between Schiller getting the keynote and Steve making the decision based on his health.

Really? How so? Which words cause that conclusion to be drawn? As I read it, he states that he has been acting, and will continue to act, as Apple's CEO. This is speculation that is being reported as factual. I can understand the draw to do that, but it's sloppy and unbecoming (IMHO).

[Cloudane]

Doesn't mean Apple will crumble.

Mmm, Apple crumble.

That's what Steve should tuck into, with lots of custard :)
Good on him for doing it the healthy way though, and gaining weight gradually/naturally over a longer period.

Just for the record.......i did NOT put that title on my origianl post. That title was put on (ie. changed my original title) by the mod's.

My original title to this thread read: "Letter From Apple CEO Steve Jobs"

So....don't hate on me! :eek:

Nobody is hating on you, sorry if my reply about sensationalism put that impression across :)

[Stuipdboy1000]

It's good to see Steve has finally come clean and admitted his problem, and now we don't have to read rumors about his "ever declining" health. I wish Steve all the best and hope his recovery is an easy and speedy one.

[Small White Car]

The letter pretty much makes the connection between Schiller getting the keynote and Steve making the decision based on his health.

You're right, but that means the phrase "pretty much" should be in the article title, wouldn't you say?

As in "Steve Jobs missing Macworld Due to Health, We Pretty Much Think."

[JoeDRC]

Get Well Soon Steve!

[techfreak85]

Ok guys we can stop talking about his sickness and dying. We have it streight from the source and hes fine and recovering. He will be back as soon as he can and if he does step down we will know. So cut it out with all this "information" that there is a power shift. Everything is fine hes resting and had a vacation.

Get well soon iSteve!

[johnqh]

Just want to get some records straight. Apple did extremely well after SJ was forced out, it's US market share approached 20% around 1994, way higher than today. It went down really fast after Windows 95 was released.

Actually, the duration of hypergrowth under John Sculley(85 to 95) was almost as long as the new SJ era (97 to now)

Those who say Apple went down really fast after SJ left last time obviously aren't old enough to know or use Macs during the early 90s.

[.:R2theT]

The letter pretty much makes the connection between Schiller getting the keynote and Steve making the decision based on his health.

Pretty much...not!

Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed.

No correlation what-so-ever. He just states that after Apple announced that Schiller would make the keynote that the rumors mills started turning. Not that he was having Schiller do the keynote because of his health.

[GeekLawyer]

No correlation what-so-ever. He just states that after Apple announced that Schiller would make the keynote that the rumors mills started turning. Not that he was having Schiller do the keynote because of his health.

Exactly. And this is an important distinction. In the past, when Mr. Jobs actually did have Mr. Schiller fill in due to a health-related concern, he announced it in no uncertain terms when it was related to his pancreatic cancer. (If my memory serves me...)

[koobcamuk]

it's just sad that he had to write a public letter so people would leave him alone

Well, if we all stop idolising celebrities then maybe he wouldn't have to.

Good on him for doing it the healthy way though, and gaining weight gradually/naturally over a longer period.

As opposed to?... going on a 3 month eating binge to try to gain 150 pounds?

[nagromme]

Ah, so all these long months, Apple has been "evilly concealing" a simple ailment that was only just recently diagnosed at all.... how evil of them.

[jaw04005]

My best to Jobs and his family.

[vrillusions]

The letter pretty much makes the connection between Schiller getting the keynote and Steve making the decision based on his health.

it sounded more like what apple has said before about conventions and not wanting to be in them anymore.

For the first time in a decade, I’m getting to spend the holiday season with my family, rather than intensely preparing for a Macworld keynote.

Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed.

the way I understand that is A) he wanted to spend time with his family instead of preparing for a macword, B) because of that decision everyone was freaking out that it may be because Steve Jobs couldn't physically do another macworld. He then goes into details basically saying that he's fine.

But I'll admit no where in the press release does it say "I decided to have Phil deliver the keynote was purely a managerial decision and had absolutely nothing to do with my health". At least this letter gives people something to analyze while waiting for keynote tomorrow :)

[techfreak85]

It is my hope that this finally puts an end to all the speculation and manipulation of AAPL. More importantly, perhaps this will finally allow Steve some peace, which will help in his effort to recover quickly.

