FTC Will Continue Google-Apple Probe
FTC Competition Bureau Director Richard Feinstein said Monday the Commission will continue to investigate remaining interlocking directorates between Apple and Google despite the fact that Google CEO Eric Schmidt has stepped down from the computer manufacturer's board. The FTC has been examining the Google-Apple connection for some time and Feinstein commended the companies for recognizing that sharing directors raises competitive issues as Google and Apple increasingly compete with each other. Schmidt has served on Apple's board since 2006 and since that time has entered the Web browser and operating system business with Google's Android and Chrome products.
"Eric has been an excellent board member for Apple, investing his valuable time, talent, passion and wisdom to help make Apple successful," Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in a press release. "Unfortunately, as Google enters more of Apple's core businesses... 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. Arthur Levinson, the former CEO of Genentech also sits on the boards of both companies. Read more here and here.
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