Since Apple’s announcement yesterday that Steve Jobs is back on the job after a successful recovery from a liver transplant, technology journalists’ keyboards have been a-tappin’ over his health prognosis. But those in the Apple channel are asking themselves, ‘Does it really matter to the business?’
Many of Apple’s VARs and service providers wish Jobs well personally, but are taking the tack that as long as Apple keeps doing what it’s been doing over the last six months, they’re content to partner with the company.
“My opinion is that as long as Apple keeps doing what they’re doing, we’re perfectly happy whether or not Steve Jobs is at the helm or not,” says Michael Oh, president and founder of Tech Superpowers, a Boston-based Apple VAR. “As long as they continue to make cool and innovative products, we’re happy.”
Oh points to Apple’s successful launch of the iPhone 3GS as evidence of the company’s ability to cope without its turtle-necked leader. Last weekend’s debut of the 3GS saw sales figures top out over one million units, Reuters reports. The sales figures match last year’s debut weekend of the iPhone 3G, which launched in 13 more countries than the 3GS.
“The performance of the company over the last six months speaks for itself,” says Kevin Langdon, president of Crywolf, a San Diego-based Apple reseller and training center operator. “I think Jobs is really important to the company in terms of vision, but I think his team is more than capable of running the company on a day-to-day basis.”
Dan Haurey, president of Mt. Arlington, N.J.-based Exigent, believes that Apple’s continued success is Jobs’ legacy, and that at this point Apple will likely continue its technological trailblazing regardless of who is holding the executive flag at this point.
“I mean think that Apple would be fine without Steve Jobs because of the tremendous momentum they have behind them right now. I mean, he’s been out sick now for quite a while, right?” Haurey says. “I think at the end of the day, while I think everybody hopes for the best for Steve Jobs, I think Apple is on a roll that continues for many years to come. We’re seeing people that never dreamed of buying Macs or implementing Macs, and even people who were anti-Mac, who are now buying Macs and iPhones.”