MR should be ashamed of themselves for posting such an inaccurate and potentially damaging title. As stated previously in this thread, there is no evidence in the letter that Steve is not giving the keynote due to the issues outlined in the letter. In fact, the opening sentence clearly states that for the first time in more than a decade, Steve is able to spend the holiday season with his family and friends, rather than having to prepare a keynote of this magnitude (which takes thousands of hours, by the way). This is as good a reason as any as to why Phil is giving the keynote.
--mAc

Yes I think a lot of us are sick of aapl dropping 10% whenever some new speculation happens. Id like to at least break even (but its a depres urr... recession anyway.). So hopefully this gives an encouraging word to investors.

And I think he will be there at the keynote but he just didnt prepare, so thus, he wont give it.
I wrote in a previous thred that if Phil is too boring maybe steve will march right on up there and kick Phill off and finish it for himself.:cool:


So now I've said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to
say, about this.
Steve
And it sounds like he's still got his orneryness. :cool:

[JMP]

Jobs will be on CNN in a fews minutes.

[kurosov]

Mmm, Apple crumble.

That's what Steve should tuck into, with lots of custard :)

More like steak & kidney pie.

[63dot]

it sounded more like what apple has said before about conventions and not wanting to be in them anymore.



I think the Apple Stores have pretty much replaced the need for Apple to make convention announcements.

The strength of the products and a store that clearly showcases their products is all we really need. On top of that, Apple comes out with far more stuff these days that conventions can cover in a timely matter. When new stuff comes out, it comes out when you see it in an Apple Store. I go there once a month and there is always something new to see and they offer an experience unlike someone like Wal-Mart.

[techfreak85]

you know if its just cause he didnt prepare cause of his vacation, then this Macworld might actually rock!!:D

[thefunkymunky]

Who's gonna be the first to post here then.

http://www.getwellsoonsteve.com/

[Gasu E.]

There is legal precedent that a company with knowledge of a health issue of a CEO that could effect their job and company performance must disclose it.

Sorry. A shareholder has a fundamental right too.

He doesn't need to explain anything to us, but for the last year shrugging off his weight loss in public and having Apple PR release statement after statement saying there are no health concerns is flat out illegal.

Has there been an impact on Steve's ability to do his job? I see no evidence that that would be the case-- he seems quite effective right now.

Now what you really seem to be implying is "if he has a health issue that could impact his performance in the future, he needs to disclose it now." I would suggest that Steve has the very simple remedy of resigning if his health problems interfere seriously with his work at some future point.

I do not believe you can find any precendent requiring a CEO to disclose plans for a future possible resignation, or of a current health issue that is not now compromising his effectiveness.

[Saladinos]

Understand your position, but now let's extend it to all CEO's:

Gosh, Microsoft's Steve Balmer's looking a bit chubby there ... what's his latest Cholesterol test say, and can we have a detailed rundown of what %-blockages exist in each of the main arteries to the heart? Afterall, his age & weight does mean that coronary health is a very real risk factor and a heart attack will take someone out a lot more suddenly than weight loss, so we can't try to dismiss it as simple paranoia.

Steve Ballmer's always been "chubby". If he suddenly gained an extraordinary amount of weight and investors were seriously concerned about his health, they have every right to demand a medical clearance. Steve isn't just thin - he became very thin very quickly, after he has already had cancer. It would worry you if it happened to someone you know.

Steve Jobs body does not belong to the investors. Apple will exist after Jobs leave. Will there be an initial decrease in stock value? Sure.

This is my problem with and the reason why I think we are in such financial dire straits right now. The company is valued based on personality and emotion. Here is a company that has increased its market-share year after year, great products in the pipeline and $25 Billion($25 Billion is a ridiculous amount of money) in the bank. The company should not be valued based on whether or not Jobs is at the helm. And if Jobs hasn't been able to create a planned-obsolescence plan for when he does want or have to leave then he isn't doing his full job as CEO.

You can't shrug this off as an initial jitter in stock value. When CNN reported that Steve had had a heart attack, nearly $5Bn of investor's money was just erased in one hour.

You evidently have little understanding of the way the investment industry works. You can't know the future, so you have to try and predict it. A change in CEO can radically change the future of a company. When you deal with very large amounts of money, you have to look at any indication that the company might decline in health very seriously, especially when you are dealing with a company as secretive as Apple. The share price going down by a few dollars doesn't sound like much, but when you have millions of shares, it's extremely significant.

