Apple CEO Steve Jobs Returns To Limelight

Apple Inc. (AAPL) Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs yesterday (Wednesday) made his long-awaited return to the public eye to introduce a new lineup of lower-priced iPods, which is becoming an annual event.

Jobs, who underwent liver transplant surgery last spring, still looked thin.

“I now have the liver of a mid-20s person who died in a car crash and was generous enough to donate their organs,” Jobs said. “I wouldn’t be here without such generosity.”

The talk about his liver transplant was limited to the first minute or so of Jobs’ presentation, after which he introduced a new lineup of iPods that will sell at cheaper prices. Of note is the lowering of the 8-gigabyte iPod Touch to $199, which has access to the company’s lucrative App Store.

More than 220 million iPods have been sold since their 2001 debut, and 20 million of those are iPod Touches. Apple saw its overall iPod sales decline 7% in its last quarter as its iPhone - which also plays music - takes off exponentially.

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