Steve Jobs: He's ...... BACK!

He's..... back!

Steve Jobs that is. Well at least he's back working for Apple via email according to USA Today.

However, others have gone so far as to report that he's been officially seen in person on Apple's Cupertino headquarters.

Despite reports by several employees, who wish to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, they have reported seeing the iconic leader walking around the Apple campus in the flesh. However, after repeated phone calls for confirmation, Apple has thus far refused to confirm or deny the reports.

Of course, that fact that Jobs was seen yesterday doesn't necessarily mean that he's back, or that he will be working there today, or for that matter tomorrow. Apple simply promised that he would be back at the end of June, which is still a full week hence, so if it is true that he's back, then he would have returned considerably earlier than promised.

Ever since Jobs' public statement concerning the phenomenal success of the iPhone 3G S launch, people have been speculating on just what it could mean. Could this indeed be the second-coming of Jobs? He returned the first time to rescue the then struggling computer maker by introducing a whole range of trend setting devices such as the iMac, iPod, iPhone and it's wildly popular App Store. Could his second-coming also promise to do the same all over again? I, for one, surely hope so, but that at this point it's debatable.

Regardless of when, or if ever, Jobs does returns, his return is no longer seen as being as important or as vital as it once was. Tim Cook, in Jobs absence, has proven to be more than capable of filling Jobs shoes and it's expected that even if Jobs were not to come back, any downside on Apple's stock would only be minimal and temporary.

With Tim Cook's impressive performance, some are even questioning on whether or not Apple really any longer needs Steve in the first place? Truly, Jobs can be credited with saving Apple in the past, but whether or not he is still indispensable for it's future success is now being seriously questioned. In fact, the Wall Street Journal reported that Tim Cook has not only emerged as being key to Apple's core, but even quoted Piper Jaffray analyst, Gene Munster, as saying that:

"At this point, losing Tim Cook would be a bigger deal to investors than if Steve Jobs stepped aside," and.... "Just that thought makes my stomach tighten up."

I certainly agree that Tim Cook has emerged, and for good reasons, as one of Apple's biggest and brightest stars, but none-the less, I still believe and hope that Jobs will be playing a very important part in Apple's future success, and for some considerable time yet. However, the question is for how long and in what capacity?

Naturally, I don't know any more than anyone else on what role Steve will continue to play at Apple, but I'm certainly hoping for the best for him personally, and for the company as a whole.

Fortunately, for Apple, Steve has successfully injected many of the qualities that he has personally brought to the company and has firmly instilled them in Apple's top management, including, of course, Tim Cook, so what ever happens to Jobs personally, whether he returns or for how long or in what capacity, one thing is certain - Steve's spirit and vision will continue to live on and help to guide and shape Apple's future, just as surely as it has successfully guided and molded it in the past.

And that's my 2 cents 4 this Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Photo via: Flickr via: dfarber's photostream