The Google CEO's spot on Apple's board could go from awkward to untenable as the search giant's mobile push brushes up against the iPhoneUntil now, having Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt sit on Apple's (AAPL) board of directors has made a lot of sense. Google (GOOG), the world's largest Web-search engine, is one of the most influential companies in technology. Google has been incredibly supportive of Apple's flagship computer, the Mac, and has developed a lot of software for Apple's music-playing iPhone, notably a tool that lets users watch video from Google's YouTube site. Why wouldn't Apple, an innovative creator of hardware and software for Web-enabled computers, music players, and cell phones, want Schmidt's informed viewpoint on the Internet and its evolution?
Google is also increasingly becoming a would-be Apple competitor, making Schmidt's membership on Apple's board awkward, if not ultimately untenable. Concerns over a potential conflict of interest have surfaced in the tech blogosphere in the past, but the potential for rivalry takes on added urgency as Apple prepares to launch the next version of its iPhone while Google partners ready cell phones that run Google's operating system.
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