Jobs could help stock

Steve Jobs' Mercedes is believed to have been spotted outside the Yerba Buena Center, less than two hours before Apple's "Let's Rock" iPod event. In the photograph below, from iPhone Savior, a car thought to be Jobs' Mercedes SL55 AMG is seen just outside the center. Jobs has a special exemption that allows him to have a UPC barcode instead of a license plate, making it unlikely that the car belongs to someone else.

An appearance by Jobs has been anticipated by Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, who suggests that a healthy Jobs taking the stage could be a positive for Apple's stock.

Jobs is seen as vital to Apple's continued growth, and his emaciated appearance at WWDC in June set off numerous concerns about the Apple CEO's health. His avoiding questions on the issue -- and having peers defend his health as private -- has exacerbated worries.

Jobs is expected to launch new iPod Nanos, a reconfigured iPod touch and announce numerous price drops, especially for the iPod touch which is currently priced high relative to the similar iPhone 3G. The event begins at 10AM Pacific time.

by MacNN Staff