Now Apple's credibility really is in the balance
If you're an Apple shareholder or employee, the good news is that Steve Jobs' health is not in any immediate danger.
Or so we're supposed to surmise from the cryptic note issued by Jobs early Monday on the state of his health--and the even more cryptic note put out by his employer.
At the unveiling of new MacBooks in October, Steve Jobs tersely addressed concerns about his health: "That's all we'll talk about with Steve's health today. Want to see (his blood pressure) higher? Just ask him more questions."
(Credit: James Martin/CNET News)Here's the relevant text from Jobs' statement Monday:
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.
OK, it's great to know that he's not facing a cancer recurrence, as some had speculated. Jobs is a tech icon and the industry would be much the poorer were he to retire from the scene. But this latest PR stunt is going to raise new questions. Not about the exact nature of Jobs' ailment but about the parsimonious way Apple has communicated with the public about the health of its CEO.
Until now, the mantra was "Steve's health is a private matter, Steve is our CEO." The impression Apple wanted to leave was that everything's just fine at the helm. That shaded the truth--and I'm being charitable here. At this point, how can you trust the official chronology offered up by Jobs and Apple? Even with Monday's statements, I can't call it communication so much as stonewalling.
True to form, Apple won't care a fig what outsiders may think. "Just keep on buying and don't bother us with the rest of it." Talk about a reality distortion field.
See also:
• Steve Jobs discloses hormone imbalance
• Health concerns force Apple's Jobs from Macworld
• Apple's last Macworld beginning of new era
Charles Cooper has covered technology and business for more than 25 years. Before joining CNET News, he worked at the Associated Press, Computer & Software News, Computer Shopper, PC Week, and ZDNet. E-mail Charlie. 
Apple stock is up - so people seem not to be worried about it.
He is credited ( rightly or wrongly) with single-handedly saving the company from oblivion.
If an individual is accredited with being the only reason a company is afloat, when that individual leaves, the company sinks.
One - Apple will no longer do Macworld (nothing to do with Steve)
Two - Phill will do the last Macworld (something to do with Steve)
No contradiction in my mind.
It's good news that Steve isn't having anything more serious. Honestly though the details of his health problems are really nobodys business.
The public and shareholders only need (and are privledged to) the answer to a single true/false question: Is Steve healthy enough to perform his duties as CEO. Right now the answer is: True. End of story.
The only reason Apple is waffling on what information to hand out is because they are trying to do the right thing by keeping this private and limited to the question I just mentioned. If Steve comes forth to provide more information then that is his prerogative and it has nothing to do with Apple. When he chooses to provide more information that Apple has then the media should just say thanks then ****. Apple must continue to keep everything else in line with general HR guidelines. They are not being dishonest or even less than honest at all.
All the little leaches in the media and blogosphere should give it a rest.
The pull out of MacWorld had nothing to do with Steve, it had to do with the economic situation and is a wise course of action.
As for 'do we have a right' to know any of this? No. None of us have any right to know this information. However, we all have every right to speculate as much as we like. Since Jobs released this note in order to curb speculation it would have been helpful if he released enough information to actually do that. He didn't and that's a mistake.
Next week: Bill Gates: Did Asperger's Syndrome Force his Retirement?
-- Jerry Espenson,
Partner,
Crane, Poole & Schmidt
The details are not important.
I am an MS Fanboy but respect Steve, the Woz, and Bill Gates for what they have done for our current state of computing.*
*This is by no means an exhaustive list as so many more, whose names are obscure to most made major contributions.
Steve's ailment is probably from all that benzene he breathed in that was being emmitted from his his macbook.
Care to turn over you health records so we can all see what obvious disorder you are suffering from?
Yes, and that's exactly what you and millions of other people will do. Because the fact is that people don't think this hurts Apple's credibility. And even if they do, they know it doesn't hurt their ability to build desirable products (none of which I have ever owned).
Steve went above and beyond with his letter, and true to form, CNET used it against him and Apple.
Blech
jb
It casts some serious question into what Apple can do if/when Mr. Jobs retires. Their future is very much dependant upon his continued good health. They will need to demonstrate that they can be independant of Steve for their success and dropping out of MacWorld and having Steve take a few steps back may be their way of starting that process.
- by Norseman January 5, 2009 3:19 PM PST
- Go stand in your corner, Coop. Terrible piece!
- Reply to this comment
-
Showing 1 of 2 pages (35 Comments)