The man they refer to as a “national treasure” and a “visionary” took center stage after almost a year’s hiatus following a liver transplant surgery. Yes, Steve Jobs is firmly in control and was his usual enthusiastic self, as he talked briefly about the operation and how important it was for everybody to consider donating their organs. The standing ovation he received was spontaneous.
The Apple stock has been moving up and down in the recent past on reports of his failing health and this event was very significant in communicating to investors that he was back and was playing an active role in the running of the company affairs.
It was however quickly back to business for Steve Jobs as he displayed the brilliant iPod Nano. This music player has features like the FM tuner, an inbuilt video camera and a voice recording facility. The product has already made a mark in the short time it has entered the market and has a very healthy market share. Apple has ensured that its existing iPod models don’t suffer due to the Nano launch by slashing their prices and have also introduced the 32 and 64GB versions.
The iTunes program which has undergone a revamp was also showcased and particular reference was made to its excellent home sharing, varied applications management program and liner notes features. Steve Jobs reiterated the fact that iTunes was the numero uno in music sales with over a hundred million registered members.
However, it must be said that the usual euphoria that tends to follow after every Apple press conference was missing this time as people probably had more expectations from it.