Apple 今天宣布，Google CEO Eric Schmidt 已辞去 Apple 董事会董事的职务。

Apple 首席执行官 Steve Jobs 表示，Schmidt 辞职是因为无法解决其长期缺席公司董事会会议的问题。 Schmidt 不能参加 Apple 董事会会议，主要是因为 Google 正涉及越来越多的 Apple 核心业务。

自 2006 年 8 月份开始， Schmidt 一直担任 Apple 董事会董事。在 Schmidt 辞职之前，联邦贸易委员会已开始对 Schmidt 和另外一位具有 Apple 和 Google 双董事身份的 Arthur Levinson 开展调查，管理当局希望确定这两人身上是否存在潜在的利益冲突，是否可能对反垄断法规的执行造成障碍。

Google 的 Android 操作系统目前被多家手机制造商的手机所使用，这些手机与 Apple 的 iPhone 展开了直接的竞争。此外， Google 正在开发基于其网络浏览器 Chrome 的免费操作系统。

以下是官方新闻稿：

CUPERTINO, California-August 3, 2009-Apple® today announced that Dr. Eric Schmidt, chief executive officer of Google, is resigning from Apple's Board of Directors, a position he has held since August 2006.

"Eric has been an excellent Board member for Apple, investing his valuable time, talent, passion and wisdom to help make Apple successful," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "Unfortunately, as Google enters more of Apple's core businesses, with Android and now Chrome OS, Eric's effectiveness as an Apple Board member will be significantly diminished, since he will have to recuse himself from even larger portions of our meetings due to potential conflicts of interest. Therefore, we have mutually decided that now is the right time for Eric to resign his position on Apple's Board."

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.