Steve Jobs health problems revealed
After months of rumors and red herrings, Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs has finally addressed concerns about his health. The problem is a severe hormone imbalance, and he says it will not keep him from doing his job.
The Apple CEO has been getting very obviously thinner over the past several months, prompting concerns about his health, and how that issue could affect Apple, Inc. Jobs finally addressed the situation in a statement this morning, according to an AP story. He issued an open letter, saying that doctors have confirmed, via “sophisticated blood tests” that he has “a hormone imbalance that has been `robbing’ me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy.”
Jobs, who is 53 years old, is a survivor of pancreatic cancer. He said in his open letter this morning that he will undergo what he termed a “relatively simple” medical treatment, and indicated that would would remain in charge of Apple, the company he co-founded with Steve Wozniak. The open letter was obviously intended to end months of speculation about his health and his future at Apple.
Jobs has been very important to Apple as its public face, personally introducing new Apple products at large media events and venues like MacWorld, which Apple will not be attending after this year. Investors and customers alike have gotten used to seeing Jobs take a very hands-on approach to Apple and it’s products, especially products like the iPhone, iPod Touch, and the MacBook Air.
Some financial strategists have wondered about the future of Apple without Jobs at the helm. Others have noted that Apple is much larger than Steve Jobs, and would continue unfettered without him, should that come to pass. Still, until Apple or Jobs releases more detailed information about his condition, his treatment options, and his prognosis, Wall Street will probably remain jittery about the situation.
For his part, Jobs said this morning, “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. …The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I’ve already begun treatment. 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. Now I’ve said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this.”
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