Steve Jobs nu a fost vreodata fanul sistemului de operare Android, dorindu-si din toata inima ca acesta sa nu aiba parte de succesul pe care l-a avut si desigur dorindu-si ca el sa nu mai fie utilizat de catre producatorii de terminale mobile. Ura lui Jobs fata de Android era extrem de mare si o parte era indreptata spre creatorul sistemului de operare, Andy Rubin, fostul CEO Apple considerand ca acesta este un om extrem de arogant. Android-ul a luat nastere intr-un startup dezvoltat de catre Andy Rubin, startup pe care Google avea sa il achizitioneze pentru suma de 50 de milioane de dolari.
Jobs told friends that he thought Rubin was a “big, arrogant f**k”. According to Dogfight, when Apple announced the iPhone, Rubin realized he would have to throw out what he was thinking of launching. He was in a cab in Las Vegas, watching a webcast of the presentation. He made the driver pull over so he could see the whole thing. He said, “Holy crap, I guess we’re not going to launch that phone.”
In momentul in care Jobs prezenta primul model al iPhone, Rubin se afla intr-un taxi ce traversa Las Vegas si dupa vizionarea detaliilor noului terminal si-a dat seama ca tot ceea ce pregatea el putea sa nu mai ajunga pe piata. Totusi, multumita celor de la Google, Rubin a reusit sa isi perfectioneze creatia si sa o lanseze intr-un smartphone HTC, Jobs considerand Android-ul drept un sistem de operare copiat dupa iOS. Jobs s-a considerat pacalit de catre fondatorii Google: Larry Page si Sergey Brin, dar si de catre CEO-ul Eric Schmidt, care atunci ocupa un loc in consiliul de administratie al Apple, toti spunandu-i ca Android-ul va fi diferit fata de iOS, cand in realitate acest lucru nu era adevarat.
“Everything is a f**king rip off of what we’re doing,” Jobs said of Android. Jobs had trusted Google’s cofounders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt was on Apple’s board. All three has been telling Jobs about Android, but they kept telling him it would be different from the iPhone. And for some reason he believed them until he actually saw the phone and its software. Once Jobs saw Android’s software, and how similar it was to the iPhone, he insisted Google make a lot of changes.
Vazand Android-ul, Jobs a insistat ca Google sa modifice multe parti ale sistemului sau de operare, o intalnire intre Jobs, Forstall, Larry Page, Andy Rubin si Alan Eustace dovedindu-se a fi benefica pentru cei din Cupertino. Jobs era atat de suparat pe felul in care a fost tradat incat a facut atacuri personale la angajatii Google, insa in final Jobs a obtinut ceea ce si-a dorit. Google a eliminat unele functii multitouch, precum pinch to zoom, a schimbat modalitatea de deblocare a terminalului, Jobs spunandu-le ce anume pot utiliza si ce nu.
“It got incredibly personal,” says one Apple executive who was briefed by Jobs on the meeting. “Jobs said that Rubin was steamed, telling him his position was anti-innovation. And this is where Steve was demeaning to Andy, saying Andy was trying to be like him, look like him, have the same haircut, the same glasses, the same style.” Apple got what it wanted from the meeting. Google didn’t do multitouch features like pinch to zoom. It forced Google to change how it was going to make the phone unlock. Not only did Jobs tell Google what it couldn’t use, but according to Vogelstein Jobs told Google how to take things out of Android. It was a complete capitulation from Google.
Desigur ca Andy Rubin nu a fost multumit de pozitia sefilor sai din cadrul Google, considerand ca Apple nu a inventat multe tehnologii scoase din Android, insa in final Google a facut exact precum a dorit Steve Jobs. In ciuda victoriei obtinute de catre Steve Jobs in acea zi, Android-ul este acum utilizat la scara larga, in timp ce iOS-ul ramane un sistem proprietar, care totusi genereaza mult mai multi bani pentru Apple decat poate genera Android-ul pentru Google sau partenerii sai.
Aceste detalii erau necunoscute pana in prezent si dovedesc inca o data cata putere de convingere avea Steve Jobs, dar si cat de respectat/temut era fostul CEO Apple.