Steve Jobs' Health Problem: What Did Apple Know, and When Did They Know It?

"The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward," Jobs said in a rare and remarkable statement, in which he reassured the Apple "community" that he will remain as CEO.

That's certainly good news for Jobs' fans and Apple shareholders, and hopefully Jobs' health concerns will truly be resolved. But today's announcement does not remove the controversy that has dogged the issue of Jobs' health for several months. In fact, today's news adds to speculation over whether Jobs and Apple should have and could have been more forthcoming about the CEO's health.

Consider the following when thinking about what Jobs and Apple knew, and when did they know it:

• After Jobs' gaunt appearance at Apple's developers conference in June first set off speculation, Apple said the CEO was suffering from a "common bug." Maybe that was true but it now appears to have only been half the story, at best.
• In July, The New York Times' Joe Nocera reported Jobs gave him "some details about his recent health problems, but only if I would agree to keep them off the record." Yet in today's statement, Jobs said this hormonal imbalance was diagnosed only "a few weeks ago"; so what, if anything, did he know and tell Nocera in July?
• On Dec. 16, after announcing this week's MacWorld conference would be the company's last and that Jobs wouldn't deliver the keynote, Apple attributed the decision to trade shows having become "a very minor part of how Apple reaches its customers." Again, that may true but only half the story, as were reports like those of CNBC's Jim Goldman who declared last month: "Jobs' decision [to skip MacWorld] was more about politics than his pancreas."

Officially, Apple PR and executives have said repeatedly that Jobs' health is a "private matter," but the action in the stock since June suggests the CEO's health is very much a "material" event.

As with their (mis)handling of Jobs cancer and related treatment in 2003-04, Apple's action in the past seven months show the company - and the CEO - needs to do a much better job of discussing this highly controversial subject if and when it becomes a legitimate source of concern for the Apple community.