Apple’s visionary CEO, Steve Jobs has announced he’s taking a medical leave of absence for the second time in two years. "I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can,'' Jobs wrote, concerning his most recent leave of absence. “In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy.” While he’s out of the office, Jobs will turn the reins over to Apple’s highly respected COO, Tim Cook—but Apple’s overseas stock still took a dive of about 6 percent on news of Jobs’ departure. The development is reigniting speculation about Jobs’ successor, chatter about which is sure to only intensify as Apple’s annual shareholders meeting on February 23 approaches.
