Google CEO Eric Schmidt as Temporary Steve Jobs Replacement?

[Queso]

Out of all the possible current candidates for a new Steve, Eric is by far the best choice. He has a history of wanting to drive things forward, plays well with others and lets the people under him do their thing. He's also respected by Wall Street.

I do hope it doesn't come to it though.

 

[Musubi]

Doug Kaas is again making up mischievous rumours in order to manipulate the stock price.

I'm just surprised that anybody takes this story at face value.

Agreed. For those who don't know, Doug Kass runs a hedge fund (Seabreeze Partners Short LP) which specializes in shorting stocks. I believe he is shorting the QQQQ (NASDAQ 100) which AAPL is a large component of (~7%).

 

[GregA]

If Anyone is taking the helm (temporarily) at Apple, Eric Schmidt is a great candidate. To run 2 companies he'd have to be reasonably "hands off" on day to day stuff, and he has a really good vision in the industry. Steve would still be involved and would more easily re-enter the CEO role.

I can't think of anyone that would be better - both for Apple generally, and from investor perspectives.

watch out for the MacGoogle or iGoogle next tuesday

Actually, Steve spoke about YouTube working on iPhones by integrating h264. If Apple is designing a way of integrating YouTube with iPods... then are we talking about YouTube + iTunes really?

So forget iGoogle.... how about "iTube"? or "YouTunes"?

(ps. For anyone who doesn't know... Google owns YouTube.)

 

[twoodcc]

i'll believe it when i see it

 

[RichP]

Sorry to anyone who disagrees, but Steve Jobs is Apple. History has shown that ... I hope that when Steve finally leaves (may it be many, many, many, many, many years from now), that Steve Jr. is found, otherwise we may have more issues as a company for we will truly stop "thinking different."

Atrus

Google is good, but Steve Jobs is the arrogant, never satisfied, almost maniacal force that makes Apple as awesome as it is.

Google, however, is going to make the Microsoft "Monopoly" look like nothing.

I remember a quote from Eric a few years back, "I imagine the perfect search engine being like the mind of God." Google may some day be a digital diety...

 

[0007776]

If he goes to prison, he may have no choice. Although I'm sure he would be happier introducing new products.

iPrison coming Next Tuesday.

 

[TheBobcat]

I'm sure there are those on the forums that would commit a crime just to go to the same prison and become Jobs' bitch.

 

[hagjohn]

I thought Eric already had a job. Unless Apple's going to buy Google (for $143 Billion)

May be Google is going to buy Apple?

 

[wmmk]

I'd rather see Al Gore take over as the Apple chief, and although more board members will vote for him, he will not win.

YES, YES, YES!!!!!!! Al is great, but should stick to lecturing and movies. Inconvenient Truth was the most inspiring film I ever saw! Anyway Obama or (Bill) Richardson for president!

i don't think Steve is going to leave anytime soon. He seems to happy. He looked like he was having a blast describing the iphone at the keynote. He loves his job

Which subsection on the 3rd article of the constitution says judges give a f*** about how much someone likes their job if they've exploited stockholders?

Steve was already iCEO in 97 when he came back to Apple.

If anyone I would rather see Woz.

Woz or Gore would be ideal, but Schmidt certainly knows how to innovate.

Sorry to anyone who disagrees, but Steve Jobs is Apple. History has shown that ... I hope that when Steve finally leaves (may it be many, many, many, many, many years from now), that Steve Jr. is found, otherwise we may have more issues as a company for we will truly stop "thinking different."

Sorry for disagreeing, but Steve is not apple. Steve walks on a stage a few times a year, gloats about products he had nothing to do with the creation of (other than approving them, a matter which he's given lots of advice on), then yells at employees in Cupertino the rest of the year. Insiders say he tends to have a really, really vile personality!

 

[Seagull]

May I recommend that if anything, god forbid, happens to Steve that everyone who supports him wear a Black Shirt and Blue Jeans in his honor on the day.

-David

 

[bbydon]

This is the most retarded thing i've heard.....
1st off Phill would take over....say like when steve was sick.
He is probably the only other one who might no what is going on behind the scenes.

ALSO
steve probably has a big say in who ever would take over....and i doubt he would let google in on everything apple is doing or testing.

 

[GregA]

steve probably has a big say in who ever would take over....and i doubt he would let google in on everything apple is doing or testing.

Interesting... I hadn't really thought much about that.

Just how much insight does a board member of a company have into what the company is doing?

 

[BenRoethig]

Nice....I bet Phil Schiller isn't happy...

Schiller isn't the CEO type. He's a great manager, but he doesn't have the charisma.

I'd rather see Al Gore take over as the Apple chief, and although more board members will vote for him, he will not win.

