How important is Steve Jobs' health to Apple?
Answers
951 points
Grudun answered one year ago …
Steve Jobs is a symbol for Apple of good times and innovation. When he has been out of Apple it has not performed as well and has not shown much innovation. So anything that may cause him to no longer be active in Apple's management causes some people to worry that the good times(new innovative products and good company performance) will be over. This will result in selling pressure anytime there is news that he may not be an active manager(retirement, health problems or being booted again).
As to his real effect he is a symbol and has a tremendous effect on corporate morale encouraging innovation.
457 points
SallyG answered one week ago …
Judst found this and was curious. Yes, Jobs is important, but I don't believe that anyone is irreplaceable. apple may be somewhat different aprés Jobs, but it has developed a history of quality and excellent design, is concentrating to some degree on "green" technology, and still has lots of devoted customers (I'm one; bought my first Apple [IIc] in 1983, have upgraded to new Macs about 4 times since then—my current Mac is a G4 and I am considering supplementing with an Apple laptop for portability.) My 100 shares of AAPL stock (bought at ~$10/share) split 4:1, I've sold all but 55 shares between $150 and $190 each, and I'm holding on for the long term (obviously <g>). If AAPL paid any dividend, I'd have bought more when it went under $100 last year. AAPL and 5 shares of BRK.B (basically a really high-priced mutual fund [ETF?] run by the world's top investor, IMHO) are the only shares over $20 I'd consider without a dividend.
To me, the key word in Grudun's answer is "symbol". When Jobs leaves, whether in the near or distant future, good health or ill (he['s bound to retire someday) we'll see the reality of what the company retains of its founding heritage, of both Jobs and Woz.
