The realisation that Steve Jobs alone is not responsible for billions of investor money seems to have dawned late on Apple for the two names were synonymous for all these years. 

After fumbling over the issue for the past few months, Apple has now revealed that Jobs is stepping aside for five months to manage his health problems.

Apple had no successions plans for Steve Jobs so far and is sure to face investor wrath over the issue. Shareholders may even sue Apple for mishandling the report over Job's health. Investors may even claim that insiders have made a fortune concealing Job's suffering.

Reports, however, say the law is unclear on corporate requirements for disclosing health information about company's top executives. 

Jobs, who has been battling cancer for most of the past year made a rapid recovery from critical illness to return to full-time work at Apple a few months ago.

While it is true that he has to do a balancing act between his right as a private citizen to privacy over his illness, he also has a tremendous influence on the company's market valuation.

While Steve Jobs undoubtedly an invaluable asset for Apple, it is another thing for corporates to consider anyone, including its promoters, as irreplaceable.

In fact, concern over Jobs' health has threatened to overshadow the actual product announcements made at this year's annual Apple developers conference.

Jobs may be worth more to Apple than any a chief executive in any other company in the world. Apple's market cap could also see a free-fall should he abruptly forced to abandon his leadership position.

Apple's market cap dropped $6 billion soon after Jobs announced his leave of absence Wednesday.