Google poaches high-level Apple exec to work on secret project

Google has blindsided bitter rival Apple by hiring a senior employee from the iPhone maker, despite the firms apparently having an agreement not to poach each other's staff.

Simon Prakash, senior director of product integrity at Apple, was responsible for ensuring that products such as the iPhone and iPad were of the highest quality before they hit the market. No cushy job that, as he worked to the notoriously high standards imposed by former chief, Steve Jobs.

Although his job role at Google is unclear, Prakash is set to start work on a secret project, according to Venturebeat. He could find himself reporting directly to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who takes charge of a variety of secret research and development projects at Google.

This isn't the first time that Google has tried to tempt an employee from Apple. Former Apple chief executive Steve Jobs alledgedly emailed Google to ask the firm to stop trying to recruit its staff, after an incident back in 2007.

A court document revealed that Jobs emailed former Google chief executive, Eric Schmidt, asking him to stop "stealing" employees. Schmidt agreed with the Apple chief's request.

This latest hire represents a big coup for Google and is likely to add fuel to the already intense rivalry between the firms.

Even though Apple is likely to be displeased at this latest development, it is unlikely to do anything about it. The US government wants to crack down on "no poach" agreements as they are deemed to be anti-competitive.

06 Feb 2012