Apple's current prosperity can be directly linked with Steve's actions after retaking the helm at Apple. Nobody cares how much money the company's got now - they care about if it can stay that way and keep expanding.

Nobody has any right to ask people to back off Steve. He chose to be the CEO of a public company. This is part of the job, IMO. Speculation and a lack of privacy is part of the life he chose.

[Warbrain]

Alright then, speculate as you wish, but do remember that by continuing the speculation that he's dying and will be dead soon is extremely asinine, idiotic, and entirely inhumane. The man just put something out, take it for what it's worth, and leave him be.

[techfreak85]

Get well Steve. Take 2009 off! We'll see you at MacWorld 2010.
apple is not going to macworld 2010. this is there last year.

[Gasu E.]

The letter pretty much makes the connection between Schiller getting the keynote and Steve making the decision based on his health.

Only if you are one of those people who tends to read more than is actually being said.

[Cloudane]

As opposed to?... going on a 3 month eating binge to try to gain 150 pounds?

Where did those figures come from?

But as opposed to an 'eating binge', yeah, exactly. I mean he could just chomp down a few quadruple bypass burgers (http://www.heartattackgrill.com/) and be done in a week, but it'd hardly do his arteries much good, provide little meaningful nutrition and give him a possibly long-term taste for unhealthy food. That'd work. :rolleyes:

[matc]

did somebody already mention this improper placed Google Ad below this topic...? ;)
(see attached file)

[techfreak85]

did somebody already mention this improper placed Google Ad below this topic...? ;)
(see attached file)

well if there is a lot of "fat" "loosing weight" "eating", of course thats going to come up, but bad placement, but maybe a wee funny/ironic.

[GenNovE]

Is funny to read some of the comments here.

Some of you sound like your life depends on steve jobs life.
Some of you sound like your entire financial structure depend on apple.


Lol


p.s GET WELL Steve...And to some of you macforum readers GET A LIFE.
Is not that serious

[iParis]

Well this is ok news.
Glad to here he's getting better and we can put these rumors to rest.
Get well Mr. Steve Jobs!

[KindredMAC]

This was really much needed.

I understand the need and right for privacy on Steve's behalf, but at the same time he has created a mega-verse unto itself that has nurtured a tight-nit sense of camaraderie among all us true mac users.

The teeny bopper who has to have the latest Mac or iPod only because it is cool doesn't give two shakes about the actual company that is Apple or those in charge, however those of us that care about each evolutionary step Apple takes knows how important people like Steve and Ives and Phil are to the company.

Being secretive about things really just makes people skittish, especially in the stock market. As I type this post, Apple is up almost 4.00 on the day and that is after Steve's open letter.

I feel Steve maybe went into a bit touch too much detail (for his own personal sake), but he did exactly the right thing.

[techfreak85]

Is funny to read some of the comments here.

Some of you sound like your life depends on steve jobs life.
Some of you sound like your entire financial structure depend on apple.


Lol


p.s GET WELL Steve...And to some of you macforum readers GET A LIFE.
Is not that serious

Well when the stock goes down the crapper and drops 100 pts, it hurts.

[TheSlush]

Whew! Okay, everyone can stop freaking out finally. We can all get back to our regularly scheduled programming with Steve (essentially) A-OK and at the helm!

[.:R2theT]

You evidently have little understanding of the way the investment industry works. You can't know the future, so you have to try and predict it. A change in CEO can radically change the future of a company. When you deal with very large amounts of money, you have to look at any indication that the company might decline in health very seriously, especially when you are dealing with a company as secretive as Apple. The share price going down by a few dollars doesn't sound like much, but when you have millions of shares, it's extremely significant.

Apple's current prosperity can be directly linked with Steve's actions after retaking the helm at Apple. Nobody cares how much money the company's got now - they care about if it can stay that way and keep expanding.

Nobody has any right to ask people to back off Steve. He chose to be the CEO of a public company. This is part of the job, IMO. Speculation and a lack of privacy is part of the life he chose.

You really don't need that type of tone in your post. You can choose to disagree with me but I would ask you to do it with some modicum of respect.

