This just in from Business Wire:
Letter from Steve Jobs
CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:
I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.
I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.
As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.
I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.
I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.
Steve
Jobs, co-founder of Apple and the company’s public face, is a pancreatic cancer survivor and has been on medical leave since mid-January for an undisclosed condition.
UPDATE 7:45PM EST: Apple COO Tim Cook has been elected CEO by the board of directors, effective immediately. From Apple’s press release, just posted to the company’s website:
“Steve’s extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world’s most innovative and valuable technology company,” said Art Levinson, Chairman of Genentech, on behalf of Apple’s Board. “Steve has made countless contributions to Apple’s success, and he has attracted and inspired Apple’s immensely creative employees and world class executive team. In his new role as Chairman of the Board, Steve will continue to serve Apple with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration.”
“The Board has complete confidence that Tim is the right person to be our next CEO,” added Levinson. “Tim’s 13 years of service to Apple have been marked by outstanding performance, and he has demonstrated remarkable talent and sound judgment in everything he does.”
Jobs submitted his resignation to the Board today and strongly recommended that the Board implement its succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO.
As COO, Cook was previously responsible for all of the company’s worldwide sales and operations, including end-to-end management of Apple’s supply chain, sales activities, and service and support in all markets and countries. He also headed Apple’s Macintosh division and played a key role in the continued development of strategic reseller and supplier relationships, ensuring flexibility in response to an increasingly demanding marketplace.
Techcitement will have more on this story as it develops.
I’m personally sorry to see SJ walking away from the spotlight, he will be missed in the oncoming presentations of Apple’s new products, but honestly, who can blame him given his condition? Not that Tim Cook hasn’t been taking critical decision in the company since long ago anyway. Besides, Jobs it’s not retiring, he stays as Chairman of the Board no less, his ideas would hardly go unnoticed in such position, even if he’s no longer CEO.
I really think this will not suppose any big change to Apple, at least not in the short term, I just wish Steve Jobs the best, and hope to see him fully recovered from whatever illness he suffers, I’m sure there’re tons of great ideas yet to be unveiled in his head.