News 

The obituary was quickly withdrawn, but not before a copy had been taken and circulated on the internet.

In it, the news service describes the Apple chief executive as the man who, "helped make personal computers as easy to use as telephones, changed the way animated films are made [as boss of Pixar], persuaded consumers to tune into digital music and refashioned the mobile phone."

The lengthy account ends with the ongoing speculation about his health following his successful cancer operation in 2004.

Jobs himself said in July that his health is fine and his recent gaunt appearance was attributed to a common bug.

Analysts have predicted that if Jobs's health does force him to stand down - or if, in the worst case, he was to die - then it could wipe as much as 25% from Apple's stock market value.