What If Steve Jobs Doesn't Come Back to Work? By Saul Hansell January 14, 2009, 10:14 pm
We don't know what's wrong with Steven P. Jobs, Apple's chief executive. But it's got to be serious. You don't take a six-month leave of absence, as he is, just because you've got a stomachache. So that raises the question, for investors and customers, about whether Apple's amazing record of innovation and financial success are at risk while Mr. Jobs is on leave - and even more so if he never returns. The answers in each of those two scenarios are very different. In the short run, Apple is on a roll. It refreshed its notebook line last fall with a new technology. The iPhone has a lot of momentum, and we can assume work is well under way for a third hardware version and a stream of software updates. There are several gaps in its product line. In the face of a serious recession, will the company compete harder to sell computers that cost less than $1,000? (Yes, there is a $600 Mac Mini, but it's certainly not been a priority.) And can Apple develop the Apple TV product to have a stronger play in the living room? But it's not clear that Mr. Jobs had any interest in taking action on any of these questions. And putting them off may not derail Apple, even if it misses out on some potential sales. ... http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/14/what-if-steve-jobs-doesnt-come-back-to-work/ *********************************** * POST TO [email protected] * *********************************** Medianews mailing list [email protected] http://lists.etskywarn.net/mailman/listinfo/medianews
