Apple CEO Steve Jobs has requested a second leave of absence to focus on his health.
Jobs sent a letter to all Apple employees this morning saying he was handing over the reins to the company, although he would continue to carry the CEO title.
“At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health,” Jobs said in an email to employees.
“I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company. I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy.”
Tim Cook will take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the company, as he did when Jobs was absent from Apple for some six months in 2009, after he underwent a liver transplant.
Analysts say they expect it to be business as usual at Apple. "The knee-jerk reaction is likely to be negative," said Ben Wood, head of research at CCS Insight. "However, I think that Apple is clearly a much bigger company than one person and we now have a proof point from last time that the company was in safe hands under the sure step of Tim Cook and I don't think they'll deviate from their current course.
"We'll continue to see great things from Apple. I think this is probably about him stepping back from the pressure of the big events."
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