While it’s easy to get caught up in the whole “Apple versus Google” drama, sometimes it’s nice to take in a story where the two work together, simpatico. In the wake of Steve Jobs’ resignation as CEO on Wednesday, a Google senior vice president shares a story that does just that.
Google senior vice president of social business Vic Gundotra is a familiar name to many Apple fans, spearheading the search giant’s mobile apps. Early Thursday morning, the executive took to Google+ (naturally) to share a Steve Jobs story he calls “Icon Ambulance” -- a favorite moment from one fateful Sunday morning in early 2008.
While attending church services the morning of January 6, Gundotra’s cell phone vibrated with a call from an unknown number, which the Google exec ignored. Checking his voice mail on the way to the car, it turns out the caller was none other than Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
"Vic, can you call me at home? I have something urgent to discuss,” Jobs said in his customarily brief way.
Gundotra returns Jobs’ call immediately, explaining that he couldn’t answer the call because he was in church services. Jobs laughed and said, "Vic, unless the Caller ID said 'GOD', you should never pick up during services.”
Jobs quickly moved on to the subject at hand: "So Vic, we have an urgent issue, one that I need addressed right away. I've already assigned someone from my team to help you, and I hope you can fix this tomorrow.”
What could possibly be so urgent? "I've been looking at the Google logo on the iPhone and I'm not happy with the icon,” Jobs explained. “The second O in Google doesn't have the right yellow gradient. It's just wrong and I'm going to have Greg fix it tomorrow. Is that okay with you?"
Gundotra agreed, and a few moments later he received an email from Jobs with the subject line, “Icon Ambulance” -- a quirky little moment the executive says he’ll never forget.
“When I think about leadership, passion and attention to detail, I think back to the call I received from Steve Jobs on a Sunday morning in January,” Gundotra reveals. “It was a lesson I'll never forget. CEOs should care about details. Even shades of yellow. On a Sunday.”
(Oh, and if you’re curious about which Google icon Jobs was referring to, MacRumors points to this webclip presented at the 2008 Macworld Expo keynote address.)
Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter
(Image courtesy of Cnet and MacRumors)