Jobs has no legal requirement to issue any statement to the public. He is governed by Apple's BoD. The onus is on the board to determine Steve Jobs ability to fulfill his obligations at CEO. If he is hiding it from the board then there would be legal issues.

Can people lose a lot of money? Yes. But the stock market is nothing more than speculation anyway. I am perfectly aware of how significant a few dollar change in a stocks price can be.

You seem to believe that because you have purchased or trade Apple stock that this some how gives you the right to private medical information of the CEO. It does not! That is my point.

And you are correct that any information the indicates a decline in the company's health are important to investors/financial advisors and such. But that is on you not on Steve Jobs. You can wonder how he is but have no right to his medical information. If you are in doubt you should not be holding that stock.

[macall75]

He'll be back, get well soon Stevie

[ChrisEllis3425]

We have to remember that it is people like us who go on Mac Rumors and other Apple websites regularly, we know who Steve Jobs is and we know about all of his life and his health. I bet that over half the people who buy an Apple product don't actually know who Steve Jobs is or the fact that he had cancer in 2004.

When we start to panic, shareholders start to panic.

[odinsride]

Hormone imbalance? Does Steve have PMS or what?

[simoleon]

This story badly misreads Jobs' statement and is flat wrong.

Jobs wrote:

Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed.

I've decided to share something very personal with the Apple community so that we can all relax and enjoy the show tomorrow.


It does not say that Jobs had Schiller deliver the keynote due to his health, nor can that be reasonably inferred.

If you disagree, point out to me the exact language that says Jobs is not giving the keynote because of his health.

Bravo, +1, kudos, etc.
I'm just a little surprised that I had to look through two and a half pages of comments before I found one that said this. I thought we Apple users were among the smart set :)

[drditty]

Mr. Jobs' press release is very vague and odd. It does not specify a diagnosis, and I don't think that it is in any way inappropriate to speculate about what may be wrong with him, based on this letter. The same curiosity that brings readers and contributors to this forum exist in the science of medicine. Therefore, I'd like to suggest another possible diagnosis, celiac sprue.

This is a disorder that can lead to chronic weight loss, malnutrition, and can be diagnosed with "sophisticated blood tests." The "remedy," a gluten free diet, would indeed lead to an improvement in the weight over a period of months.

It is common for this disorder to be missed especially when there are other factors that can be blamed, such as the pancreatic issues that Mr. Jobs has had.

Finally, based on what we know about Mr. Jobs' personality, I suspect that his propensity to seek and adhere to medical advice may be problematic and may contribute to a delay in diagnosis.

In any case, I really like the guy, and wish him the best.

[Cloudane]

did somebody already mention this improper placed Google Ad below this topic...? ;)
(see attached file)

Ha ha ha :D

Adwords is hilarious at times - this kind of thing happens a lot on ad-supported forums, often very inappropriately. It's the only ad service that I actually leave switched on when there's an option to turn them off (partly for the humour, partly for actual relevant ads)... which proves that it works I guess.

Some of you sound like your life depends on steve jobs life.

But.. but... he is our lord and saviour :eek:

Yeah, I know what you mean :D

Hormone imbalance? Does Steve have PMS or what?

That'd explain all those stories about him biting off the heads of his employees :)

[Mike Teezie]

I'm happy that the cancer doesn't seem to have returned, and it that the docs seem to have the problem sorted. Here's to a speedy recovery Steve.

I'm also happy that he's laid the rumors to rest.

[vrillusions]

Well when the stock goes down the crapper and drops 100 pts, it hurts.

especially when it's basically because of a single person's rumored catastrophic health issues. AAPL is a great investment. They are one of the most financially sound tech companies out there now. I do own a small number of shares but I guess I'm not a typical investor. I tend to just buy something and let it sit for a few years. if I make money, great. If not, o well. I just wish I had the money to buy up some stocks sooner :)

[nostaws]

I know people don't usually read this far down but... this is good for Apple. It is a reality check. Jobs (while great) isn't going to be CEO forever.

Apple has to start thinking about and grooming people to run the company as effectively as Jobs.

[twoodcc]

well i hope Steve can recover from this.

[cmob]

I guess the same hormone imbalance also causes him to improperly capitalize seasons. Scary.

Get well soon, Steve. And hire a new proofreader.

[dextertangocci]

Get well soon Steve!

