COMMENT: The Google era is upon us

Is Eric Schmidt's resignation from Apple the turning point in the company's history?

3 August 2009 18:21 GMT / By Stuart Miles

The resignation of Google CEO Eric Schmidt from the Apple board marks the turning point of Google's change from being the darling of the tech world to one that will eventually be feared and revered as much as Microsoft was.

Google it seems has finally grown up and in doing so, has become one of the most powerful companies in the world employing over 23,000 people.

So, what would make the public and tech world start to shift against the company whose motto is "do no evil"? Human nature.

Capitalism is a strange beast and whilst companies strive to do well and conquer the world, if they get too big we automatically feel the urge to put them in their place.

It has happened with Microsoft in the past and it will happen to Google in the future.

Apple, and other companies in the industry, are slowly realising that it's not Microsoft that they need to worry about, but Google.

"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", said Steve Jobs in a statement on Monday as to why the Google boss is out.

Was Schmidt pushed? Did he jump? Has he had enough of Apple? Either way the deed is done and the two companies have grown apart (the question about what will happen to other Google and Apple board member Arthur Levinson still remains).

Reading that statement, you can see why Schmidt had to go. There are so many competing brands between the two companies it is a wonder Schmidt has been allowed to have an inside look for so long, even if he was excusing himself from the relevant clashes.

Android versus the iPhone, the Chrome browser versus Safari, Chrome OS versus OS X, Picasa versus iPhoto, iChat versus Google Talk, Google Docs versus iWork, Google Calendar versus iCal, the list goes on.

Apple it seems has woken up to what is happening. But it's not just Apple that should finally wake up to the fact that the media and tech industries' love for the Google has allowed it to slowly creep in and take a commanding stand in virtually all areas of our internet life.

With partnerships with lots of the big technology manufacturers it's easy to see why the company has become so big, so everywhere.

Will the house of cards come tumbling down? Not just yet. The move from Apple is likely to get people questioning what, how, why and where Google is and what its intentions are. How Google controls digital life and whether or not they are happy with that situation.

What is abundantly clear is that the Microsoft era is well and truly over.

We are now entering the Google era.

Via: apple.com

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