Ahead of Steve Jobs‘ much-anticipated participation in the keynote speech at the Worldwide Developers Conference today, the Associated Press has been busy compiling the Apple CEO’s obituary.
Sources said Apple chiefs were furious to find out AP reporters had been calling top Hollywood studio and record-label executives, seeking quotes to refresh their obit on Jobs, who has been out on medical leave for several months but will join the keynote at the WWDC event in San Francisco.
Calls are believed to have been placed in the last two weeks to honchos at Universal Studios, Warner Pictures and record labels Sony, EMI and Warner Music.
A source told Page Six, “Apple found out about it and asked everyone involved not to give any quotes, although most of those called had already refused.”
One person the AP approached told us, “I understand they have a job to do, but it seemed a little ill-timed and macabre.”
Jobs has been on medical leave for months — his second medical leave in two years after battling pancreatic cancer. He last appeared in public in March, to debut the iPad 2.
The iconic Apple co-founder will appear with other company executives to discuss the next versions of its iOS and Mac OSX operating systems and the new iCloud for music, videos and possibly other media.
While reps at Apple and the AP declined to comment, a source told us, “It is wise for major news organizations to be constantly updating their obituaries for public figures, particularly those who seem fragile or who are a certain age.”
In 2008, the Bloomberg Financial wire mistakenly posted an incomplete obituary for Jobs, including a list of suggested contacts for more quotes, including Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. It was retracted minutes later.