Jobs admits to illness

Responding to recent rumors, as well as long-standing concerns, Apple CEO Steve Jobs has admitted in an open letter that his pullout from the annual Macworld keynote can be partially attributed to health matters. "Unfortunately," writes Jobs, "my decision to have Phil [Schiller] deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed. I've decided to share something very personal with the Apple community so that we can all relax and enjoy the show tomorrow."

Jobs goes on to say that while he was losing weight throughout 2008, neither he nor his doctors understood what was happening until the last few weeks, when he decided that diagnosing and fixing the condition was his "#1 priority." Tests -- including blood analysis -- are said to have confirmed the presence of a hormone imbalance, which has been depriving Jobs' body of necessary proteins. Although declining to go into much detail, Jobs says that treatment is "relatively simple and straightforward," and has already begun.

Jobs notes that while he is continuing on as CEO, and will be the first to tell Apple's board of directors if he cannot hold onto his position, it will take until late spring to recover the weight lost during 2008. "I hope the Apple community will support me in my recovery," he writes, "and know that I will always put what is best for Apple first."

"So now I've said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this," the letter concludes. The rest of the board of directors has meanwhile issued its own statement, expressing support for the executive and commenting that people will be told if and when Jobs is leaving.

by MacNN Staff