July 8th, 2009
CNET: It's time for Google's CEO to resign from Apple's board
In an open letter to Google CEO Eric Schmidt, CNET’s Tom Krazit this morning calls for his resignation from Apple’s Board of Directors, citing an inevitable collision course for the companies as competitors now that Google has announced plans to build a computer operating system called Google Chrome OS.
(Image Credit: Dan Farber/CNET)
Also see: ZDNet’s coverage of Google Chrome OS
Krazit is absolutely right on this one, pointing out that Schmidt is already recusing himself from board discussions about the iPhone - seeing how smartphones built on Google’s Android competes with the it. Does this mean that Schmidt will now recuse himself from discussions about Mac OS X development, too? Krazit writes:
It was pretty clear before, but now it’s completely obvious: you are overseeing two companies on a collision course. How can you possibly claim that you’re guiding the best interests of each company when the best interest of each company in two years will be to out-maneuver the other?
What’s left for Schmidt to discuss at Apple board meetings - the iPod? I would argue that the iPod Touch is so closely related to the iPhone, given all the apps and such that work on it, that discussions about that product might also require a recusal for Schmidt. Krazit sums it up best:
If Apple’s board doesn’t ask you do to so, please submit your resignation so both companies can free themselves of this obvious conflict of interest, and continue to develop the amazing products and services you have been separately creating.
Sam Diaz is a senior editor at ZDNet. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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