Apple-Google battle heats up with key hires on both sides
Apple recently nabbed a former Google product manager for a secretive "pretty neat role" with the company, while a new Google employee has shared harsh words about Apple's "Disney-fied" approach to the mobile Internet.
Google recently hired well-known software developer Tim Bray, formerly of Oracle and Sun Microsystems. The developer wrote on his personal blog Monday that he will "enjoy competing with Apple," and shared some harsh words on what he feels are the iPhone maker's restrictive policies.
"The iPhone vision of the mobile Internet's future omits controversy, sex, and freedom, but includes strict limits on who can know what and who can say what," Bray wrote. "It's a sterile Disney-fied walled garden surrounded by sharp-toothed lawyers. The people who create the apps serve at the landlord's pleasure and fear his anger. I hate it."
He continued: "I hate it even though the iPhone hardware and software are great, because freedom's not just another word for anything, nor is it an optional ingredient."
Bray said he views his new job with Google has an opportunity to prove that Apple is wrong in their approach to the mobile Internet. He noted that he's been a buyer of Apple systems for years, and despite his "current irritation," he will likely continue to do so. At Google, he will work on the Android mobile platform.
Last year, criticism of Apple's policies with the App Store mounted, prompting company executive Phil Schiller to personally fight back. But Apple came under fire again last month after the company changed its policy on "overtly sexual" content and purged more than 5,000 applications from the App Store.
As Google's latest hire took the opportunity to criticize the iPhone maker, Apple had its own key hire recently in the form of a former product manager with Google. TechCrunch discovered that R.J. Pittman, who it called a "prominent" employee with the search giant, has moved on to Apple.
Pittman sent a letter to his colleagues at Google in which he said the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984 changed his life.
"I've owned almost one of every Apple product released since then, and still own my first Mac that started it all some 25 years ago," he wrote. "In a strange but not so strange way, this is sort of a homecoming for me, despite never having worked for Apple. Life works in curious ways, and I love it when every so often it comes full circle."
He went on to say that he would have a "pretty neat role" with Apple, but declined to say what it might be. TechCrunch speculated that Pittman could work with the employees Apple took on in its acquisition of streaming music service Lala, given his background with Google's own music search technology.
"That said, Apple could be after his other talents ? Pittman had previously presented at the launches of other search-related products, including a Google Labs event," the report said. "And before that, he founded Groxis."
Last August, it was revealed that Apple and Google shared a gentlemen's agreement to not poach each others' employees, though these latest moves would suggest that deal is no longer in place. That should come as no surprise to any who have followed the growing rivalry between Google and Apple closely -- a battle that one observer said resembles World War III due to the level of animosity between the two technology giants.
Google recently hired well-known software developer Tim Bray, formerly of Oracle and Sun Microsystems. The developer wrote on his personal blog Monday that he will "enjoy competing with Apple," and shared some harsh words on what he feels are the iPhone maker's restrictive policies.
"The iPhone vision of the mobile Internet's future omits controversy, sex, and freedom, but includes strict limits on who can know what and who can say what," Bray wrote. "It's a sterile Disney-fied walled garden surrounded by sharp-toothed lawyers. The people who create the apps serve at the landlord's pleasure and fear his anger. I hate it."
He continued: "I hate it even though the iPhone hardware and software are great, because freedom's not just another word for anything, nor is it an optional ingredient."
Bray said he views his new job with Google has an opportunity to prove that Apple is wrong in their approach to the mobile Internet. He noted that he's been a buyer of Apple systems for years, and despite his "current irritation," he will likely continue to do so. At Google, he will work on the Android mobile platform.
Last year, criticism of Apple's policies with the App Store mounted, prompting company executive Phil Schiller to personally fight back. But Apple came under fire again last month after the company changed its policy on "overtly sexual" content and purged more than 5,000 applications from the App Store.
As Google's latest hire took the opportunity to criticize the iPhone maker, Apple had its own key hire recently in the form of a former product manager with Google. TechCrunch discovered that R.J. Pittman, who it called a "prominent" employee with the search giant, has moved on to Apple.
Pittman sent a letter to his colleagues at Google in which he said the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984 changed his life.
