Few events in the technology world can rival the attention a new iPhone launch draws, but the return of Steve Jobs to Apple Inc would surely be one of them.

The new, souped-up iPhone 3GS goes on sale this Friday, as investors and gadget lovers alike await the presumed re-emergence of Apple's famed chief executive, who has been on medical leave for about six months.

The consumer electronics giant remains mum on exactly when and how Jobs will come back, repeating the now-familiar mantra that Apple looks forward to his return at the end of June.

It is possible, analysts say, that Jobs could soon shift to a new post that would allow him to focus on big-picture issues and products, while Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook, currently acting CEO, manages the company.

At the very beginning, it will be him coming back as CEO. If they do make a transition, it will be a slower, methodical type of transition, said Pacific Crest Securities analyst Andy Hargreaves.

With Apple's shares already up 60 percent this year, few analysts expect Jobs' return to have a lasting impact on the stock beyond a short-term bounce.

If Jobs reduces his role, analysts say a stock dip is also likely to be short-term as Wall Street has become more comfortable with Apple's supporting cast of executives.

People feel good not just about Tim Cook but about the depth of the team in general, Hargreaves said. They have done a good job of trying to highlight some of the other people that are there.

Besides Cook, Hargreaves mentioned Jonathan Ive, senior vice president of industrial design, and Bertrand Serlet, senior vice president of software engineering, as providing a reassuring presence.

Jobs, a pancreatic cancer survivor, stepped away from the CEO post in January, citing unspecified health issues. In his absence, Cook has overseen day-to-day operations, although Apple said Jobs remains deeply involved in decision-making.

IPHONE LAUNCH

An example of how Apple continues to upgrade its product line even with Jobs on the sidelines is the new iPhone 3GS, which features a faster processor, video capability, an improved camera and better battery life. The phone -- in the works before Jobs stepped away -- will compete with Research in Motion Ltd's (RIM.TO) BlackBerry and Palm Inc's (PALM.O) Pre, which has seen strong early demand.

The 3GS goes on sale on Friday in the United States and seven other countries. Past iPhone launches have seen a circus-like atmosphere, with some people camping out overnight.

The new phone has won positive reviews from the likes of Walt Mossberg at the Wall Street Journal and David Pogue at the New York Times.

But some have also noted that the device is not a huge technological leap over the current iPhone. And given that many people have already preordered the device, analysts said the first-day crush could be lighter than in years past.

From a hardware perspective, it's nothing earth-shattering, but from a user experience, it's going to be far superior to the current 3G because it's much faster, said Broadpoint Amtech analyst Brian Marshall.

Apple also slashed the price on its older iPhone to $99, and Marshall expects sales of the two devices to drive up results in the company's current quarter, which closes at the end of June.

He expects Apple to sell some 5 million iPhones in the quarter, up 32 percent from the previous period, and said exclusive carrier AT&T Inc (T.N) could see 1 million activations of the 3GS by the end of the month.

UNDERSTATED RETURN

Analysts expect Jobs' return to be an understated affair.

We expect it to be very smooth, said Kaufman Bros analyst Shaw Wu. We don't expect anything that different from his departure on medical leave, which was announced in a personal message to company employees.

Many Apple watchers had hoped to see Jobs make a dramatic return onstage last week at the company's developers' conference in San Francisco, but he did not appear.

It was at the same event in 2008 that Jobs first appeared gaunt, touching off a storm of speculation about his health.

Apple shares were up 1.1 percent at $137 in midday trading.

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