Iconic CEO Steven Jobs’ retirement from Apple is not likely to change the course of the company, at least in the short run. After three leaves of absence during recent years, the departure of Jobs comes as no surprise to most. Likewise, the ascent of Tim Cook into the role of CEO is not shocking either. What may come as a surprise to some, however, is how well Apple is positioned to continue to deploy innovative products and services, at least in the near term.
Jobs is leaving Apple with over $75 billion in cash in the bank and a fully stocked pipeline of products and services. The iPhone and iPad are two of the hottest electronics devices on the market today and that is not likely to change in the near term. Upcoming releases of the iPhone 5, the iPad 3, and Apple’s iCloud service should only further cement these devices in the marketplace. Likewise, updated MacBook Pro and MacBook Air laptops are likely to win favor with consumers. A little farther down the road, Apple has filed patent paperwork to incorporate data projectors into iOS devices.
In sum, Apple had a great run under Jobs second round of command. Though the company will no doubt miss his leadership, he leaves behind a well-oiled machine that will surely continue to prosper during the next few years.