MacWorld UK is reporting that Apple tried to block an article from publication in The Sunday Times. What was in the article that Apple wanted suppressed so badly? Steve Jobs’s life story. That’s all.

MacWorld UK:

Apple hates personality stuff and press intrusion. “We want to discourage profiles,” an Apple PR tells me stiffly, apparently unaware she is waving a sackful of red rags at a herd of bulls. Another PR rings the editor of this magazine to try to halt publication of this piece.

The article lists Jobs’s successes, failures, personal and professional life, and his rebranding of Apple in the late 90’s. The article also goes on to describe Jobs’s personality.

Jobs is, in the words of the psychiatrist and scholar of leadership Michael Maccoby, “a productive narcissist”. To Jobs, the world is an epiphenomenon, a side effect of the existence of Steve. Or rather, it is a pyramid with Jobs at the top, a few bright people just beneath him, and then the rest of us — the “bozos”. The customer bozo is not, to him, always right. In the early days it was said the Apple marketing department consisted of Jobs looking in his mirror and asking himself what he wanted. His customer-relations motto is from Henry Ford: “If I’d asked my customers what they wanted, they’d have said a faster horse.” In a world driven by technology, only the technocrats know what we want and need.

Lastly, the article comes to Jobs’s health, especially his recent leave of absence and liver transplant. They also raise the familiar question of Apple’s continuing success after Jobs retires.

I can tell you exactly why Apple didn’t want this to be published. I’m not taking Apple’s side, interfering with the press is nasty business, but with the publication of this article, the same sore spots come to the surface. Steve Jobs is an ass, and when he retires Apple will go down the toilet. Or so the press thinks.

Can Apple continue without Jobs? The Answer: Yes.

Steve Jobs is not Apple. And Apple is not Steve Jobs. He has a vision of perfection, yes, but others in the company do too. Johnny Ive, is a known perfectionist. Although there was some guidance from Jobs, Tim Cook did a great job running the company in Jobs’s absence. There are many talented people at Apple capable of taking Jobs’s place when the time comes.

I could list example’s all day, but I think you get the picture. Apple will be just fine when Steve Jobs leaves the company. No matter what the press wants you to think.