Google chief executive officer Eric Schmidt resigned on Monday from the board of Apple because of potential conflicts of interest as the two tech giants increasingly become rivals.
“Eric has been an excellent board member for Apple, investing his valuable time, talent, passion and wisdom to help make Apple successful,” a statement from Apple CEO Steve Jobs said.
Schmidt, who had been a member of the board since August 2006, could not function effectively with Google entering more of Apple’s core businesses, such as the smartphone and personal computer operating system markets, Jobs said.
“Eric’s effectiveness as an Apple board member will be significantly diminished, since he will have to recuse himself from even larger portions of our meetings due to potential conflicts of interest,” Jobs said.
The Apple boss said the decision that this was the right time for Schmidt to go had been reached by mutual consent. His comments were backed up by the departing board member.
“I have very much enjoyed my time on the Apple board,” Schmidt said. “It’s a fantastic company. But, as Apple explained today we’ve agreed it makes sense for me to step down now.”
Industry analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley said Schmidt should have left Apple’s board of directors when Google first considered building an Android operating system to power smartphones that challenge iPhones.
Taiwan-based HTC Corp (宏達電) released the first Android-driven “Google phone” late last year and other mobile device makers have followed suit. Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007.
“Schmidt, unfortunately, like many CEOs got caught up in the celebrity so he didn’t want to give it up even though it was appropriate,” Enderle said.
“I don’t think he will be missed much. In any case, Steve Jobs runs his board, not the other way around, and even the heavy hitters on it have very little real impact,” he said.
Justifying Schmidt’s presence on the Apple board was growing increasingly difficult to justify as the Cupertino, California-based maker of iPods, iPhones and Macintosh computers competes on an increasing number of fronts with Google.
Google launched a Chrome Web browser in September in a market where Apple’s Safari software is a contender.
Mountain View, California-based Google is building open-source Chrome OS operating system software for lightweight “netbook” computers.
Apple has battled for decades in the computer market with Macintosh machines built on its own software.
in September in a market where Apple’s Safari software is a contender.
Mountain View, California-based Google is building open-source Chrome OS operating system software for lightweight “netbook” computers.
Apple has battled for decades in the computer market with Macintosh machines built on its own software.
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