Google CEO Responds To GOP Lawmaker’s iPhone Concerns: ‘iPhone Is Made By A Different Company’

Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Tuesday responded to GOP Rep. Steve King’s (Iowa) confusion over why his granddaughter sees news about him when she is playing a game on the iPhone.

“I have a 7-year-old granddaughter who picked up her phone during the election, and she’s playing a little game, the kind of game a kid would play,” King told Pichai. “And up on there pops a picture of her grandfather. And I’m not going to say into the record what kind of language was used around that picture of her grandfather, but I’d ask you: how does that show up on a 7-year-old’s iPhone, who’s playing a kid’s game?”

“Congressman, iPhone is made by a different company. And so, you know, I mean…” Pichai explained to the confused lawmaker before he interrupted him.

Undeterred, King said: “It might have been an Android. It’s just, it was a hand-me-down of some kind.”

“You know, I’m happy to follow up when I understand the specifics. There may be an application which was being used which had a notification. But I’m happy to understand it better and clarify it for you,” Pichai responded.

After @SteveKingIA raises inscrutable concerns about iPhones, Google CEO Sunday Pichai patiently informs him, "Congressman, iPhone is made by a different company." pic.twitter.com/TiNZ1t3VRo

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 11, 2018

King may have been referencing the avalanche of news stories covering King’s racist comments in the past and affiliation with white nationalist groups.