Back in January, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced a six-month leave of absence to address health concerns he claimed stemmed from a hormonal imbalance. For months, Jobs’ health had been the subject of industry and media speculation, owing in part to the Apple CEO’s visible weight loss between public appearances and Apple’s (and Jobs’) refusal to discuss the issue, citing personal privacy. Apple at one point tried to pass off Jobs’ haggard appearance to a common bug; media speculation immediately focused on a possible recurrence of pancreatic cancer (for which Jobs was treated in 2004) or repercussions from its treatment, and a false report in late 2008 that Jobs had suffered a heart attack had an immediate and sharp impact on Apple’s stock price.
