With Apple’s 1 billion dollar data center and Google’s Schmidt on the Apple board, I was speculating on whether Google was having any influence on the data center construction or servers. With the recent media coverage of FCC inquiry.
FCC Opens Inquiry of Apple's Ban of Google Voice
By FAWN JOHNSON and AMY SCHATZ
WASHINGTON -- The Federal Communications Commission has launched an inquiry into why Apple Inc. rejected Google Inc.'s Internet-telephony software for the popular iPhone, another sign of the Obama administration's stepped-up scrutiny of competitive practices in the technology industry.
In letters sent late Friday to the two companies and AT&T Inc., the FCC asked why Apple rejected the Google Voice application for the iPhone and removed related applications from its App Store. The letter also seeks information on how AT&T, the exclusive U.S. iPhone carrier, was consulted in the decision, if at all.
Document
The FCC's letter to Google asks for a description of the Google Voice application and whether Apple has approved any other Google applications for its store.
The attorney’s at Google and Apple must have figured out it was time to part ways.
Google's Schmidt Leaves Apple Board
Apple Inc. said Monday that Eric Schmidt, Google Inc.'s chief executive, is resigning from the Apple's board and cited the growing overlap of the two companies' businesses.
Mr. Schmidt has been a board director since August 2006.
Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs said Mr. Schmidt had been an "excellent" board member, contributing considerable time and ideas.
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Note the statement from the official press release.
“Unfortunately, as Google enters more of Apple’s core businesses, with Android and now Chrome OS, 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. Therefore, we have mutually decided that now is the right time for Eric to resign his position on Apple’s Board.”
Even though Schmidt was excluded from recent meetings, how much did he learn about Apple’s business model, and be able to modify Google’s?
It will be interesting as time plays out. With Apple’s ads targeting Microsoft, I wonder how long it will be before they need to have ads targeting Google?
If I was the Apple board I would fear Google more than Microsoft. Bet you it won’t be long before we see executives/engineers leaving Apple to Google. It’s been a long time since an Apple employee left to join Microsoft.
I am heading down to the bay area, and this will be a fun one to speculate on what is next.