Comments on: Google CEO Eric Schmidt Resigns From Apple Board

By: Subbaraman Iyer

Subbaraman Iyer — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:58:44 +0000

It is not a conflict of interests though that was probably the last straw. Both Apple and Google are great companies but with antithetical approaches to the future of the consumer web. Everything about them — business model, innovation approaches are different and hence it was a surprise that their mutual rivalry with Microsoft kept them together for so long. I have analyzed their philosophical approaches here at: http://subbaiyer.wordpress.com/2009/08/04/google-and-apple-are-now-confirmed-rivals/

By: David Robins

David Robins — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 06:40:34 +0000

It was bond to happen. Google and Apple are competitors in a lot of areas and the reason they got together in the first place was Microsoft. Now Microsoft is not the 800 lbs gorilla any more and these guys can go their own ways.

By: JTFC

JTFC — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:14:38 +0000

I hope you lose your job and want to have unemployment benefits and cobra for health insurance. Let’s see who is the socialist. And of you are rich enough that don’t need a job, then why don’t you just stop paying tax or move to a tax free country.

By: Mark Sigal

Mark Sigal — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:08:30 +0000

At the risk of tooting my horn, in March of LAST year, I wrote a post called ‘The Chess Masters: Apple versus Google’ that essentially asserted two things.

One that Apple and Google are without peers in terms of their ability to build products that cross the once impenetrable boundaries between PC, mobile, media and Internet segments.

Two that given their respective mammoth ambitions, ‘friends’ Apple/Google are destined to become ‘frienemies’ ala Apple/Microsoft (circa 1990).

Looks like destiny is being realized.

Check out the post if interested:

The Chess Masters: Apple versus Google:

http://bit.ly/P9HJs

Mark

By: Amadeo

Amadeo — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:07:02 +0000

Another reason not to go with Yahoo – lesson from the past example of Ask.com (AskJeeves back then.) Ask.com had to decide to go with Google or another company (I believe it was Overture) for ads. Ask.com went with their search competitor, Google, and were initially criticized/mocked for it. However, it turned out to be the right move in lifting them out of losing money. That got the company to do something they haven’t done before – turning a profit. This is the one decision that helped them survive, while other dot-coms of that early internet era bombed.

Sometimes, it is a win-win situation to cooperate with competitors – “coopetition”. The relationship between U.S. and China is another example of coopetition during the current global economic crisis.

By: Rupert Goldie

Rupert Goldie — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:34:44 +0000

You simply cannot replace Google Maps with Yahoo! Maps. Yahoo! is just not up to scratch. Search for Melbourne, Australia in each and you will see the difference.

Rupert

By: Libran Lover

Libran Lover — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:11:20 +0000

“The way I see it, Apple should take these hostilities one step further: Kick out Google Maps from the core of its service and replace it with Yahoo Maps. And as for search, there is this thing called Bing…”

Wait, what? Put an inferior map product on the iPhone and risk consumer dissatisfaction just to show off some macho hostility? As for Bing, it’s still a Microsoft product, right? The same Microsoft with which Apple has a much older and out in the open hostility, than it does with Google. The same Microsoft which desperately needs Bing to succeed. Why would Apple give such an easy gift to its old rival?

Note that even after releasing the Android OS, Google continues to give the iPhone the highest priority when it comes to releasing new mobile apps and features.

In the real business world, people are much more pragmatic about how they handle rivals and competition. I am with the earlier commenter who said this is not a schoolyard fight.

By: gbp

gbp — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:02:10 +0000

Well well, the only reason I have is, few years (precisely seven years ) back we heard of Linux based PC’s taking over the consumer market. It didn’t happen.
Because the likes of HP, Compaq, Gateway and Dell loved Microsoft, and
didn’t bother to pay attention to Linux in a big way.

Fast forward 2009, you see Linux everywhere, Android, PALM Pre, bunch of ASUS netbooks, Acer notebooks …. even HP making one. The list goes on.

Apart from Linux which is software , the new CPUs ( Intel Atom, Snapdragon, ARM based chips ,) are bringing the price of the netbook to sub 300 dollar range.

