Not too long ago Apple and Google seemed to be contented bed partners - what with Eric Schmidt being on Apples Board of Directors and all that . . .

But recently relations between the two companies appear to have more than cooled down a little.

First there was the episode with Google Latitude being rejected from the App store.
Then there was Chrome.
Then there was Android.
And now it appears that Google is also ready to announce (along with HTC) a tablet product of their own.

It seems to me that Google is fast becoming a head-on competitor to Apple.

Will Google be a major thorn in Apple’s Side?

[Title edited by DT to fix typo]

Putting Schmidt on the board was as much a bonehead move for Steve Jobs as was recruiting PEPSI’s Scully.

Feeding them plans for YEARS AHEAD was a VERY BAD decision on his part.

I have been saying that for a year now.

It’s complicated.

As are most relationships with Apple.  Apple keeps its friends close and its enemies closer.  Even with Microsoft it has to play ball with Office for Mac. 

I think Google is more afraid of Apple’s potential mobile monopoly than anything else.  Friendships at the top are nice, but in future negotiations with Apple, Google doesn’t want to rely on friendship and be coming from a position of weakness. 

At the same time, Google doesn’t want to piss Apple off so much that Apple starts its own search engine, or adopts Bing, as unlikely as that may be.

If you take the Google rumors too seriously, it looks like potential fierce competition, but if you concentrate only on what Google has actually implemented so far, they are still treating Apple with kit gloves, landing soft punches only.

That could change, but if it does, Google is not in the same weight class.

Apple just stepped into the mobile ad space by purchasing (for $275 million) a company called Quattro Wireless.

Following Google’s November acquisition of mobile phone advertising company AdMob for $750 million, a last-minute bid that reportedly scuttled AdMob’s acquisition by Apple, a Wall Street Journal report states that Apple has purchased AdMob competitor Quattro Wireless for $275 million. Quattro provides an advertising platform for the iPhone and iPod touch, complete with dynamic targeting and tracking capabilities, citing its ability to use banner advertisements to generate both revenue and additional app downloads for developers. The company’s advertising software development kits are also available for Android, Blackberry, and Palm WebOS platforms.

willrob - 05 January 2010 09:58 AM

Apple just stepped into the mobile ad space by purchasing (for $275 million) a company called Quattro Wireless.

Following Google’s November acquisition of mobile phone advertising company AdMob for $750 million, a last-minute bid that reportedly scuttled AdMob’s acquisition by Apple, a Wall Street Journal report states that Apple has purchased AdMob competitor Quattro Wireless for $275 million. Quattro provides an advertising platform for the iPhone and iPod touch, complete with dynamic targeting and tracking capabilities, citing its ability to use banner advertisements to generate both revenue and additional app downloads for developers. The company’s advertising software development kits are also available for Android, Blackberry, and Palm WebOS platforms.

this is an interesting development. head-to-head with google. Will be interesting to see how this pans out.

As snipus mentioned on another thread: “This is great news and it is about time we heard from the fruit company as it seems Google has been doing all the punching.”

Let the fireworks begin.

The Google Nexus event is being covered live here.

Update: live video feed here

On sale today through Google web store. Only carrier option at present is T-Mobile USA, but phones can also be bought unlocked, and Verizon and Vodafone should become options in the spring. T-Mobile price: $180. Unlocked: $530. Phones from Motorola, et al. will reach the store later on, and more countries should eventually be supported. Shipping to test markets in UK, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Nexus web page

here

The android 2.1 update, which will be available in two days they say, will update all the current Android phones, and some that don’t exist yet. The press conference was more about the software than the “superphone.” Eventually it looks like the Nexus will be adapted to all current cell phone radios, worldwide. But right now T-Mobile seems to be its home

If AAPL’s stock price reacted to the event, it’s not apparent.

only 512MB for app storage.
no multitouch.

If AAPL’s stock price reacted to the event, it’s not apparent.

A gentle hand, laid on from above, restrained any rise.

If Google start implementing features in Android that Apple has patented, then it’s about time Apple started demanding royalties. There are so many other companies that try to sue Apple over patents, but rarely does Apple go after anyone for similar violations unless they have been sued first.

This really needs to change otherwise Apple will see their lead in touch interfaces being eroded and their IP copied.

Isn’tt pinch to zoom just the opposite of Apple’s patent? On the iPhone you pinch to view whole image, and zoom by spreading the two fingers.

For those who want to see what network speed they are getting from their ISP.  Google has a You Tube URL which produces results on your connection and compares it to other areas
http://www.youtube.com/my_speed#

ot to change the subject ( which I am) but recent news stories [rumors actually] indicate Apple get a 100 million dollar cut of Google’s iPhone search income each year. Observers think this lessens the likelihood of Apple going into the search business themselves.

This is a neat site, you can test the INTERNET SPEED from your home to any country that might be worth looking at, also domestically.

http://www.speedtest.net/

I have become a huge google fan.

First of all we are trying to get them to come to our town and use us as guinea pigs for their broadband initiative.  If they chose us it would save us about $20 million to put everyone on fiberoptic.  Long term we could offer video and phone service and allow us to compete with TimeWarner and Verizon.

Secondly I would like to see them build a nice big service center here as well and bring high tech jobs to the area.

Faster internet and increasing accessibility is good for the community and good for Apple.  We want Apple to be able to offer those HD movies as downloads in 2 minutes instead of the 6 hours it takes us now.