Steve Jobs and Bill Gates on stage at D: All Things Digital in 2007
Valleywag reports that it is hearing that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has "tentatively agreed" to appear on stage at The Wall Street Journal's D: All Things Digital conference scheduled for June 1st through 3rd. The major business and technology conference, to be held in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, brings together many of the biggest names in technology for extensive discussions about the industry.
An appearance at D would not only speak to Jobs' continuing physical vitality but also his willingness to grapple with some of the thorny new controversies surrounding his company, including its newfound power over news media publishers and rival Adobe. At an Apple event, Jobs is in control; on a stage at D, he'd be fielding questions from the likes of the Journal's Walt Mossberg and All Things D's Kara Swisher.
Jobs last appeared at D in 2007, participating in a one-on-one Q&A with Mossberg and later sharing the stage with Microsoft founder Bill Gates for a discussion of the two companies' relationship and role in the industry.
Meanwhile, many observers are still anxiously waiting for news on Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). Apple has yet to announce dates for the conference, which is usually held each June and where the company has taken to introducing its new iPhone models. Daring Fireball's John Gruber has hinted that an announcement is coming either today or tomorrow, depending on whether Gruber's tweet made at 12:20 AM Eastern Time this morning is interpreted to have been posted yesterday or today.
Update: All Things D's Kara Swisher confirms that Jobs will be the opening-night speaker for this year's conference.
