Apple CEO Steve Jobs to Take Medical Leave

Steve Jobs, Apple CEO announced today that he will be taking a medical leave until June.  

Jobs’ health issues are “more complex” than he originally thought, leading him to take medical leave until the end of June. In a letter sent out to Apple employees and the press this afternoon, Steve Jobs acknowledged that concerns about his health continue to act as a distraction for both his family and the company, and therefore, Apple’s Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook will be in charge until Steve Jobs’ return this summer.

Here is the letter that was sent:

Team,

I am sure all of you saw my letter last week sharing something very personal with the Apple community. Unfortunately, the curiosity over my personal health continues to be a distraction not only for me and my family, but everyone else at Apple as well. In addition, during the past week I have learned that my health-related issues are more complex than I originally thought.

In order to take myself out of the limelight and focus on my health, and to allow everyone at Apple to focus on delivering extraordinary products, I have decided to take a medical leave of absence until the end of June.

I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for Apple’s day to day operations, and I know he and the rest of the executive management team will do a great job. As CEO, I plan to remain involved in major strategic decisions while I am out. Our board of directors fully supports this plan.

I look forward to seeing all of you this summer.

Steve

I wrote in a post that changes were coming.  Nobody was expecting the changes to take Jobs out of the game, but changes none the less.