Apple and Google WWDC Whammy

June 7th, 2007 at 3:00 PM - News by John Martellaro

Google is gaining strength from its Internet apps. Appleis biggest weakness is its reliance on Microsoft Office. Steve Jobs has said that .Mac is going to catch up. Perhaps a marriage of Google Internet apps and .Mac is the perfect competitive instrument, all according to InfoWorld on Friday.

Apple is likely to say a lot about Leopard at WWDC, but when one examines the gaps in Appleis application line up, there appears to be a serious hole. First, Macintosh users have had no really great substitute for MS Office. Second, iWork has not been updated in 18 months. Third, Steve Jobs admitted recently that .Mac hasnit achieved all that it could. Finally, Google, a friendly Apple partner, has been making headway with its Internet-based Google e-mail, maps, spreadsheet, and document management. But they need help too.

"Thatis why I think Jobs will take the stage at WWDC next week and announce that Apple and Google are going to team up to bring Google Apps to .Mac customers," Seth Weintraub wrote.

Connecting the dots, it all seems so logical.

Google has lots of cheap, fast storage. "It also has the ability and desire to monetize it," Mr. Weinstrab noted. "Gmail has won the battle against .Macis mail for most Macintosh users. As for calendar/IM/address book integration, disk space, and spam detection, Google wins most of the battles hands down."

Looking at the strengths and weaknesses of each company, the author noted, "Google needs a Keynote type of presentation tool; Apple needs a spreadsheet tool to round out their Office competition. Each has what the other needs."

So when Steve Jobs says, "Just one more thing" on Monday, it could very well be the result of a long period of gestation, intended delay of Leopard and iWork, the fix needed for .Mac, Web 2.0 collaboration with Google, all combining to create the perfect storm.

Maybe.

Or, TMO notes, the Just One More Thing could refer to a free iPhone under everyoneis seat in the WWDC audience.

Or not.