Recent reports claim Apple's Jonathan Ive (designer of the iMac) has purchased a mansion in the UK, while endless rumors about Steve Jobs' health don't do the company's stock much good either. 9to5mac is reporting that "company-watchers" are now asking if Apple can produce a new Steve Jobs, should anything happen to Apple's individualistic entrepreneur.

With no succession strategy yet disclosed by Apple, folks are starting to take and name their picks. The first logical choice is Tim Cook, Apple's Chief Operating Officer. Cook filled in for Jobs when the company's CEO was fighting cancer in 2004. However, most will agree that Apple was forced to have Cook as CEO during the time Jobs was away. Cook was also the best person to choose to maintain Apple's relations with other companies at the time, him answering only to Jobs. That's why, now that the question is being asked, Apple should have enough time to consider a CEO that combines some of Steve's qualities.

The aforementioned source points out to Jobs' interview with Fortune earlier this year when he said "we've got really capable people at Apple. I made Tim Cook COO and gave him the Mac division and he's done brilliantly..." Jobs went on to say, "I mean, some people say, 'Oh God, if Jobs got run over by a bus, Apple would be in trouble.' And, you know, I think it wouldn't be a party but there are really capable people at Apple. And the board would have some good choices about who to pick as CEO. My job is to make the whole executive team good enough to be successors, so that's what I try to do."

Of course, that doesn't mean everyone is fitted for the job. Imagine Jobs having Microsoft's Ballmer on his team. Need I say more...?

Jobs, Cook and Ive aside, there are nine possible successors to the Apple "throne," 9to5mac is reporting:

- Daniel Cooperman (General Counsel and Secretary);
- Tony Fadell (senior vice president, iPod division);
- Scott Forstall (Senior VP, iPhone software);
- Ron Johnson (Senior VP Retail);
- Bob Mansfield (senior VP Mac Hardware Engineering);
- Peter Oppenheimer (CFO);
- Phil Schiller (Worldwide Product Marketing chief);
- Bertrand Serlet (Senior VP Software Engineering)
- Sina Tamaddon (senior VP Applications).

Scot Forstall, newly-promoted to his position within the company, is currently one of the most important people at Apple, him being responsible for the iPhone and all. Tony Fadell, as some of you may know, is the guy who paved the way for the iPod. With this in mind, we ask you to decide who you think would be the most suitable for the CEO position at Apple.