Working at Apple vs. working at Google

I found the following answer in response to the question "Why would an engineer want to work at Google instead of Apple?" on Quora.

Anon User

I worked at Apple for 2 years and change. I have worked at Google for a few years. This is a reflection of Apple in '06 or so. These are my personal opinions, and they're just that; opinions.

Google and Apple are very different. Apple has a design DNA. Google has a technology DNA. You'll feel this everywhere. Google is functional, its about solving a hard problem. Apple is about designing something which looks good, its about selling it and making money.

Apple has a different feel. Its the, I'm cool, feel. Its the look, we made this thing look cooler and prettier and now there are too many people vying for your employee discounted stuff. Fundamentally, Apple was started by, and run by by a salesperson (Wozniac was nominalized). And a very good one at that. Google was started by, and run by three PhD types. It gives it a knowledge is cool feel. The campus feels like a university.

My manager at Apple told me that it is a hardware company, and that software is not the chief priority. This affects Apple, and software engineering is, without question, a second class citizen.

Working at Apple is like working in the Army. Sure you can ask why you should jump into the river, but you better be soaking wet before you ask that question. This might be an exaggeration, but again, it is my opinion. Its hard to be a troublemaker and a controversial character at Apple.

Also, as an individual contributor, your access to information and people internally will be restricted. The company will look like a set of water-tight compartments, magically staying afloat. Of course its not, but as an individual contributor, you wont see anything besides things you ought to see (for the most part).

When I joined Apple, I decreased the mean age of my 6 person engineering group by 3 years or so. And, the thing is, the people at Apple will not appreciate how I phrased the last observation; like a puzzle.

If you're smart, and if you're ambitious, and if you're an engineer, never ever look towards 95014. Never.

Like I said, these are my opinions. I am not making any legal assertions.

Fair assessment?