Disney CEO, Bob Iger, has resigned from his position on the board of technology company Apple, as both Disney and Apple gear up to launch their respective steaming services – Disney+ and Apple TV Plus.
“I have the utmost respect for Tim Cook, his team at Apple and for my fellow board members,” Iger said in a statement published by The Hollywood Reporter. “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.”
Iger first joined Apple’s board in 2011, but Disney and Apple’s relationship existed before then. Disney acquired Pixar, which former Apple CEO Steve Jobs was a majority stakeholder in, back in 2006. Disney bought Pixar for $7.4 billion and, at the time, turned Jobs into Disney’s largest single shareholder. Iger was instrumental in the acquisition process.
Now that Disney and Apple are preparing to go head-to-head in the direct-to-consumer field with their respective streaming services, Disney+and Apple TV Plus, the split makes sense.
“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,” Apple said in a statement to TheNew York Times.
Apple TV Plus launches on 1st November priced at $4.99, Disney+ launched eleven days later priced at $6.99 However, Apple will launch in 100 countries worldwide, whilst Disney launch in an embarrassingly paltry 3.
