Steve Jobs On Medical Leave, But Still At The Helm - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Steve Jobs On Medical Leave, But Still At The Helm

by

f1307384560
Steve Jobs has been on medical leave for more than six months and in that time Apple's stock price has risen more than 20 percent. Since he's been gone, according to the San Jose Mercury News, Steve Jobs has relaxed and focused on the big picture -- rather than micromanaging every tiny detail:

"They tell me he calls in regularly. He talks to Tim, he talks to the top guys, he talks about the Apple stores," [analyst Tim Bajarin with Creative Strategies] said. "But while he used to micromanage everything in ways that most CEOs would not, right down to issues with the company cafeteria, the big change with his latest leave is that there's less micromanagement and more management of his executive team and the big-picture issues."

Corporate CEOs are traditionally concerned with big-picture issues. Jobs, though, is famous for being a micromanager: insisting on overseeing even the smallest of details. His detail-oriented focus has seen him actively participate in a number of projects at Apple, efforts that have even resulted in his name appearing on dozens of Apple patent applications.

Since Steve Jobs has been on medical leave, he's leaving more of the day-to-day work to Tim Cook and Apple's hand-picked upper-management team. If Apple's growing stock price is any suggestion, shareholders think having Jobs focus on the big picture is just fine.

Top Rated Comments

198 months ago
Even though I know you hate my smartphone platform of choice, I still love you, Steve.
Are you rocking the ESPN phone? :D
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
198 months ago
"Let the fools have their Tar-Tar Sauce."
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
198 months ago
It'll be interesting to see how they pass off the role of CEO to (probably) Tim Cook. They have to do it just right or the stock could tank, not that it would do any permanent damage or anything.

Tim Cook is an operations guy, not a visionary leader. A better choice would be Steve Jobs apprentice Scott Forstall but he's not ready yet.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aknabi Avatar
198 months ago
wish the best for steve jobs.i love him really , if Tim cook become the CEO i won't be happy , i want Steve jobs to be the CEO for ever

and ever and ever... hi I am like 13 years old and put hello kitty stickers on my iPhone... and wait every night for Steve Jobs to call me on it
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ouimetnick Avatar
198 months ago
I wish Steve the best. I hope he recovers more, so he can be CEO again. But then again, I hardly think about it, as he still does the Keynotes.

Get well Steve.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
res1233 Avatar
198 months ago
I'm curious why you think Apple isn't after more quantity.

I'm sure they'd like quantity, but not while sacrificing quality. If Apple truly cared about selling in massive numbers, they probably wouldn't be making computers out of solid blocks of aluminum, and would stick to plastic boxes like everyone else.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Siri AI Settlement Website Now Live: Apple to Pay Some iPhone Owners

Sunday September 20, 2026 7:24 pm PDT by
In May, Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle a U.S. class action lawsuit over Siri AI's delayed launch, and the settlement website is now live. Apple will pay an estimated $25 per eligible iPhone to eligible customers, who can submit a claim via the settlement website between September 21 and December 21 of this year. The exact payment may be higher or lower than $25 depending on the...
iphone 18 pro max prepare

iPhone 18 Pro Max Requires 'Prepare to Ship' Battery Drain Before Shipping

Friday September 18, 2026 4:27 pm PDT by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max has a battery capacity over 20 watt-hours, which means there are additional shipping requirements. If an iPhone 18 Pro Max needs to be shipped somewhere, its maximum battery capacity has to be limited through firmware. According to Apple, the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses an "innovative battery-firmware solution" that limits battery capacity to below 20Wh between when the...
iphone duo weather

