Jobs active at Apple

Despite Steve Jobs' lengthy leave of absence, the CEO has still maintained active involvement in activities at Apple, unnamed sources told the Wall Street Journal. From home, Jobs reportedly continues to oversee and direct high-priority strategies, while influencing and reviewing the most important products.

The sources claim the co-founder was heavily involved with creating the user interface for the upcoming iPhone 3.0 operating system that was recently previewed.

At a special event, the company announced that the OS contains at least 100 new features and over 1,000 new APIs. Notable capabilities include copy-and-paste and push notifications, while developers will be able to integrate subscription-based payment methods or in-app purchases. The software is also thought to provide video-recording capabilities.

Along with the iPhone 3.0 OS, the report suggests Jobs continues to provide input for future projects, including the rumored netbook or tablet. Although specific details were not provided, the source claims the portable device will be smaller than MacBooks but larger than the iPhone or iPod touch.

Apple's board of directors attempted to reassure shareholders at a meeting in February, explaining that the CEO still plans on fully returning to his leadership duties in June. Despite significant stock fluctuations following each report or announcement regarding Jobs' health, AAPL has recovered 40% of its value since the end of 2008.

People familiar with the situation allegedly suggest that Apple continues to operate without a hitch while the CEO takes time recover. Board member Arthur Levinson claimed that succession plans regularly came up in talks, suggesting the company will be prepared even if Jobs were to retire or resign. [via AppleInsider]

by MacNN Staff