We are less that two months away from the launch of Disney+ and Apple TV+ and Disney CEO Bob Iger has resigned from Apple’s board of directors ahead of the competition between the two streaming services, according to CNBC.
- Iger resigned from the Apple board on September 10, the day Apple announced the price and release date for Apple TV+.
- Iger joined Apple’s board in 2011, after the death of the company’s co-founder Steve Jobs.
- The move doesn’t come as much of a surprise as the two streaming services will be in direct competition for original content.
- This also isn’t the first time something like this has happened. In 2009, Google’s then-CEO Eric Schmidt resigned from Apple's board when it was determined Google’s Android would directly compete with Apple’s iPhone.
- Both Apple and Disney stock were unchanged by the news of Iger leaving the board.
- Apple TV+ launches on November 1 with Disney+ launching shortly after on November 12.
What they’re saying:
- Disney CEO Bob Iger: "It has been an extraordinary privilege to have served on the Apple board for 8 years, and I have the utmost respect for Tim Cook, his team at Apple, and for my fellow board members. Apple is one of the world's most admired companies, known for the quality and integrity of its products and its people, and I am forever grateful to have served as a member of the company's board."
- Statement from Apple: "Bob has been an exemplary board member for nearly eight years, and for as long as he has led Disney he has been one of Apple's most trusted business partners. He is a dedicated, visionary CEO and a role model for an entire generation of business leaders. More than anything, Bob is our friend. He leads with his heart and he has always been generous with his time and advice. While we will greatly miss his contributions as a board member, we respect his decision and we have every expectation that our relationship with both Bob and Disney will continue far into the future."