Well….this can’t be good.

On Monday, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced that he will be a taking medical leave of absence from the company — effective immediately — a little less than two years after undergoing a lifesaving liver transplant.

In 2004, the Apple chief was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer. He underwent surgery and later claimed to be cured. Five years later, a shockingly-thin Jobs abruptly embarked on five-and-a-half-month medical leave, during which he claimed to be suffering from a “complex” medical issue and ultimately received the liver transplant.

Without revealing the nature of his medical emergency, in statement presented to Apple employees this morning, Jobs writes:

Team: At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health. I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company. I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple’s day to day operations. I have great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011. I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy.

Steve

Written by Castina on January 17th, 2011 | Tagged as: Apple,Steve Jobs