Source Says Apple Wants To Keep Jobs

Apple Computer Inc. wants co-founder Steve Jobs to become its permanent chief executive but won’t pressure the interim leader to make a decision, people familiar with Apple’s plans said Monday.

But Jobs, Apple’s acting CEO since last July, has told the company he prefers to remain on a temporary basis, said the sources, who insisted on anonymity. Jobs also heads Pixar, the movie animation studio that produced “Toy Story.”

The company’s stock price has more than doubled since last July, its fast G3 Macintosh computers are selling well and the company reported last quarter its first profit since the summer of 1996.

Apple, based in Cupertino, Calif., has been searching for a permanent leader since the board ousted CEO Gil Amelio last July amid sinking Macintosh computer sales and persistent losses. Last week, the company held a regular board meeting, but did not make a decision with regard to Jobs, the sources said.