And to all those idiots obsessing over Steve's health, get a *********g life...

[techfreak85]

thank you for changing the title.

[arn]

As stated previously in this thread, there is no evidence in the letter that Steve is not giving the keynote due to the issues outlined in the letter.


I tend to agree with this so I rewrote the article and title.

arn

[techfreak85]

I guess the same hormone imbalance also causes him to improperly capitalize seasons. Scary.

Get well soon, Steve. And hire a new proofreader.

Wtf does it matter?

[techfreak85]

I agree. I rewrote the article and title.

arn

thank u!

[GrannySmith_G5]

I just sent Steve 2 $500 gift cards to Arby's and White Castle.

[iBlue]

I guess the same hormone imbalance also causes him to improperly capitalize seasons. Scary.

Get well soon, Steve. And hire a new proofreader.

Good grief. :rolleyes: Clearly there is more to life than pristine writing skills.

[MacGeek7]

After he gets his weight back he needs to get a personal trainer and get bulked up. Show the world the new Steve Jobs in his new Steve Jobs Pro enclosure.

So you want something like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm5GwwRCC58 ?

[igazza]

get well steve :apple:

[Prometheus2000]

Read between the lines here folks...

1. "As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors."

Jobs and Apple have been saying for a year that it was nothing significant. NOT knowing the cause of mass weight loss IS significant.

2. "A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority."

Obviously it has grown WORSE since you last saw Steve and finally a few weeks ago became important enough that he had to make fixing the problem his #1 priority. Again while I applaud his decision and assume that the doctor's new diagnosis will help cure the problem, this statement doesn't imply the simple, insignificant issues that Apple and Steve tried to portray for the last year.

A persons health care is a private issue, no doubt. However when the person runs a multi-billion dollar publicly traded company it is inappropriate and ILLEGAL to make false statements that could impact stock price, and that included implying a health issue isn't significant when it is now crystal clear it is.

It would have been decent of you to wish Steve first of all a good recovery and then go on about your shareholder concerns. Because that's the order of priority I see with most of the "folks".

[GeekLawyer]

I tend to agree with this so I rewrote the article and title.

arn

Nicely done. Have a great week!

[Scottological]

People's fundamental rights are not for sale.

Sorry.

Quite right. Jobs is not ethically or legally obligated to discuss his personal health with stockholders, and that's the way it should be. The blogosphere and press are responsible for the fall out from rumors about his health, not him.

If the stock took a hit because Steve appeared a little gaunt, too bad. If you can't roll with the slings and arrows of the market's absurdities, get yourself a nice bond portfolio.

BTW, Agathon, love your name. I know what it means, but what's the significance of it for you?

[inkswamp]

Here, let me put on my mainstream media news filter and see how this press release reads.


Dear Apple Community,
[...]
...I can no longer continue to fulfill my duties as Apple's CEO.
[...]
Steve


Ah, that's much more newsworthy. :D

[.:R2theT]

Ah, that's much more newsworthy. :D

That's funny. That's exactly what I was thinking when I first read the letter.

[kdarling]

There he said it. He not dying.

He did not say he was not dying. He used his usual song and dance methods, and simply said that others had put him on a deathbed. You then projected that to mean he wasn't dying, which is of course what he knew would happen, whether it is true or not.

Cheers - Kevin
(Three year survivor of esophageal cancer
with similar operations and weight loss)

[ObsidianIce]

Read between the lines here folks...

1. "As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors."

Jobs and Apple have been saying for a year that it was nothing significant. NOT knowing the cause of mass weight loss IS significant.

2. "A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority."

Obviously it has grown WORSE since you last saw Steve and finally a few weeks ago became important enough that he had to make fixing the problem his #1 priority. Again while I applaud his decision and assume that the doctor's new diagnosis will help cure the problem, this statement doesn't imply the simple, insignificant issues that Apple and Steve tried to portray for the last year.

A persons health care is a private issue, no doubt. However when the person runs a multi-billion dollar publicly traded company it is inappropriate and ILLEGAL to make false statements that could impact stock price, and that included implying a health issue isn't significant when it is now crystal clear it is.

The past year they haven't known what the the problem was.... Therefore how would they be hiding something significant if Steve didn't know it was significant? Also since it is directly related directly to his health...it's not illegal in any way. This isn't like hiding accounting errors or something. CEO's aren't legally required to make their health issues public.

