Rumors of Steve Jobs' death greatly exaggerated

You have to figure that major news outlets keep obituaries on hand for all kinds of public figures and celebrities -- still, you can't help feeling a bit of a chill upon learning that notice of Steve Jobs' death mistakingly hit the wires yesterday afternoon. A slip-up at news outlet Bloomberg caused the lengthy obituary to roll across a number of screens before being pulled -- but not before a Gawker tipster was able to send off a copy to the gossip site. Under normal circumstances, this would probably come off as a random gaffe with minimal impact, but given recent reactions / over reactions concerning Jobs' health (thanks in no small part to his appearance at WWDC, pictured above), this comes off as a rotten-timed moment in journalistic and technical butterfingerism. We can only hope this didn't send too many investors into a tailspin -- we'd hate to see any War of the Worlds moments caused by something so silly.

[Via CNET]

[Ike Turner @ Aug 28th 2008 11:25AM]

In other "tech" news, MS released IE 8 Beta2 last night. www.microsoft.com/ie8
and Photosynth last week www.pohotsynth.net

[Luke @ Aug 28th 2008 11:28AM]

Reporting real tech news? How dare you!

[TylerM @ Aug 28th 2008 11:31AM]

I hate you for giving the human race a bad name. Not because I'm a fanboy of Apple. But because you are an idiot.

[OneLove @ Aug 28th 2008 11:35AM]

Well, at least he included some typos. its www.photosynth.net

[jakem @ Aug 28th 2008 11:36AM]

I'm amazed that this hasn't been picked up by sites like Engadget. Or perhaps it has and Steve asked them not to mention it until he'd cleared up this whole death thing.

[Ike Turner @ Aug 28th 2008 11:41AM]

@OneLove

I had to stay true to Engadget's editorial standards!

[Ricardo @ Aug 28th 2008 11:47AM]

Using sarcasm to pretend you didn't make a mistake is not something you should do.

[Quix @ Aug 28th 2008 12:01PM]

IE is "tech?"

N00b.

[etechshop @ Aug 28th 2008 12:16PM]

May he rest in iPEACE!!!!!

[Bobby @ Aug 28th 2008 12:47PM]

is cure for pancreatic cancer also locked up ?!!!
stupid business model !

[Bobby @ Aug 28th 2008 12:49PM]

is cure for pancreatic cancer also locked up ?
stupid business model !

[Erik @ Aug 28th 2008 1:54PM]

@Quix

I suppose Windows isn't "tech" in your mind either...

However, whether or not Orange hired people to stand in a freakin' line is DEFINITELY tech and we should read 15 articles about it.

[maveric101 @ Aug 28th 2008 3:09PM]

thanks for the info, Ike.

it seems when it comes to Apple we get three articles for every nightly build of the iPhone firmware, but things like what you mentioned get passed over by Engadget.

[PynkFloydd @ Aug 28th 2008 3:53PM]

I actually understand why there are so many iPhone stories. A lot of people own the iPhone, you want to reach your largest audience. What I don't understand is why there aren't as many Microsoft stories when Microsoft rules 90%+ of the worldwide OS market. ...especially since MS actually produces more newsworthy stories, not just tabloid headlines.

[John @ Aug 28th 2008 4:12PM]

Bloomie, you're doin' a heckofuh job!

[Jason @ Aug 28th 2008 4:30PM]

especially since MS actually produces more newsworthy stories...

...like a second beta release of an add-on piece of software?

[PynkFloydd @ Aug 28th 2008 5:31PM]

@Jason: I didn't say that IE8 beta 2 was newsworthy. You are aware that Microsoft does more than try and market an OS, right? Such as... National Geographic using MS Photosynth to give the world a glimpse at extreme regions of the earth. XBox registering voters to well umm...actually vote in the national election. Microsoft's Worldwide Telescope project. Bill G's philantropy being the biggest humanitarian effort ever. I don't know about you but, I think those are a little more newsworthy that, "Stevie J takes a crap".

[Jason @ Aug 28th 2008 6:01PM]

I think those are a little more newsworthy that, "Stevie J takes a crap".

PinkFloyd (by the way I love your work), I think that would be a pretty big headline. You ARE aware that he's pretty uptight?

[Bellzebub @ Aug 28th 2008 11:25AM]

On the plus side, when the Queen dies, we (UK) get three days of BBC clips, analysis and national mourning. At least Jobs only gets a page or two of slobber on the net, and most importantly, an Engadget slot.

[gabe @ Aug 28th 2008 3:18PM]

steve jobs has a long road ahead of him - he is a millionaire who hasn't done enough to help those in need.

Perhaps he can take an example from my hero Bill Gates.

[Nick @ Aug 30th 2008 8:08AM]

My hero is Vernon Rudolph.

[Eric B. @ Aug 28th 2008 11:26AM]

"was able to send off a copy to the gossip site"

Why would Steve Jobs be gossip?

[Tony C @ Aug 28th 2008 11:54AM]

Very surprised Wall Street didn't go bonkers over this gaffe -- Apple stock barely blipped down a dollar this AM before recovering on an up note.

http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=AAPL#chart1:symbol=aapl;range=1d;indicator=volume;charttype=line;crosshair=on;ohlcvalues=0;logscale=on;source=undefined

[Tony C @ Aug 28th 2008 11:56AM]

BTW, it's Bloomberg that took it on the chin from Gawker for the mis-post.

[Jason @ Aug 28th 2008 1:04PM]

No surprise really. If you plotted the deaths of fortune 500 CEOs on a stock chart, they wouldn't even stand out. Kennedy's assassination wasn't even a blip.

