Steve Jobs vowed to 'destroy' Android

Otacon

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15400984

Steve Jobs said he wanted to destroy Android and would spend all of Apple's money and his dying breath if that is what it took to do so.

The full extent of his animosity towards Google's mobile operating system is revealed in a forthcoming authorised biography.

Mr Jobs told author Walter Isaacson that he viewed Android's similarity to iOS as "grand theft".

Apple is suing several smartphone makers which use the Android software.

According to extracts of Mr Isaacson's book, obtained by the Associated Press, Mr Jobs said: "I'm going to destroy Android, because it's a stolen product. I'm willing to go thermonuclear war on this."

He is also quoted as saying: "I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple's $40 billion in the bank, to right this wrong."

Sour times

Apple enjoyed a close relationship with Google prior to the launch of the Android system. Google products, including maps and search formed a key part of the iPhone's ecosystem.

Apple co-founder

At that time, Google's chief executive, now chairman, Eric Schmidt also sat on the board of Apple.

However, relations began to sour when Google unveiled Android in November 2007, 10 months after the iPhone first appeared.

In subsequent years Apple rejected a number of Google programs from its App store, forcing the company to create less-integrated web app versions.

Android has subsequently enjoyed rapid adoption and now accounts for around 48% of global smartphone shipments, compared to 19% for Apple.

But its growth has not gone uncontested. Apple has waged an aggressive proxy-war against Android, suing a number of the hardware manufacturers which have adopted it for their tablets and smartphones.

Motorola was one of the first to be targeted, although it is Samsung that has borne the brunt of Mr Jobs' ire.

The South Korean firm is currently banned from selling its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia and Germany because of a combination of patent infringements and "look and feel" similarities. A smartphone ban is also pending in the Netherlands.

Samsung is counter-suing Apple for infringing, it claims, several wireless technology patents which it holds the rights to.

Defence mechanism

Patents blogger Florian Mueller, who has been following the court cases closely, said Apple would be conscious of its past, where other companies exploited some of its early ideas.

"If Apple doesn't want the iPhone and iPad to be marginalized the way it happened to the Macintosh at the hands of the Wintel duopoly, it has to use the full force of its intellectual property to fend off the commoditization threat that Android represents," he told BBC News.

Mr Mueller - who has previously undertaken consulting work commissioned by Microsoft - was also critical of Eric Schmidt's dual role at the time: "The fact that Eric Schmidt stayed on Apple's board while he was preparing an iOS clone was an inexcusable betrayal of Steve Jobs' trust."

Mr Schmidt resigned from the Apple board in August 2009. He was later quoted by Bloomberg as saying: "I was on the board until I couldn't stay on the board anymore."

I never realised Jobs' had such strong feelings about Android. Guess he failed to destroy it though.

Korvanica

Pity he didnt get a chance to blow all apples 40billion trying to destroy android...

and failing :P

heebusjeebus

Steve Jobs

We have always been shameless about stealing great ideas.

Tell me what is in the iPhone that was new? Is was just an amalgam of differnet technologies that came about at the right time.
Anyway, it's competition that we, the consumers want. Competition leads to innovation and better products for us. If Jobs had it his way we'd only have the iPhone.

Zascar

I'm glad this article came out, I've seen it on a few sites today. Yes Jobs was a tech legend but the amount of Godlike praising he got was way ott. He seemed petty about the whole thing - 'grand theft' is just silly. It's the tech world, everyone borrows ideas and follows trends. He's just pissed cause Android got an (arguably) better - certainly more advanced and feature filled OS in a short time, and gave it away for free. Jobs was incredible about creating highly desirable products that got a cult like following of people who way over paid for sub par technology. I kinda wish he'd quit the over simplifying and focus on feature enhancement. Imagine if Google & Apple made a new OS with all the best combinations of iOS5 and Android 4.0?

Mr E

Zascar wrote: »

Imagine if Google & Apple made a new OS with all the best combinations of iOS5 and Android 4.0?

Rented Mule

Imagine if he had allowed Flash applications to be run on iPhones and iPads.

The_B_Man

Rented Mule wrote: »

Imagine if he had allowed Flash applications to be run on iPhones and iPads.

He had his reasons for that though. Ironically enough, didn't he complain that Flash was closed source, and state that as one of his reasons?

PogMoThoin

The_B_Man wrote: »

He had his reasons for that though.

His main reason being control, the internet is full of free mini flash games that are similar to what gets sold on the Apple app store

Atomic Pineapple

Pot calling the kettle black, all Apple do is rip off other peoples ideas and selling them using extremely good marketing.

PogMoThoin

Good read

Mr Bloat

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Good read

http://i.imgur.com/hIcgm.jpg

Great article.

Inquitus

Steve Jobs said he wanted to destroy Android and would spend all of Apple's money and his dying breath if that is what it took to do so.

Epic fail, last breath and still ****ed it up.

ucd.1985

PogMoThoin wrote: »

Good read

Poor enough read.

Not all charitable donations are done with big fanfare. Many are down anonymously.

Mr Bloat

ucd.1985 wrote: »

Poor enough read.

Not all charitable donations are done with big fanfare. Many are down anonymously.

That's only a small piece of what the article is about, in fairness.

PogMoThoin

ucd.1985 wrote: »

Poor enough read.

Not all charitable donations are done with big fanfare. Many are down anonymously.

You honestly think Jobs was the anonymous charitable type, I don't

the whole year inn

love wherre it says "he didnt even eradicate poverty with his wealth"

x in the city

Otacon wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15400984



I never realised Jobs' had such strong feelings about Android. Guess he failed to destroy it though.

Irionic really, as it looks like Android will destroy apple.

more and more people realise the power of android and it leaves expensive apple products for dead.

x in the city

Mr E wrote: »

like imagining Everton and Liverpool playing in a nice big stadium and wearing half red/blue tops.