BUSINESS BRIEFING / TECHNOLOGY

Steve Jobs, the co-founder and chief executive of Apple Inc., received a liver transplant about two months ago in Tennessee but is expected to return to work this month, according to a published report.

The charismatic CEO -- widely credited for the success in recent years of the maker of the iPhone, iPod and Mac computers -- began a medical leave of absence in January for an undisclosed condition. He handed his day-to-day management duties to Tim Cook, Apple’s chief operating officer, until the end of June.

Neither Jobs nor a spokeswoman for the Cupertino, Calif., company confirmed the transplant report in the Wall Street Journal.

Jobs had reportedly been considering a liver transplant when he began his leave in January.

Jobs, who had pancreatic cancer in 2004, may return to work part-time at first, the Journal said.