Netgear CEO regrets Steve Jobs comment, not Apple attack

[Emil]

Netgear chairman and CEO Patrick Lo recently slammed Apple CEO Steve Jobs for his business practices, saying that the company would have to open its platform to compete with Google in the mobile space. Lo has since apologized for one of the comments he made, but he says he is sticking to his analysis of Cupertino's business issues.

Lo was criticized about one specific comment, which was taken out of context: "Once Steve Jobs goes away, which is probably not far away, then Apple will have to make a strategic decision on whether to open up the platform." When Macgasm asked him about it, the site received the following response:

Hi. As many of you know I spoke in Sydney on Monday, at a lunch with more than a half dozen of Australia's leading technology and business journalists. We covered a wide range of topics including the emergence of new IP protocols, cloud computing, wireless routers/repeaters in the home, the National Broadband Network (a current major Government project in Australia) and much more. During the course of the discussion, I shared my views about the future of Apple and Microsoft, as well as the surge of Android. Some of my comments were covered by the media who attended, and were reported more broadly outside Australia by media and bloggers who picked up on the story.

I stand by the opinions I stated on the business issues. Supporting open standards and environments in order to ease seamless networking integration of multimedia content is good for the consumer and good for content providers.

However, I deeply regret the choice of words I used in relation to business decisions Apple must grapple with in the future in relation to open vs. closed systems, which have been construed by some to be references to Steve Jobs’ health and which was never my intention. I sincerely apologize that what I said was interpreted this way, and I wish Steve only the very best.

Patrick Lo,
NETGEAR
Chairman and CEO

Lo did not choose his words very carefully, but it's clear that he was focusing on Jobs' work and not his health. Nevertheless, it was the right move on Lo's part to clear the air and issue an apology, to be on the safe side.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/42235-netgear-ceo-regrets-steve-jobs-comment-not-apple-attack.html

 

[princeton]

I never took it that way. Jobs will be 56 years old on the 24th. If I were 56 years old and had as much money/stock as he does, I'd be gone.

 

[madboyv1]

Princeton said:
I never took it that way. Jobs will be 56 years old on the 24th. If I were 56 years old and had as much money/stock as he does, I'd be gone.

But... someone did take it wrong, made a stink about it, and Lo releases an apology. Being Politically correct sucks. =/

 

[dedparrot]

being politically correct makes the world a much better place to live in.

 

[princeton]

madboyv1 said:

Princeton said:
I never took it that way. Jobs will be 56 years old on the 24th. If I were 56 years old and had as much money/stock as he does, I'd be gone.

But... someone did take it wrong, made a stink about it, and Lo releases an apology. Being Politically correct sucks. =/

Who in their right mind would believe the CEO of Netgear would insult the health of a man who could be dying of cancer. That would just be cruel.

 

[gwailo247]

When I read it, the first thing that jumped in my mind was that it was a comment about his health, if not his death. If Jobs wasn't on medical leave I guess there is room for interpretation, but with him on medical leave, its hard to take it in any other context.

That being said, Jobs is usually an *** when he speaks, so I'm not gonna shed any tears if he got butt hurt about this comment.

 

[RaiDeR55]

dedparrot said:
being politically correct makes the world a much better place to live in.

Not really ..Being PC is way over done these days..

Just tell it like it is.. PC or not.

 

[Guest]

don't ya just love it when a bunch of insecure ******* get there feeling hurt.... epic

 

[Kibaruk]

As epic as guests still posting...

I didnt read it like that either, its quite clear though but ok you never know who gets upset by things that are told over the internets xP

 

[aj_the_kidd]

Freudian slip maybe?

 

[Relic]

I personally never read it in that light but I guess someone could have, oh well good of him to clear it up. Now back to the real issue of Apple being a closed system.

 

[PanicX]

Weird, I read it like he was referring to Jobs health, and didn't see the problem with it. If he had meant it that way, it might be a little callous or insensitive, but I don't think its offensive or insulting.