Apple CEO Steve Jobs really is returning from his leave of absence, but he won't be sticking around the company very long, according to Silicon Valley psychic Barbara Courtney. Her mystical insight says that Mr. Jobs will stay with Apple for only about two years, and that his medical problems aren't fully resolved.
Cult of Mac's Leander Kahney contacted the popular psychic to the tech industry to get her take on Mr. Jobs's future with Apple. Along with her prediction that he really is returning, most likely at the end of June just as Apple executives promised, she also said that someone else would surface as part of Mr. Jobs's transition out of the company.
"There's some transition, but that won't be announced for a while. I feel that there's another person that won't surface right away," she said.
If true, that could mean CFO Tim Cook won't land the top spot once Mr. Jobs bows out for good. Mr. Cook has been handling the day-to-day CEO duties in Mr. Jobs's absence, and many have assumed that he was being groomed to take over the company.
Ms. Courtney added that Mr. Jobs's title or role with Apple may change once he returns. "However he returns, I feel he will try to keep his stress lower. He will begin to empower other people to take a more public role," she said.
Whether or not her predictions are accurate remains to be seen, but there is one point that Apple and Ms. Courtney agree on: Steve Jobs is returning to Apple soon. Of course, no one needs a crystal ball, or even a magic eight ball, to predict the return of Steve Jobs.
[Thanks to TMO reader Mace for the heads up]