Google boss puzzled by Apple anti-trust inquiry

GOOGLE SUPREMO Eric Schmidt says that a government inquiry into his role on Apple's board of directors will not reveal any cunning plans to stifle competition in mobile phones or other technology.

In a media session before Google's shareholders meeting, Schmidt said he had not even considered stepping down from Apple's board, even if Google was thinking of getting into the mobile phone business.

After all, Apple just makes toys like the Iphone and Ipod and cannot be seen as a "primary competitor" to Google, which uses its dominance in Internet search to sell lots of advertising.

Schmidt and former Genentech CEO Arthur Levinson sit on the boards of both Google and Apple.

It is starting to look like the sticking point is "Android" which is being touted as a rival to the OS that runs the Iphone gadget. Android is also headed for netbooks.

If Google starts making an operating system then it will be competing with Apple which also makes one, although it will be going into those cheap and nasty netbooks that Apple refuses to make.

Schmidt said he always formally recuses himself from all Apple board discussions involving the Iphone, although he will talk about other subjects.

We guess that means he will also talk about web browsers and how Safari should use something Java-based like Google's browser Chrome. Oh wait, it already does.

Maybe he talks about how YouTube's video site will start to earn money by using a formula which may or may not be like Itunes.

Brandon Rees, a representative for the AFL-CIO's holdings in Google told AFP he is worried that Google could become subject to anti-trust action similar to that which faced Microsoft.

Schmidt said that was pants and "there is no comparison" between Google's behaviour and Microsoft's attempts to stifle competition in the computer software market during the 1990s.

However, there are similarities. Both outfits have huge monopolies and fingers in lots of pies. The inquiry into Apple and Google's links shows that the US government is getting a bit worried about Google's power.

Already the US Justice Department is looking at a legal settlement with authors and publishers that would expand Google's digital library of books. There have been complaints that the move will give Google a digital monopoly on millions of books. µ

L'Inq
AFP