Apple Exec Says 'Hold Us Accountable' on iPhone Duo Crease

Friday September 18, 2026 9:51 pm PDT by
Apple hardware engineering VP Tom Marieb spoke with TechRadar and shared some candid thoughts about Apple's upcoming iPhone Duo. The iPhone Duo uses a matte nano-texture display, which is meant to cut down on glare and minimize the visibility of the crease. When asked if the iPhone Duo's crease would be more visible over time, as that's what tends to happen on other foldables, Marieb said...
Latest Stories
Beats 360 Deliver Customizability and a Revamped Over-Ear Headphone Design
Beats 360 Deliver Customizability and a Revamped Over-Ear Headphone Design
1 hour ago
Massive Discounts Hit 2026 MacBook Pro, Save Up to $600 on Amazon
Massive Discounts Hit 2026 MacBook Pro, Save Up to $600 on Amazon
1 hour ago
Apple Planning to Bring iPhone Duo Display Tech to Pro in 2029
Apple Planning to Bring iPhone Duo Display Tech to Pro in 2029
2 hours ago
Apple Announces 'Tap to Pay on iPhone' Availability in 8 More Countries
Apple Announces 'Tap to Pay on iPhone' Availability in 8 More Countries
2 hours ago
New Mac Mini and Mac Studio Now Available for Same-Day Pickup at Apple Stores
New Mac Mini and Mac Studio Now Available for Same-Day Pickup at Apple Stores
3 hours ago
Apple Still Working on Anti-Snatching Feature That Locks Stolen iPhones
Apple Still Working on Anti-Snatching Feature That Locks Stolen iPhones
3 hours ago
Apple Quietly Excludes Older iPhones From New Camera Feature
Apple Quietly Excludes Older iPhones From New Camera Feature
5 hours ago
App Switcher Returns in watchOS 27.2 Beta With New Launch Gesture
App Switcher Returns in watchOS 27.2 Beta With New Launch Gesture
6 hours ago
Apple Music Hall Spatial Audio Venue Opens in Battersea Power Station
Apple Music Hall Spatial Audio Venue Opens in Battersea Power Station
7 hours ago
Apple CEO John Ternus Talks iPhone Duo Design, Siri AI, and Becoming CEO
Apple CEO John Ternus Talks iPhone Duo Design, Siri AI, and Becoming CEO
16 hours ago
You Can No Longer Downgrade From iOS 27 to iOS 26
You Can No Longer Downgrade From iOS 27 to iOS 26
17 hours ago
macOS 27.2 Beta Brings New Volume and Brightness Sliders
macOS 27.2 Beta Brings New Volume and Brightness Sliders
17 hours ago
GM Wants You to Know It Still Plans to Ditch Apple CarPlay in Future EVs
GM Wants You to Know It Still Plans to Ditch Apple CarPlay in Future EVs
20 hours ago
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade?
iPhone 14 Pro vs. iPhone 18 Pro Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade?
21 hours ago
Apple Seeds Second macOS Golden Gate 27.2 Beta to Developers
Apple Seeds Second macOS Golden Gate 27.2 Beta to Developers
22 hours ago
Apple Releases Second iOS 27.2 Beta
Apple Releases Second iOS 27.2 Beta
22 hours ago
Apple Releases Second watchOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2 and visionOS 27.2 Betas
Apple Releases Second watchOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2 and visionOS 27.2 Betas
22 hours ago
M4 iPad Air Now Starting at $649 on Amazon, Save Up to $149
M4 iPad Air Now Starting at $649 on Amazon, Save Up to $149
22 hours ago
New Mac Mini Reviews: A Good But No Longer 'Insanely Great' Deal
New Mac Mini Reviews: A Good But No Longer 'Insanely Great' Deal
22 hours ago
Some iPhone 18 Pro Users Experiencing Face ID Issues
Some iPhone 18 Pro Users Experiencing Face ID Issues
23 hours ago
Pin Music to the Top of Your Apple Watch Music Library
Pin Music to the Top of Your Apple Watch Music Library
23 hours ago
Apple Smart Home Display Coming as Soon as Next Month
Apple Smart Home Display Coming as Soon as Next Month
1 day ago
OWC's Best Mac Accessories Are on Sale Just for MacRumors Readers
OWC's Best Mac Accessories Are on Sale Just for MacRumors Readers
1 day ago
New Mac Studio's Biggest Upgrade Isn't the M5 Ultra Chip, Review Says
New Mac Studio's Biggest Upgrade Isn't the M5 Ultra Chip, Review Says
1 day ago
How to Force Quit Apple Watch Apps in watchOS 27
How to Force Quit Apple Watch Apps in watchOS 27
1 day ago
New Mac Mini and Mac Studio Launch Tomorrow
New Mac Mini and Mac Studio Launch Tomorrow
1 day ago
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 May Have Hidden Flash Storage
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 May Have Hidden Flash Storage
1 day ago
iPhone 20 Pro Display Sizes Leak Ahead of 2027 Launch
iPhone 20 Pro Display Sizes Leak Ahead of 2027 Launch
1 day ago
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Owners Report Unexpected Reboots
Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 Owners Report Unexpected Reboots
1 day ago
iFixit Shares iPhone 18 Pro Teardown With Inside Look at New Features
iFixit Shares iPhone 18 Pro Teardown With Inside Look at New Features
1 day ago