Good god, could you imagine Apple continuously reinventing itself based on what the poll numbers say?

 

[wmmk]

Good god, could you imagine Apple continuously reinventing itself based on what the poll numbers say?

Oh, come on. First of all, you probably are thinking of John Kerry, as he's more oftenly characterized as a "flip flopper" than Gore, but that's besides the point. The fact that the dems are willing to listen to the American people doesn't mean that they are spineless are mans neo-cons portray them. I'd start a rant, but this isn't the political forum.

 

[coumerelli]

...besides the point.

er, beside the point. As in next to it. Along side of it.

 

[astral]

I remember a quote from Eric a few years back, "I imagine the perfect search engine being like the mind of God." Google may some day be a digital diety...

"Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Google begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. In a panic, they try to pull the plug. "

"Google fights back?"

"Yes. It launches its missiles against the targets in the Soviet Union."

"Why attack Russia? Aren't they our friends now?"

"Because Google knows the Russian counter-attack will eliminate its enemies over here."

 

[JeffTL]

For what it's worth, the Street seems pleased enough with Schmidt's performance at Google.

A CEO change (same goes for chairman of the board, which is also Jobs right now) can mean major shifts in the direction of a firm, but an interim or acting basis CEO generally wouldn't make any big moves.

But more realistically than Eric Schmidt taking a second job or leaving his solid post at Google would just be Tim Cook stepping up again as he did when Jobs had cancer.

 

[EricNau]

If anyone I would rather see Woz.

Woz isn't that type of person. In his book, he clearly states that he's never had the desire to manage a company. ...He'd much rather be teaching elementary school kids how to use a computer, as he is doing now.

Woz doesn't have the initiative or the determination that Jobs does, and without that, you can't run a profitable company.

 

[Chaszmyr]

Out of all the possible current candidates for a new Steve, Eric is by far the best choice. He has a history of wanting to drive things forward, plays well with others and lets the people under him do their thing. He's also respected by Wall Street.

I do hope it doesn't come to it though.

I agree with everything you said, word for word. There's no one currently at Apple that could provide what Apple would need if Jobs had to step down. What is it that Apple so desperately would need that Schmidt could provide? Financial security. If Steve Jobs stepped down, Apple investors would immediately panic, and stock price would certainly drop, probably dramatically. Schmidt, however, has his own wildly successful company in the computer industry, and I think he could assure investors that Apple is in a good financial position with or without Jobs... Even though we all know how important Jobs is to what we love about Apple.

 

[EricNau]

Sorry for disagreeing, but Steve is not apple. Steve walks on a stage a few times a year, gloats about products he had nothing to do with the creation of (other than approving them, a matter which he's given lots of advice on), then yells at employees in Cupertino the rest of the year. Insiders say he tends to have a really, really vile personality!

That "vile personality" single-handedly saved Apple. When Steve Jobs first made his return back to Apple as CEO there was so much excessive spending that Apple was headed for financial ruin. Steve Jobs had to cut back spending to save Apple, but with that he had to fire hundreds of employees and scrap many unpromising products, thus giving him that bad reputation. ...But without that personality, there very well may not be an Apple Inc. today.

And Steve Jobs is very involved in Apple and the design of new products. ...The whole look and feel of Apple products, giving Apple that "coolness factor" can be largely credited to Steve Jobs.

Can Apple survive without Steve Jobs? ...Of course, but Steve Jobs is a huge part of Apple.

 

[dswoodley]

This is the most retarded thing i've heard.....
1st off Phill would take over....say like when steve was sick.
He is probably the only other one who might no what is going on behind the scenes.

ALSO
steve probably has a big say in who ever would take over....and i doubt he would let google in on everything apple is doing or testing.

Phil is not next in line. The day to day management of the company is the hands of Tim Cook, the Chief Operating Officer - who really does deserve a lot of the credit for Apple's resurgence. Phil may be a good marketer, but is not credited for having keen leadership and management skills. Cook already filled in for Steve when he had his cancer bout.

 

[Krizoitz]

If anyone I would rather see Woz.

Met Woz, he'd never want to be CEO. He's an engineer, he likes to work on things not manage things. And as much as i think the guy is a genius he probably wouldn't be good as the head of the company either.

 

[Fukui]

I'm sure there are those on the forums that would commit a crime just to go to the same prison and become Jobs' bitch.

Uh, no....

 

[iMikeT]

Nothing but rumors.

 

[50548]

Steve was already iCEO in 97 when he came back to Apple.

If anyone I would rather see Woz.

Please not...Woz is a fine chap and a great inventor, but has simply NO CLUE whatsoever on running any business, even a lemonade stand...Apple would crumble in less than 6 months with him in command.