"I've owned almost one of every Apple product released since then, and still own my first Mac that started it all some 25 years ago," he wrote. "In a strange but not so strange way, this is sort of a homecoming for me, despite never having worked for Apple. Life works in curious ways, and I love it when every so often it comes full circle."
He went on to say that he would have a "pretty neat role" with Apple, but declined to say what it might be. TechCrunch speculated that Pittman could work with the employees Apple took on in its acquisition of streaming music service Lala, given his background with Google's own music search technology.
"That said, Apple could be after his other talents ? Pittman had previously presented at the launches of other search-related products, including a Google Labs event," the report said. "And before that, he founded Groxis."
Last August, it was revealed that Apple and Google shared a gentlemen's agreement to not poach each others' employees, though these latest moves would suggest that deal is no longer in place. That should come as no surprise to any who have followed the growing rivalry between Google and Apple closely -- a battle that one observer said resembles World War III due to the level of animosity between the two technology giants.
Comments
Microsoft?
So who is the winner here?
Microsoft?
The consumer.
Before Apple there was no mobile Internet. There were only ghetto-ized WAP and .mobi pages for cell phones. Besides Flash, Apple supports (actively in many cases) nearly every internet standard. They are not going about blocking what pages you can view in Mobile Safari.
If you are talking about their App Store, its a different matter. However App Store != Mobile Internet (unless he knows something about its success that even we dont).
Although, I think the real reason he said Mobile Internet is because "Apple Stifles Mobile Internet" makes them sound far more evil than "Apple Restricts Content Sold In Their Stores" or "Apple Vets Applications Before Releasing Them On Their Phones".
Google recently hired well-known software developer Tim Bray, formerly of Oracle and Sun Microsystems. The developer wrote on his personal blog Monday that he will "enjoy competing with Apple," and shared some harsh words on what he feels are the iPhone maker's restrictive policies.
So after all that Apple has done for this man, now he wants to kill us. He has no gratitude. He is the lowest of the low.
So who is the winner here?
Microsoft?
No, in the tech universe this just means loyalty is for sale to the highest bidder. New hires are required by the laws of this universe to trash the comeptition and praise the new employer. These two guys may swap spit with other tech firms some day which will require new declarations of undying devotion.
What it really means is that these two guys got to thinking they were actually important to Apple and Google and felt disrespected for some reason.
Now the resident trolls, of course, will pounce on the Apple guy leaving for Google as proof of their trolled assertions that Apple is evil and doomed. But we already know that don't we?
Bray said he views his new job with Google has an opportunity to prove that Apple is wrong in their approach to the mobile Internet.
Apple's AppStore is NOT the mobile internet and is NOT intended to be. That is what Mobile Safari on the iPhone is for. If he (i.e. Google) wants to write mobile internet apps for the iPhone... write them for Mobile Safari. I do not understand why this is so difficult to understand.
Heck the initial roll out of Buzz should have given a clue with what Google wants with the data you use from them. To me the Google "free" stuff is just a ruse to collect data on you to direct adds to you. Next time they will be giving away cars (like Malls do) so they can get more info on the data on you.
Really disappointed that Google RDF seems to have led Tim Bray to the extent of lying.
Before Apple there was no mobile Internet. There were only ghetto-ized WAP and .mobi pages for cell phones. Besides Flash, Apple supports (actively in many cases) nearly every internet standard. They are not going about blocking what pages you can view in Mobile Safari.
If you are talking about their App Store, its a different matter. However App Store != Mobile Internet (unless he knows something about its success that even we dont).
Although, I think the real reason he said Mobile Internet is because "Apple Stifles Mobile Internet" makes them sound far more evil than "Apple Restricts Content Sold In Their Stores" or "Apple Vets Applications Before Releasing Them On Their Phones".
After all, Google isn't providing open source to core Google services like Maps, Gmail, YouTube and the like. And of course, crown jewels, like Google's search index are closed, not to mention that they have NEVER provided visibility to the spread they make between advertisers and publishers with AdWords/AdSense. What's so open about that?
It reminds me of the adage, "Be open with what you want to commoditize, but closed where your proprietary advantage lies."
