The Elegance Of Steve Jobs

I'd really like to talk about something other than Steve Jobs this week, but its kind of the only thing everyone is talking about so, here goes...

I once read a book about elegance in design.  One theme stuck with me - the idea of how nature repeats patterns.  The veins in a leaf are the same pattern as a branch on a tree. The whole tree is really that same pattern as the branch repeated over and over...even down into its root system.  Repeating patterns is how nature works. It is what creates elegance.
Humans are part of nature and companies are made up of humans.  So it's "natural" that this pattern could show up in the world of business as well.  I've always thought Apple was a good example of this pattern and its one of the reasons they have elegance in what they do.
From what I've been told, Mr. Jobs may be difficult to work with etc., but he is also a singularly focused individual.  That singular focus repeats itself in the simplicity of Apple hardware design, user interface, retail store design and even product offerings - one choice of iPhone (for now). The sum of that repeated pattern is what creates Apple's elegance.  And, since the company is such a personality driven organization, the genesis of the pattern starts in Steve Jobs' mind.
The opposite therefore is also true.  Schizophrenic thought leadership leads to schizophrenic decision making which leads to schizophrenic product design, product offerings, retail presentation, etc., etc.
It is so simple yet so true.  And, that too is the elegance of nature at work.
So for me, the question about Apple's future is not about their ability to innovate.  The question is: can they continue the pattern that has led to their elegance now that the seed of that pattern has stepped aside?