No sooner had Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer opened the company's to analysts than the first question about Steve Jobs' health appeared.

Analyst Ben Reitzes of Barclays Capital asked about Jobs' health and how it affected the operation and management of the organization. Specifically, Reitzes wanted to know if Chief Operating Officer (COO) Tim Cook would be Jobs' likely successor "if the worst case scenario" occurs and Jobs is unable to return.

"Steve is the CEO of Apple and intends to be involved in major strategic decisions," replied Oppenheimer.

Cook provided some additional details.

"There is an extraordinary breadth and depth and tenure among Apple's executive team. And these executives lead over 35,000 employees that I would all call 'wicked smart'," said Cook. "And that's in all areas of the company, in engineering, marketing, operations, sales, and all the rest."