Mac Soda

About two weeks ago, Steve Jobs sent the following email to his employees which was consequently leaked to all the major news outlets…

Team,

At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health. I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company.

I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple’s day to day operations. I have great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011.

I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy.

Steve

The language of the email, both what was said and what wasn’t said, must be payed close attention to. You can bet your life this was proof-read a million times and that the wording is extremely deliberate.

I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company.

Apple’s way of assuring the stock holders that even though Jobs isn’t present for the little tiny day to day stuff, when it comes to the major things that truly matter, Jobs will be in charge like business as usual. This is probably true, but to what extent will remain unknown.

At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health.

Steve Jobs taking a medical leave of absence is nothing new, he’s done it three times before. Yet each time he’s taken a medical leave, it’s been because of a life-threatening illness. He’s been able to conquer it each time, but each new medical leave proves to be more nerve-wracking than the last. Of all the announcements Apple’s made regarding his health issues, this one is the strangest… and unfortunately, the saddest.

I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple’s day to day operations.

Once again, Tim Cook is called upon as the replacement CEO in Steve’s absence. Not Phil Schiller from Marketing. Not Scott Forstall from iOS. But Tim Cook, the Chief Financial Officer. This suggests that the man besides Steve with the most say in the company is the man who ensures that Apple is profitable. While Apple wants us to believe that they are some sort of non-profit that only cares about the interests of the customer, the supreme reality is that they are a business. Completely understandably, making money is Apple’s top priority. The signs all point in the direction of Tim Cook to be Jobs’ replacement when the time comes.

Now Jobs didn’t blatantly say how long he was going to be gone for like he did in past announcements. The last time, he stated in his December announcement that he would return in June. This time, nothing… or so it seems.

I have great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011.

It seems that at the very least Jobs won’t be returning to Apple until 2012. But then why didn’t he say “I’ll be back in January 2012″? Unfortunately, he probably doesn’t know. His health is such an uncertainty at this point that perhaps saying January 2012 is too risky. Expect a Job-less 2011, extended potentially, but not necessarily, well into 2012.

I love Apple so much…

This is the beginning of the line that terrifies me. For one, saying “I love Apple so much” is something you would say if you never expect to see the company again. It sounds like a parting message, a thank you to someone you’ve spent a great deal of time with who you won’t see for a long while. But this is nothing in comparison to how it ended.

…and hope to be back as soon as I can.

This makes me queazy inside. He didn’t say “and will be back as soon as I can.” He said “hope.” He’s not sure if he will return to Apple. And if there’s anything to get from this email, it’s this. Steve Jobs may or may not be dying… we don’t know, and based on his request for privacy, I’m not going to try and find out. That’s his business. But he’s told us what is my business, as a shareholder in a public company…

He might not ever return to Apple.

Apple is an immortal company. It’s stock rose through the economic recession over 300%. Apple is Superman, but the lack of Steve Jobs is it’s kryptonite. Apple timed the announcement extraordinarily in order to avoid a major stock collapse. They announced it on MLK day, when the markets were closed, and while Tuesday afternoon saw a morning stock stop, they announced their holiday quarter earnings in the afternoon… and they were the company’s all time best. At the end of the day, the stock ended up higher than before the Jobs announcement.

While the short term loss was non-existent, the potential long term loss is what needs to be focused on. Steve Jobs is Apple, and Apple is Steve Jobs. The question is, has Apple become Steve Jobs to the point where Jobs doesn’t need to be at the company for it to function properly? Or would a Job-less apple begin to gradually descend into the realms of former tech heavyweights who lost it all, like Sony?

At this point, only time will tell.