By that definition, Google is more “open-ish" than open, something that I blogged about here:
Open "ish": The meaning of open, according to Google
http://bit.ly/5ocoV3
Check it out if interested.
Mark
Really disappointed that Google RDF seems to have led Tim Bray to the extent of lying.
Before Apple there was no mobile Internet. There were only ghetto-ized WAP and .mobi pages for cell phones. Besides Flash, Apple supports (actively in many cases) nearly every internet standard. They are not going about blocking what pages you can view in Mobile Safari.
If you are talking about their App Store, its a different matter. However App Store != Mobile Internet (unless he knows something about its success that even we dont).
Although, I think the real reason he said Mobile Internet is because "Apple Stifles Mobile Internet" makes them sound far more evil than "Apple Restricts Content Sold In Their Stores" or "Apple Vets Applications Before Releasing Them On Their Phones".
Agreed, Bray was on a mindless rant. As the good book says!
"Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut." (Prov 10:19 NLT)
Seems like that's his idea of what we should all want.
Well, cool. At least I know where to place my bets.
BTW, 'Disneyfied' is not a degrading term to lots and lots of families. Only to those who want Times Square to revert to the cesspool that it was in the 90's. Says more about them than it does Disney.
He went on to say that he would have a "pretty neat role" with Apple, but declined to say what it might be...
"That said, Apple could be after his other talents ? Pittman had previously presented at the launches of other search-related products, including a Google Labs event," the report said. "And before that, he founded Groxis."
He is in a lot of Google videos, is fairly well spoken and easy on the eyes. Could he be the new spokesface of Apple?
Tim Cook is a shoe-in for CEO but a dynamic public speaker he is NOT.
Phil Schiller is a marketing guy and it comes across in his presentation.
Scott Forstall isn't bad but lacks charisma.
Really disappointed that Google RDF seems to have led Tim Bray to the extent of lying.
Before Apple there was no mobile Internet. There were only ghetto-ized WAP and .mobi pages for cell phones. Besides Flash, Apple supports (actively in many cases) nearly every internet standard. They are not going about blocking what pages you can view in Mobile Safari.
If you are talking about their App Store, its a different matter. However App Store != Mobile Internet (unless he knows something about its success that even we dont).
Although, I think the real reason he said Mobile Internet is because "Apple Stifles Mobile Internet" makes them sound far more evil than "Apple Restricts Content Sold In Their Stores" or "Apple Vets Applications Before Releasing Them On Their Phones".
I agree. But I suspect that his real gripe here has nothing to do with "censorship" of controversial or sexual content. This sounds like a cover for an open-source type ideology. He's not concerned about consumer freedom, he's concerned about developer freedom. Those aren't exactly the same things.
I think Apple has the right approach, because they are putting consumer experience above ideology (or, perhaps consumer experience is their ideology).
...This sounds like a cover for an open-source type ideology. He's not concerned about consumer freedom, he's concerned about developer freedom. Those aren't exactly the same things.
+1
You nailed it.
So after all that Apple has done for this man, now he wants to kill us. He has no gratitude. He is the lowest of the low.
Here's a tip. It's just a job. You might choose to eat the same breakfast forever but some people like new challenges.
Here's a tip. It's just a job. You might choose to eat the same breakfast forever but some people like new challenges.
Maybe it's all part of some weird Google hazing ceremony.
Personally, the tact of "our sh-t doesn't smell, but yours stinks" is a dangerous one for Google, if for no other reason than the fact that Google really isn't that much more open than Apple.
True, but same goes for Apple. Even more so because Apple has a public perception of slick, polished products - Apple can lose that if they put out (closed, sanitized, sterilized) crap. Apple gets bad press and their stock price slips.
Google, on the other hand, gives their stuff away for free. Shiny and clean isn't Google's "raison d'etre." So if it doesn't work perfectly (Buzz), people complain for a week or two then drop it.
He continued: "I hate it even though the iPhone hardware and software are great, because freedom's not just another word for anything, nor is it an optional ingredient."
So does this mean that Bray will head up Google's China Division? I'd hate to think Google can be scared out of town by a "Closed System" Government! Afterall, "freedom's not just another word for anything, nor is it an optional ingredient."