[PynkFloydd @ Aug 28th 2008 4:08PM]

@Tony C: Major investing firm would wait to confirm this rumor before they did anything stupid. I'm sure they have better sources than a Gawker website. Considering that Apple's volume today was at 15 million shares, it'd probably take at least a few hundred thousand shares sold at once to even make a small dent in the price. That'd make it a close to $20 million transaction. For that amount, I'd hope someone would check the county coroner's office.

@Jason: Jobs' health has actually been a small issue with investors. He's been such a large influence in Apple's success that the future of the company would be in doubt if he suddenly left. No other company relies on the CEO as much as Apple does.

[John @ Aug 28th 2008 4:14PM]

He definitely didn't send any copies from his iPhone.

[Jason @ Aug 28th 2008 4:33PM]

Even when investors feel it's an issue, it seldom rocks the market for the stock itself. It's just historical fact.

[PynkFloydd @ Aug 28th 2008 5:37PM]

@Jason: You're 100% right. It is a historical fact. I think in Apple's case that it would though... Online investing wasn't a factor in yesterday's market. Plus, I think that the only other CEO to come close to Jobs would be Walt Disney in terms of marketing and representation of a company.

[Jason @ Aug 28th 2008 6:36PM]

"Here lies Walt Disney...almost a Steve Jobs."

Look man have fun beating a dead horse and kissing an undead arse, but when you're done follow the link the guy gave, look at the chart, and you'll see that the big dip in numbers came after everyone realized he was still alive.

Cheers.

[PynkFloydd @ Aug 29th 2008 3:41AM]

I know that this story had no impact on Apple's value today. I mentioned that in a post below... I didn't feel the need to reiterate it here because he admitted that it didn't affect the price, he just didn't know why (unlike the post below where the guy claimed to have lost thousands because of this).

I've been investing for a living for a while now. I watched Apple since around 2003 when Jobs took the stock price from around $7/share to a peak in the $200s just a few months ago (don't forget to include splits). I remember around 2 years ago when Jobs would hold a conference. ...the stock would shoot up 7-15% for 2-3 days afterwards. Since Jobs is just as integral to Apple's success as say umm...the iPod, if he were to really pass you'd see some institutional investors jump ship quickly. By the way, when Jobs' health concerns were last highlighted (due to his appearance), the value did drop. Analysts reported on it heavily. Apple made a point to issue a release that it was only a bug and not cancer coming back.

[Jason @ Sep 1st 2008 2:32AM]

PF, I think we can simplify what doesn't really need to be an argument here. The anticipated loss from his death would be mitigated by the required life insurance, whereas the dip in health would not, could raise cost of employee health bennies, as well as impacting morale, sales, and productivity.

So, yes, I agree Jobs is super-important to Apple. I really only meant what I said before: I simply wasn't surprised.

[JCA @ Aug 28th 2008 11:38AM]

You have a seriously skewed view of Apple's importance in the world at large. "War of the Worlds moments" ????? You fcuking kidding me?

[absinthe party @ Aug 28th 2008 11:53AM]

I'm pretty sure that's just a reference to Apple's unwavering legion of fanboys, not regular old Dick and Jane, throwing themselves off of bridges.

[Timothy Sottek @ Aug 28th 2008 11:29AM]

iCoffin

[OneLove @ Aug 28th 2008 11:38AM]

That's not even funny. Man, he sure looks shriveled up, like my grandpa. (he gonna need his Jesus phone now)

[NHAnimator @ Aug 28th 2008 11:58AM]

That IS even funny.

[Argot @ Aug 28th 2008 12:09PM]

We all know what his last words are gonna be:

"Just one more thing...... BRAINS!"

[Mr. Ford @ Aug 28th 2008 12:14PM]

@NHAnimator
didn't you mean iS?

[Zeus.:God @ Aug 28th 2008 12:28PM]

iBrains?

[Saibot @ Aug 28th 2008 1:59PM]

its the Cough that carries you off... not the iCoffin they carry you off in

[Curtis Joslin @ Aug 28th 2008 3:50PM]

"thats not even funny."

Is it odd funny? regardless is was creative.

[Shea @ Sep 27th 2008 4:45AM]

i'm surprised nobody has made jokes about job's death in relation to the lack of replaceable batteries in iPods et al.

[whowhatme @ Aug 28th 2008 11:29AM]

noooo jobsy!! he WAS looking mighty gaunt and pale for the developers conference....

[CosterMonger @ Aug 29th 2008 10:01AM]

don't worry he has already been replaced by an actor!
maybe Jonathan Pryce will land the role?

:)

[Bill @ Aug 28th 2008 11:30AM]

You would think engadget is owned by jobs

[Decoy @ Aug 28th 2008 3:58PM]

It is pwned by Jobs.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Aug 28th 2008 11:32AM]

Dang , I thought that the apple rein was over. He does look a bit peckish in that picture, real skinny for a guy of his money and resources. Real skinny and I'm thin myself( but not sick). Doesn't Old Stevie have something real bad wrong with him?

[Eric @ Aug 28th 2008 11:41AM]

You'd think people actually paid attention rather than repeat the same old nonsense over and over again.

Here's the facts.

Jobs had some surgery that dealt with a problem where his food digestion wasn't quite working right and caused the weight loss. There was not a return of his pancreatic cancer to date. He's in good health overall.

[phil @ Aug 28th 2008 11:47AM]

Apple rein? But... wouldn't the horses eat them? I hear they find apples quite tasty. I would think you'd want to stick with the tried and true leather-and-steel reins.

Oh, you meant *reign*

nvm