Even as Steve Jobs cautioned Google against losing its edge, Larry Page later admitted the criticism held weight—while defending a very different vision for the company.

Apple Inc.’s legendary co-founder and former CEO Jobs once cautioned Page that Google needed sharper focus to avoid the pitfalls he associated with Microsoft.

According to biographer Walter Isaacson, Jobs urged Page to identify what the company did best and double down on it, rather than spreading itself across too many product categories, Fortune reported.

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Jobs also highlighted leadership discipline, advising Page not to be too nice and to prioritize top talent while cutting those who didn’t add value.

Years later, Page acknowledged the critique. “I mean, he was right. He did fine as well,” he said in a 2015 interview with Fortune, striking a balance between agreement and conviction.

Still, Page admitted that Google’s lack of focus was something he had considered deeply—but ultimately embraced.

Page said the decision was intentional. At Google and later Alphabet Inc., he aimed to build a company that inspired engineers and entrepreneurs to pursue bold, high-impact ideas.

“We want to be doing things that are exciting and that are really going to make a difference,” Page said, highlighting a culture driven by ambition rather than restraint.

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This philosophy also led to the creation of Alphabet’s structure, designed to manage diverse ventures while maintaining innovation.

Page argued companies should aim for meaningful impact, not just incremental gains: “We’ve got to do things that matter more to people.”

Larry Page’s response to Steve Jobs’s critique that Google lacks focus

When asked about Steve Jobs’s critique that Google is doing too many things and lacks focus, Page jokes:

“I mean he was right. He did fine as well.”

But Page does admit Google’s lack of focus is something… pic.twitter.com/YO91pRSxw2

— Startup Archive (@StartupArchive_) March 30, 2026

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