[sloane8]

Dr. Tantillo ('the marketing doctor') did a post back in July on his branding blog (http://blog.marketingdoctor.tv), pointing out that Jobs and Apple are two separate--albeit intertwined--brands. He insisted that while Jobs is irreplaceable, he should address the question of succession Now (well, then, in July) to best secure Apple's future--and reassure stockholders. It makes sense to at least have a plan in place.
Full post (http://blog.marketingdoctor.tv/2008/07/24/brand-advisory.aspx)

[MacFly123]

It is amazing to me that even with these statements that people in here are still pointing fingers and predicting his demise etc. Seriously get over it people! :rolleyes:

Very good news Steve, glad to hear it and wish you well. This brightened up my day. I hope, and I am sure you are pursuing all of the great alternative treatments that are out there! :)

[kirk26]

Steve Jobs Recovering From Hormone Imbalance, To Remain CEO

I always knew Steve was a tranny secretly.

[inkswamp]

He did not say he was not dying. He used his usual song and dance methods, and simply said that others had put him on a deathbed. You then projected that to mean he wasn't dying, which is of course what he knew would happen.


The convolutions of your logic are fantastic, my friend. You should be a reporter for TheStreet.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHEZVhDiJEw

[MM2270]

Ha Ha - this is Mac Rumors. The rumors will never die until he does.

Are you kidding? Even after he dies (hopefully not for a very long time) there will be rumors that it was all a distraction so he could fade away from the intense spotlight and live a more normal life, alongside the likes of Elvis and Bruce Lee. :D

[powers74]

Steve Jobs Recovering From Hormone Imbalance, To Remain CEO




Speaking of recovery...

[iAthena]

I'll feel better when he's fattened back up again. :)

[longofest]

Again, nowhere in either press release does it say that Steve is not appearing at Macworld this year due to his health issues. He is still the CEO of the company. If there are no other reasons behind the keynote change, I would expect that he would give the keynote.

I believe the following statement in Mr. Jobs' letter makes it clear that his health is the reason for him not delivering the keynote:

A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority.

Unlike other sites that only published Mr. Jobs' letter, I chose to publish both his and the board of directors' letter expressing confidence in Mr. Jobs. I believe this provided the most information to the reader. I also stand by my interpretation of Mr. Jobs' letter as his health being the reason for not giving the keynote, though I do regret indicating that he may be absent for all of Macworld as all we currently know is that will not be giving the keynote.

[Cloudane]

Good grief. :rolleyes: Clearly there is more to life than pristine writing skills.

Indeed.

I've seen a lot of grammar nazis come and go over the years, but blimey - sure, seasons are generally not capitalised nowadays, and modern guidelines say not to bother (http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/usage/seasons) but it's not a crime to do so. It's how it was taught in many schools up until very recently, which is why it's an FAQ. It's all part of the dumbing down of... er I mean "trend to plainer" English.

To avoid straying too far off topic, a further comment: I'm sure they will have plenty of plans in place for when he does eventually go (as we all do). But you never know, all this world domination and being able to spend a fortune on healthcare, as well as technological advancements that he will lead, he'll probably just become a cyborg and live forever :p

Edit: MUCH better title, nicely done arn.

[BenRoethig]

I think it was appropriate for him to wait until they had correctly diagnosed the problem before going public with it. Could you have imagined if he had said "I'm losing wait and don't know why.. but I'll still be CEO!", God.

Here's hoping 'Steve is dying' threads die out because of this. ;)

Good point. The stock impact from speculation that somethings is wrong would pale in comparison to something is wrong and we don't have a clue what. It would be chaos. Granted, his and Apple's reputation for complete secrecy didn't help matters, but this was a time when it was best not to say anything until they knew something. If they had kept it secret after knowing something, then there would be a problem.

[farmboy]

There is legal precedent that a company with knowledge of a health issue of a CEO that could effect their job and company performance must disclose it.

Sorry. A shareholder has a fundamental right too.

He doesn't need to explain anything to us, but for the last year shrugging off his weight loss in public and having Apple PR release statement after statement saying there are no health concerns is flat out illegal.

No, you are simply wrong, factually and legally. Don't make absolutist statements.