Apple’s Jobs struts the stage for the first time since his liver transplant
STEVE Jobs, the Apple chief executive, stepped back into the spotlight for the first time in a year yesterday, unveiling new iPods and drawing a standing ovation.
It was his first public appearance since returning to work in June after six months of leave, during which the charismatic corporate showman underwent a liver transplant.
Dressed in his trademark black turtleneck and jeans, Jobs thanked everyone in the Apple community for their “heartfelt support”.
The pancreatic cancer survivor started off by announcing a new version of Apple’s popular online media store, iTunes, and updated software for the iPhone.
He then unveiled an updated iPod range, which included an iPod Nano with a camera, as well as price cuts for other models, ahead of the crucial holiday season.
Analysts had expected an appearance by Jobs to give Apple’s stock a boost. The shares rose in the afternoon to $174.47, their highest since August 2008. But they quickly retreated, with some analysts remarking on how thin the 54-year-old chief executive appeared.