Fans concerned for Jobs' health
Source: Xinhua |
August 26, 2011, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE resignation of Silicon Valley icon Steve Jobs from the chief executive officer's post at Apple Inc has got many in China questioning the mighty United States technology company's future.
Jobs' resignation ranked as the top hot topic of the day on Sina Weibo, the country's most popular microblogging site, with 1.5 million posts on the topic by midday yesterday, hours after the California-based company announced that Jobs's resignation as CEO.
"If Jobs eventually leaves Apple, I will not buy Apple products any more," said one Internet user.
Concerns over the IT legend's health also poured in.
"At this moment, I'm only concerned about Jobs' health. Wish him good luck in fighting illness and a tranquil period with the family," another Internet user said.
Jobs, 56, is widely considered a symbol of Apple. At the age of 21, he and Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computer in the family garage in 1976. After leaving the company for a decade, Jobs returned in 1996 and helped the near-bankrupt Apple to soar to its prime with powerful innovations in the development of smartphones and tablet computers.
On August 10, Apple briefly overtook Exxon Mobil to become the largest US company in terms of market value, or about US$337 billion at the time.
But over the years, Jobs' gaunt appearance constantly triggered speculations about his weakening health. Apple's shares dropped about 6 percent on the US stock market hours after Jobs' departure was announced.
The iPhone only officially went on sale in the Chinese mainland in October 2009 and the iPad in April 2010. But their popularity is immense. Queues are common at the four authorized Apple stores in Beijing and Shanghai while the grey markets also thrive with smuggled iPhones and iPads.
Market analysis firm International Data Corporation estimates that Chinese consumers had purchased at least 800,000 iPads by the end of 2010.
It is reported that Apple's revenue in the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, and Hong Kong reached US$3.8 billion in the second quarter this year, six times the amount in the same quarter last year, according to media reports.
"Jobs is like an icon to many people. Thank you for giving us an opportunity to access the world's advanced technology," said one Internet user. "Hope his successor can pay even more attention to the booming China market."
Sina Weibo started hosting a special section on Jobs' resignation yesterday and invited Internet users to participate in online surveys on the matter.
On the question of "how do you think Jobs' resignation will affect Apple?" more than 2,600 people, or half of the survey respondents, said Apple would lose its soul, while 1,789 people, 35 percent of the respondents, saw limited impact if Jobs stayed with the firm.
Analyst Kang Zhiyi at Donghai Securities said Jobs was the force behind Apple's iPhones and iPads. As Jobs still retains the chairman post, Apple's development is not likely to be derailed, he added.
Jobs' resignation ranked as the top hot topic of the day on Sina Weibo, the country's most popular microblogging site, with 1.5 million posts on the topic by midday yesterday, hours after the California-based company announced that Jobs's resignation as CEO.
"If Jobs eventually leaves Apple, I will not buy Apple products any more," said one Internet user.
Concerns over the IT legend's health also poured in.
"At this moment, I'm only concerned about Jobs' health. Wish him good luck in fighting illness and a tranquil period with the family," another Internet user said.
Jobs, 56, is widely considered a symbol of Apple. At the age of 21, he and Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computer in the family garage in 1976. After leaving the company for a decade, Jobs returned in 1996 and helped the near-bankrupt Apple to soar to its prime with powerful innovations in the development of smartphones and tablet computers.
On August 10, Apple briefly overtook Exxon Mobil to become the largest US company in terms of market value, or about US$337 billion at the time.
But over the years, Jobs' gaunt appearance constantly triggered speculations about his weakening health. Apple's shares dropped about 6 percent on the US stock market hours after Jobs' departure was announced.
The iPhone only officially went on sale in the Chinese mainland in October 2009 and the iPad in April 2010. But their popularity is immense. Queues are common at the four authorized Apple stores in Beijing and Shanghai while the grey markets also thrive with smuggled iPhones and iPads.
Market analysis firm International Data Corporation estimates that Chinese consumers had purchased at least 800,000 iPads by the end of 2010.
It is reported that Apple's revenue in the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, and Hong Kong reached US$3.8 billion in the second quarter this year, six times the amount in the same quarter last year, according to media reports.
"Jobs is like an icon to many people. Thank you for giving us an opportunity to access the world's advanced technology," said one Internet user. "Hope his successor can pay even more attention to the booming China market."
Sina Weibo started hosting a special section on Jobs' resignation yesterday and invited Internet users to participate in online surveys on the matter.
On the question of "how do you think Jobs' resignation will affect Apple?" more than 2,600 people, or half of the survey respondents, said Apple would lose its soul, while 1,789 people, 35 percent of the respondents, saw limited impact if Jobs stayed with the firm.
Analyst Kang Zhiyi at Donghai Securities said Jobs was the force behind Apple's iPhones and iPads. As Jobs still retains the chairman post, Apple's development is not likely to be derailed, he added.
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