The Secretive World of Google

A new book released next week lifts the lid on the secretive world of Google, revealing how the founders fell out with Apple's Steve Jobs and what happened in the search engine's exit from China.

'In the Plex' was written by Steven Levy, a technology reporter who says his latest work is 'informed by a two-year deep dive into the company'.

He reveals that when founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page were on the hunt for a chief executive they wanted Steve Jobs to take up the job. The only problem was that Mr Jobs had a much better job at Apple - a much more superior company at the time.

He turned their offer down but because he saw the potential of Google he agreed to mentor Mr Page and Mr Brin, even sharing advisers. Eric Schmidt, the man who eventually took the job as chief executive until last week, was also installed as a board member at Apple.

Problems came when Google bought and started work on the Android mobile phone system. Apple saw it as a direct threat to iPhone and relationships broke down with Mr Jobs feeling betrayed by the pair.

When he saw features like the 'pinch-and-zoom' control to look at websites and images during a visit to Mountain View, California, the home of 'Googleplex', he was apparently furious.

He believed the best ideas from the iPhone had been stolen. Mr Schmidt stayed on the board at Apple but Mr Jobs somehow managed to keep the development of the iPad hidden from him.

'Apple didn't enter the search business, so why did Google get into the phone business?' he said according to the Times.

He also described Google's motto of 'don't be evil' as 'bulls**t'. The book looks at the company's decision to pull out of China in 2009, nine years after the decision to make in-roads into the country.

Hackers, believed to be state-sponsored, broke into Google email accounts so Mr Brin decided it was time to pull out of China. It was in the country that 'the worst moment in Google's history' came about.

An executive was sacked after they gave iPods to Chinese government officials - a customary business practice. The firing led to low morale at the Beijing office.

Mr Schmidt had wanted to stay in the country but he was outvoted and it is believed that the decision had 'long-lasting implications for Schmidt's relationship with the founders'.

He left the company last week and Mr Page took over as chief executive, promoting seven executives, hinting that he wants to take the company on a more innovative footing rather than being driven by profits.

source : kompas.com