Getty/Reddit Steve Jobs (left) and the photo man in Egypt (right) that is provoking false theories that Jobs is alive.
A photo that purportedly shows a doppelganger in Egypt who looks shockingly similar to Steve Jobs has some people on Reddit theorizing that Jobs is alive and faked his own death.
However, as with Elvis and others before him, it’s a hoax or just wishful thinking or a testament to the fact that some people think Jobs was crazy enough to actually do such a thing (but why would he have?). Although the unidentified man in the Reddit picture does look a lot like Steve Jobs, he is not Steve Jobs. The genius behind Apple died of pancreatic cancer on October 5, 2011 in Palo Alto, CA. Jobs was said to regret attempting alternative medicine over traditional cancer treatments.
Steve Jobs was 56-years-old when he died, so today he would be in his mid 60s had he lived. He had a rare form of the cancer – neuroendocrine cancer – so he lived eight years after diagnosis, which is longer than most people who have pancreatic cancer, according to Scientific American.
This is the Reddit photo that started it all:
The Reddit photo of a man in Egypt was posted by u/Sheshesheqwerty.
Here’s a picture of the actual Steve Jobs.
Steve Jobs
Such hoaxes often derive from society’s desire not to lose the talents a famous person offered the world before dying too young. It is, after all, enjoyable to think of the innovations that Jobs would have come up with had he lived, and it’s utterly tragic to imagine what the world has lost because he could not. “I know this is supposed to be a joke, but WTF, this guy looks too much like Steve Jobs to be so random,” wrote one Reddit user. Others had different theories from Jobs being alive. “Maybe he is his twin separated at birth,” wrote one user.
Eagle-eyed Reddit users have spotted some clues in the photo that further attest to the fact that the man in Egypt is not Steve Jobs. According to News.com.au, the photo on Reddit first appeared on Facebook and shows a man sitting in a cafe in Cairo, Egypt.
There’s definitely a resemblance. However, Jobs’ father was from Syria. Egypt is located very close to Syria, so it should be an area of the world where a fair number of people probably look somewhat like Steve Jobs.
Here’s what you need to know:
The Guy in Egypt Is Not Wearing an Apple Watch
With another Apple keynote right around the corner, let’s look back at some of the coolest moments from keynotes past. In the photo above, Steve Jobs holds a new mini iPod at Macworld on January 6, 2004. (Getty)
Some Reddit users noticed that the guy in the picture is not wearing an Apple Watch. The real Steve Jobs would presumably have done so, right? “OMG Steve Jobs doesn’t wear an Apple Watch!” wrote one Reddit user.
Conspiracy theorists had joking answers even for that, though. “because he even thinks they are over priced,” wrote one. “The Apple Watch was made to find and track him down. #AnalogLyfe!” explained another.
This composite photo shows the difference between Jobs in 2009 and 2005, and highlights the physical changes in his body due to illness.
Others noted that the profile view makes it hard to judge how much the guy in Egypt really does look like Steve Jobs. “Side profile and the night time photography (high contrast of the shadows) could be deceiving. I wonder what this guy actually looks like when you look at him from the front,” one Reddit user noted. “There’s a reason why facial recognition is done from the front and not via side profile.”
Others saw similarities in mannerisms, though. “Plus that thing he’s doing with his hands and mouth. That is a Steve Jobs tick. No question that’s him,” wrote one convinced Reddit user. “It’s funny but it’s actually something he would have really done. Granted he did like the limelight…” wrote another.
Another Reddit user delivered the final verdict. It’s not Steve Jobs: “he’s not wearing a black turtle neck. It’s not him.”