Steve Jobs issues Statement about his Health – Apple Board Responds


This morning Apple CEO Steve Jobs issued the following statement about his health –

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

Shortly after Apple’s Board of Directors issued a statement of their own stating:

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.

So it’s pretty clear that we won’t be seeing Steve tomorrow, and that Phil’s hosting of the Keynote was, in fact, related to Steve Job’s health as many had speculated…but not in the WAY they speculated.

I’m at the Pheonix Airport right now – doing my best to get to San Francisco this morning…we’ll see how it goes…feel free to sound off about his situation in the comments below.


Kokou Adzo

Kokou Adzo is a stalwart in the tech journalism community, has been chronicling the ever-evolving world of Apple products and innovations for over a decade. As a Senior Author at Apple Gazette, Kokou combines a deep passion for technology with an innate ability to translate complex tech jargon into relatable insights for everyday users.

3 Comments

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  1. Well good on Steve & I hope that he enjoys a very well earned rest!! Wishing him & his family every blessing for 2009 & that he will make full recovery & gain full strength & be filled with fresh inspiration for 2009 & the future of Apple!!

  2. “So it’s pretty clear that we won’t be seeing Steve tomorrow, and that Phil’s hosting of the Keynote was, in fact, related to Steve Job’s health as many had speculated”

    Um, no, that’s not pretty clear at all.

    Once Steve decided Apple was done with Macworld, it’s highly unlikely he’d be interested in doing the keynote. So unless one can reasonably argue that Apple was done with Macworld because of Steve’s health, then I don’t think the linkage is “pretty clear” at all.

    Macworld San Francisco was just Steve taking Apple further away from IDG. Started well before Macworld Tokyo and Boston/New York. And now the uncomfortable affiliation with IDG ends.

    reinharden

  3. that’s good news. i like steve jobs. it’s nice that he released a statement even though he didn’t need to.