Well guys, this topic may be “old news” but lately I’m not the only one asking this, many analysts have been pondering this very same thing now that Apple has been put to the test after all these months without good-old Steve Jobs holding their hand the entire way. Well, its almost time for Mr. Jobs to return to Apple as CEO once more. So let’s take a look at Apple in 2009…

Well, back in January, Steve Jobs had finally admitted that something was wrong and that he had to leave Apple until “the end of June”. If you recall, he had said that he had a simple “hormonal imbalance”, which we later learned that he actually was more severe than that. This had a chilling effect on Apple stock, their stock plummeted to as low as $78.20.

We should also be aware that at that time, the world was in the middle of a recession so we can also relate some of those losses twards the bad economy, I would like to think that its very stupid to assume that Apple stock only fell due to Steve’s poor health.

By February, their highest value was $102.51. Not much happened during February 2009, so this is just speculation from investors.

March was an even better month for Apple, they announced iPhone OS 3.0 to the world at a special event led by Scott Forstall. Their stock was at $105.12 by March, 31, 2009. Still nothing like what they were a year ago at nearly $200 a share.

April, a huge month for Apple, they were, in fact, in the middle of their beta testing for iPhone OS 3.0, they sold their one billionth application on their highly sucessful App Store on April 23, 2009, and they were actively testing Snow leopard with their developers. They ended off at $125.83.

May, another huge month for Apple. They were finishing off iPhone OS 3.0 beta testing and Snow Leopard was also recieving beta releases, also Apple stated that all major work to the frameworks was done, and that developers should start making new applications as the next releases were going to be simple bug fixes.

New beta releases were available for both platforms. Also speculation about Apple’s newest iPhone device were at their peak as references to “Jibbler” (voice-control) , “Accessibility”, Magnetometer (digital-compass), and video capabilities had been found in the iPhone OS 3.0 firmware during beta testing. They ended off at $135.81.

Now onto June. Apple’s biggest month since Steve Jobs’ absence. This is where WWDC 2009 was at. They announced their new (more affordable) MacBook line starting at $1,199, Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) starting at just $29 (for Leopard users), QuickTime X, Safari 4, iPhone OS 3.0 (GM seed released to developers, June 17th release for the rest of the world), and the highly anticipated iPhone 3G S (the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet).

Well, on June 5th (Friday before WWDC) they ended up at $144.67. Great price. Now after WWDC 2009 they ended off at $142.35.

This has basically a tradition, Apple stock falls after their keynotes, no one is exactly sure why that is, even if the announcements are ground breaking, it still falls no matter what.

At the time I am writing this, they are at $139.48. A slight dip from their pre-WWDC value. This is due to glitches with iPhone 3G S activations and iPhone OS 3.0 activation complications, and AT&T’s uncanny ability to ruin a great launch by not supporting MMS or teathering at launch.

Investors have liked the way Apple has been running so far under Tim Cook, Phil Schiller, Scott Forstall, and Bertrand Serlet’s leadership at Apple during Steve Jobs’ absence from the company.

I agree, they have been doing a great job without Steve holding their hand the whole way. They have managed to not kill Apple, but rather survive and thrive during the harsh economic downturn. Apple has been one of the most sucessful companies during the recession.

Not even Microsoft could sustain themselves completely, they had extreme lay offs. Apple also had lay offs, but not very many. At this point, they are giving everyone their job back because they are opening 100 new stores in the U.S. alone this year.

My verdict, Apple will survive without Steve Jobs. I don’t however, see there being very many revolutionary products comming out of Apple after Mr. Jobs is gone.

I do however see them surviving as they have a set goal in mind. Steve said at the launch of Mac OS X, “Mac OS X sets Apple up for at least the next decade”, and now with the iPhone OS, there are limitless possibilities with this brilliant idea of a screen that displays whatever you want with a keyboard that only appears when you need it.

These past few months, Apple has showed us that Apple is more than just one man with brilliant ideas and vision, but rather many people who work as one to bring the world great new technology.

Steve Jobs is the key to Apple’s huge sucess, there is no denying that, but I believe he has always been looking for someone who shares his vision and passion, an heir if I may, and mabe, just mabe, he has finally found his sucessor that will take over Apple so that it continues to thrive for the many years to come.

Sources say that Steve Jobs may return to Apple as part-time CEO, but at this point, I think we should all be ready for a part-time Jobs. Many people have speculated his return to Apple will be a short one. Most don’t expect his to stay to be more than 5 years at Apple, so let’s just hope he still has time for a few more Stevenotes and revolutionary technologies that will propel Apple deep into the 21st century and beyond.