Report: Jobs still holds sway at Apple

Three months into his medical leave, Steve Jobs still remains in control of much of the direction of Apple, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. 

While Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook runs the day-to-day operations of the Cupertino, Calif.-based company, Jobs continues to work on the company's strategies and products from home. He was particularly involved in the iPhone 3.0 OS announcement that generated buzz about the prospects for new iPhone products. The report, citing people who are familiar with Apple's product plans, confirmed that Apple is working on new iPhone models as well as a netbook.

Jobs disclosed Jan. 5 that he had a hormone imbalance, but said he would remain active at the helm of the company. On Jan. 14, he backtracked and said he would go on medical leave until the end of June because his health problems were more complex than he originally thought. The way in which Apple disclosed Jobs' health information caused an uproar among stockholders and prompted an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Jobs said at the time he would continue to be involved in the company's major strategic decisions during his absence.

It has been widely speculated that Apple will launch new iPhone models in June or July. Jobs could theoretically return as CEO before the launches. Apple's net income for its fiscal first quarter was $1.61 billion, up from $1.58 billion in the year-ago period. The firm sold 4.4. million iPhones in the quarter, down sequentially from the 6.9 million it sold in its fiscal fourth quarter--the first quarter to include iPhone 3G numbers--but up 88 percent from the year-ago period.

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