Here is my thought , 80 percent of personal usage on computer involves checking email, browsing, tweating ( or whatever that is) , facebooking, watching whatever the videos ,
and
more emailing , more browsing ….

The business usage will add working on a spreadsheet, working on a word document, creating power points and checking the code ( for developers).

Googles Chrome (Linux) will let you do the 80% personal usage easily.
For the rest i.e. business use , you will see either widgets , or web services being used to replace the Microsoft Office dependency.

Your question about APPLE being the polar opposite to the netbooks , I agree, but APPLE’s days as a premium PC / laptop producer will be numbered.
The only strength they have is, they know how to marry the hardware with software.

With this Linux exploding everywhere, APPLE’s software expertise will no longer be assumed to be the best. And the hardware changes ( i.e. chips being made for phones and laptops ) will help the DELLs of the world to churn out chrome based laptops for less than $ 200 bucks. Now you are talking a 200 plus dollar laptop that can be become a poor man’s macbook.

Reg , Windows 7 , hmmm , I will have to disagree with that one. I see the no corporate is ready to jump on the windows 7 upgrade , also I see non business customers are mad at Microsoft , thanks to Vista.

So Google it is , but we shall see how it will be played out. I will be buying one when they release it.

By: TimB

TimB — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:34:48 +0000

@zato. Om, a MS shill? Not that I’ve ever seen, but (explicitly or implicity?) he is running a winning blog formula: take a side in a highly polarizing topic and wait for the comment traffic to climb.

By: jomym

jomym — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:31:33 +0000

How will consumers download photos from their digital camera using a web browser?
There are to many compromises for consumers to adopt it initially.

I think Chrome OS will actually be most attractive in the enterprise.
More and more business is done solely with a web browser.

By: zato

zato — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:21:31 +0000

“This battle between Google and Apple is going to get very ugly — as it should. Both companies have pinned their futures on smartphones.”

What a load of 2 digit BS.

“Democracy and Apple… what is wrong with you…. ;-) Seriously I think it might be a good way for Microsoft to get everything going.” -Om Malik

Om, always the Microsoft shill/egoist.

By: TimB

TimB — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:02:09 +0000

@gbp – I’m a fan of both Apple and Google, but you are much more optimistic about Chrome OS (and its threat to Apple) than me. The most likely place for Chrome OS to succeed is at the bottom of the price chain (netbooks, smartbooks, nettops…whatever)….the polar opposite of where Apple likes to play. Even if Chrome OS is insanely great – MS could counter that threat by giving away their margins on “Windows 7 ultralight” (or whatever they would call it).

By: TheEqualizer

TheEqualizer — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:01:51 +0000

Switching to Yahoo or Bing won’t anger me a bit…I’ve been boycotting Google ever since Schmidt proclaimed his allegiance to President YoMama…bunch of freakin socialists masquerading as capitalists!

By: gbp

gbp — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:47:59 +0000

I don’t know what to say to your post. While I am not a code monkey anymore, I know a bit or two about operating systems. Google Chrome is redefining the operating system, and it will be a direct threat to APPLE. In about a year , you will see the ultra cool netbook type gadgets that run the Chrome. Which means folks at APPLE will be competing with Google.

And there is that small matter of Mobile operating system called Android , which will explode in a year or two resulting abdominal pain in APPLE’s infinite loop.

By: jomym

jomym — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:46:10 +0000

Bring back Sherlock.
Apple and Google have more to gain from working together than they stand to loose competing against each other. It is a stretch to say these companies actually compete against each other. The real problem is contractual obligations to third parties(AT&T).
Apple wants Google Voice on the iPhone but can’t allow it at this juncture.
Apple’s success is still dependent on AT&T and courting Verizon for the future.
Allowing GV on the iPhone would jeopardize both of those relationships.

By: gbp

gbp — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:33:11 +0000

Om,
Agree it is a good way for Microsoft , and a bold move from APPLE.
But the current iPhone users might not like it to the point that they might ditch the iPhone.

A year back folks had no substitute for iPhone , now you got Pre and the Andriod phones that can do the multi touch magic.

Ultimately , it will end up as a failed decision , but I would love to see it played out the way you described.