The hi-tech industry was delivered a shock by Apple, when the company announced that its chief executive Steve Jobs, will no longer be making his keynote annual address to the industry at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco.

The company’s fans had started to see the event as something like a pilgrimage and Apple's 53-year-old co-founder regularly held court for two hours since he used to announce its latest gadgets. However, this year, the fans and spectators at the event will see an appearance by Apple's senior vice president, Phil Schiller instead of Jobs.

“The move was part of a decision to end its overall involvement with Macworld - which is run by the media and conference company IDG. It will be Apple's last keynote at the show. Apple has been steadily scaling back on trade shows in recent years,” said Apple via a statement.

Many are surprised at the decision to pull Jobs out of the show, just three weeks before he was due to take the stage. But it is being learnt that Jobs who survived cancer in 2004, might be too ill to conduct the stage.

“The decision to pull Jobs out of the show indicated the company's intention to stop exhibiting at Macworld. It doesn't make sense for us to make a major investment in a trade show we won't be attending any more,” said Apple spokesman Steve Dowling.

Back in 2003, Jobs was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer but the news was kept under the sheets for more than a year. When the condition did not improve with the help of a special diet, he had to undergo surgery to remove a neuroendocrine tumour in July 2004. Though it was confirmed that the operation was successful, Jobs looked quite weak at public appearances over past year.

The latest announcement by the company has now raised more questions regarding the health of Jobs, who tried to joke about his health concerns in October.

Jobs had been acting as a strong pillar for the company since he joined it in 1996, and Apple’s fortunes have been directly linked to him.