Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs, who survived a bout with pancreatic cancer and received a liver transplant in 2009, is taking a medical leave of absence from the computer maker, his third in the past 10 years.
Jobs informed employees of his leave this morning in an email, saying he would remain CEO of the company and be part of any "major strategic decision for the company." Apple COO Tim Cook, who took over the company during Jobs' previous leaves, will again take the reins.
Jobs health has been an ongoing concern. He took leaves in 2004 and 2009. This time, he said the board of directors had granted him a leave "so I can focus on my health." The company said no further details about his condition would be forthcoming.
Apple is set to release what are expected to be very strong quarterly and annual results Tuesday. His leave, though, is sure to raise many questions about Apple's future. He has been at the helm during almost all of the company's major successes, most recently the iPod, iPhone and iPad.
Analysts say the company, regardless of its earnings report, is likely to see its shares take a hit when trading resumes after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
For more:
- see this article
- see this release from Apple