Apple's Steve Jobs Returns to work

Yay!  On Monday morning (Pacific Time) Apple says that CEO and all around important guy, Steve Jobs, has returned to work.  He was off for five months in order to have a liver transplant, so not exactly on vacation in Hawaii. 

“Steve is back to work, he is currently at Apple a few days a week and working from home the remaining days.”  Was the word out of a company spokesman.  It's somewhat murky when he started working again, as he's been spotted on campus in preceeding weeks, but this is great news that he's back.  Originally, he said he'd be back by the end of June, so he beat it by one day, but when it comes to something serious like a liver transplant, I can only imagine we'd be happy if he was safe and healthy, even if it took a few more weeks or months or years.

Mr. Jobs' health

Mr. Jobs' doctors said last week that he is recovering well, and has an excellent prognosis, and should expect a good recovery.  They also caution that he needs to take it easy for a while before he can take on the stress he was putting himself under.  However, Jobs' return should ease Apple fans and investors concerns that he might have to retire or step aside permanently from the company he co-founded. “Having Steve Jobs back means they got the visionary back.”  Said one Apple analyst.

The company has refused to comment any more on his health, which at this point, seems like a fair request to make.

Apple's leadership

In Mr. Jobs' absense, Tim Cook, Apple's COO and a veteran of 11 years with the company (and COO for four of them) has been running the company on a day to day basis.  The 48 year old also filled in for the 54 year old Jobs in the past. 

Jobs was fired by Apple's board back in 1985 over a management dispute.  He returned in 1997, when Apple bought Next Inc., the company that Jobs created after leaving Apple.  Mere months after Jobs rejoined, the then current CEO of Apple was ousted, and Jobs put back in the spot.  He was interim CEO from 1997-2000 (or as he called it, iCEO) and then took the role permanently in 2000.

Product Leadership

Under Jobs' leadership, they have added new Mac designs, including the iMac Personal Computer and the MacBook Air laptop.  He has also been instrumental in creating not only the iPod, but also the legal digital music industry, through the iTunes store.  And of course, in 2007, Apple launched the iPhone, which has become the standard that other companies strive to match.

In Jobs' absence, veteran Phil Schiller has filled in as the head marketing guru, taking on keynote addresses and talking with the media.  It's unclear when Mr. Jobs can take this back.

Every Apple fanatic rejoices at this news.  Not only is Jobs healthy, but he's back setting the vision and direction of the company.  He has had his share of misses in the past, but when he turns out to be right, he turns out to be game-changing.  The world could go for more of that.