Apple shareholders reject revealing succession plan for Jobs

Apple shareholders have rejected a proposal that would have forced the company to name its planned successor to chief executive Steve Jobs.

The investors voted against a proposed motion that asked the company's board of directors to deliver a succession policy describing how a new chief executive would be appointed, should Jobs give up his position.

The vote did little to harm the market's opinion of Apple, and shares rose 1.18 per cent in after-hours trading.

Jobs took a second medical leave from the company earlier this year, citing health issues. The Apple chief executive and co-founder took a similar leave of absence in 2009, that was later found to have included a liver transplant.

Phil Schiller, senior vice president of product marketing, and Tim Cook, chief operating officer, are among those named as possible successors to Jobs. Cook is currently handling day-to-day operations in Jobs's absence.

Despite the apparent unease from a minority of Apple shareholders, the company has maintained its stellar financial performance in the brief period since Jobs took his latest medical leave. Analysts have expressed confidence in the current leadership over the short term.

Apple has scheduled a press event for 2 March in San Francisco, at which the company is widely expected to unveil a new iPad model.