Jobs hopes to return 'as soon as he can': Cook

Apple's ailing chief executive Steve Jobs remains involved in major strategic decisions at the company and hopes to return to work full-time as soon as he can, a top Apple executive said on Wednesday.

"He is still on medical leave but we do see him on a regular basis," Apple chief operating officer Tim Cook told financial analysts during a conference call to discuss the company's fiscal second-quarter earnings.

"And as we've previously said he continues to be involved in major strategic decision," Cook said. "I know he wants to be back full-time as soon as he can."

Jobs, 56, went on medical leave in January, his third since 2004, but has retained his title of chief executive at Apple.

Jobs underwent an operation for pancreatic cancer in 2004 and received a liver transplant in 2009, but Apple has not released any details about his latest health issues.

Apple's fortunes have been uniquely linked to Jobs, who returned to the then flagging company in 1997 after a 12-year absence and introduced innovative and wildly successful products like the iPod, iPhone and iPad.

(c) 2011 AFP