by Andrew Redfern @ 3rd August 2009 4:58 pm

Google chief executive, Eric Schmidt has today confirmed that he will be stepping down from the board of directors at Apple. The decision comes mainly due to the fact that Google has increasingly started to compete with Apple with its range of products and services.

Apple boss Steve Jobs, announced that had Mr Schmidt stayed on, the conflict of interest between the companies would mean that he would have to leave most of the meetings within the company. Some of Google products that are competing with Apple include:

• Google Andriod with Iphone
• Google Chrome OS & Browser with Safari and Apple Mac

The Federal Trade Commission has been examining whether Google’s common ties with Apple might discourage competition. In May, Mr Schmidt said that he had not contemplated stepping down as an Apple director because he did not see the company as a “primary competitor”.

The decision for him to depart was a mutual one, Mr Jobs said.

“Unfortunately…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.”

Google is beginning to promote its Google Voice service - which assigns a phone number to users, who can let the user divert calls to that number to other phone lines.

Last week the Federal Communications Commission wrote to Apple and Google seeking more information about Apple’s rejection of a Google Voice application for the iPhone.

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