Don't panic!
In Czech: Nasledujici blogpost je v anglictine. Omlouvam se ceskym ctenarum. Doufam, ze mi odpusti, protoze je mozne, ze to budou cist i anglicti ci americti pratele.
Well, and now in English...
I was thinking about those rumours about Steve Jobs' health this whole day. How unprofessional is writing about someone's private matter you can read here (very written by Stephen and I wish his son to get better soon). There's nothing to add to this. But what I would like to share with you are few points of view I have about this which probably not everybody thought about and maybe I will speculate by myself too, but this is just my $0.02. Take it or leave it. I'm not that important...
So let's start with some facts first.
- National Enquirer is tabloid. People writing for tabloids are able to write about anything that brings the attention, more readers, more money etc.
- Enquirer posted really disgusting article about Steve with pictures of some man going to coffee-shop. That man is look alike Steve, but it can't be confirmed.
- Some 3rd grade sharlatans predicting Steve's health and death on basis of those pictures. They haven't seen Steve at all and are not oncologists.
- For some people Steve equals Apple. If he is not in Apple Inc. as CEO, Apple will probably bankrupt and vanish. I can't deny his big influence in current state of Apple, but let's be honest with us, not everything it's his idea or contribution. He might approve them.
- If somebody like shareholders are using information from tabloid to decide about their shares, so where are we? Just one question pops: What the hack? I always thought it's newspapers like WSJ or FT.
Anyway, first thought:
What was the purpose of that Enquirer's article? Just simple speculation to create a sensation? Maybe. We know that Steve is on medical leave, so digging some gold from this fact would be "cool" for them. Or maybe somebody is really affraid of current Apple's growing market share, domination in smartphone area, market capitalisation etc. Probably can't sleep from the fact some "start-up" is worth $330 bln. which is more than their company, so they try to harm Apple by cruely attacking for some people the crucial Apple's asset, its leader, who doesn't want or can't defend himself. Of course, they can't go to NYT, WSJ, FT and this kind of newspapers and ask them to publish article like the Enquirer's one, so they need to go to tabloid. And market reacted. Apple shares dropped $15, from $365 to $350 as today. But com'on, if this is the most cruel attack and they dropped just $15, I'm not afraid about Apple at all.
Second thought:
I'm not doctor, but from known facts, cancer, and specially pancreatic cancer is one of the worst, can't be 100% cured. It isn't cold... So if you survive cancer, you are probably never cured to state before. You need to go to regular medical checks and additional treatment if neccessary. It's very long-term process taking years, probably in Steve's case more then decade. Maybe till his real death. And that's something which Steve is probably going through these days. Anyway, Let me ask you something. Would you say "I'll be back!" if you would know your health is in really bad shape with possibility of death in this short term? I wouldn't. I would resign on everything and will focus just on treatment and family. But not Steve. He is visiting Apple's campus and makes decision over phone. I'm worried about Steve too, can't deny that, but hey, he is fighter.
Third:
Apple has succesion plan. Well written, well set. Short-term plan till probably 2015. And I believe they are running by it since Steve's cancer discovery (maybe right after it). What to do, what to release and when, which technologies to focus on, how to act, how the company's structure will change. After this there will be "well oiled" machine with gentlemen Mansfield, Forstall, Serlet, Ive for technology and design (and I believe they all together are able to make same decisions as Steve), with Mr. Cook as executive and with Mr. Schiller in charge to market and sell Apple's products. Steve taught and is teaching them well. And as we say, I guess Mr. Schiller is able to sell you your own nose right from between your eyes. Inside by Mr. Johnson designed Apple Store... :)
Additionally, it's usual, companies with size of Apple have long-term plan. For 20 years going further and probably more. They run by it as well...
So, what I'm just asking people is by the word of classic: DON'T PANIC!
As said, Steve is strong fighter. Pray for him, pray for his health, wish him all the best and to get better soon. He will be back. To bring iPad 2, at WWDC '11 to bring iPhone 5.
