TechCrunch: The Apple vs Google War Has Just Begun

[Craig]

There's and interesting piece over on TechCrunch that essentially says the first real salvos in the impending Apple vs Google war have been fired:

Two days ago, the knives came out in full view between Apple and Google. On the same day that Google launched its latest Nexus One Android phone, Apple announced the $275 million acquisition of Quattro Wireless, a mobile advertising platform. It was as if Steve Jobs was sending Eric Schmidt a very public message: You mess with my business, and I’ll mess with yours.

With the Nexus One, Google basically designed its own phone and is selling it directly to consumers through a new Google online phone store. It is getting into Apple’s territory: making devices and merchandising them. Likewise, by buying Quattro, Apple is moving into Google’s territory: namely, advertising. The Quattro deal was also a response to Google’s previously announced $750 million acquisition of mobile advertising network AdMob, which Apple also tried to buy.

Certainly these two companies have begun to intersect with one another's strategic agendas as of late. Wasn't it just yesterday that Google's CEO sat on Apple's board? In a relatively short time-span we have seen Google and Apple begin to split their efforts from one another, and it will only continue as time goes on.

Where these two titans were once allies against the forces in Redmond, they are now finding out that if they wish to grow, they're going to have to poach in one another's back yards.

The good news is that we, as consumers, stand to benefit greatly. Google's services are stellar. Apple's hardware is amazing. Google's OS is poised to be excellent. Apple's services are being bolstered to offer a much more Google-like experience for its users. The end result? Hopefully that we see more focus put on allowing consumers to use all of these devices, software products, and services at a minimal upfront cost in an effort to simply gain our eyeballs on their ads and upgraded paid services.

Link - TechCrunch

[CoffeeShark]

With Nexus nerfing multi-touch for no apparent reason, and Schmidt only stepping down from Apple's board because of the obvious conflicts of interest with Chrome and googlephones, I still think they are avoiding each other's toes.

As for Quattro, it's not like Apple is going to license google (or anyone else) for the iPhone/iPod search. Since there is no Apple search, they needed something else to monetize search, otherwise they're just handing money to someone else.

There is definitely more overlap by google into Appley territory, but I doubt you'll see any hostile competition while Google makes 90% of their revenue in search. Maybe at some point.

[Tulkas]

Maybe it's because I've been watching crazy shows like The Wire, or maybe it just makes sense... but I have a feeling someone has been planting seeds for this. I find it curious how Microsoft has really changed their image, and they certainly have. They announce fantasy idea products, and show some sort of proof they are working towards it. Nice marketing and advertising campaigns. But they really haven't been out there like google and apple has been, not at least that I could tell.

I just find it curious, that's all.

[Craig]

Microsoft is up to some huge things right now. They made a very good decision bringing in Ray Ozzie when Gates stepped down as head of software. His visions have been spread to nearly every major business within Microsoft and have helped them better see where and how they have/can converge their operations to better service customers.

[CoffeeShark]

it's hard to really compare the companies, as they don't really compete in the same spaces - not exactly. Except for operating systems, and then only in a way.

Microsoft is mostly in OS and software, where Apple is a minor player and Google is just starting.

Microsoft is only in hardware with console gaming, where Apple and Google don't compete.

Apple is in hardware/software with the Mac line, where Microsoft only does software, and Google hasn't started yet.

Google is in Search mainly, where Apple doesn't go, and MS is a minor player.

Apple is in Mobility and Media (both hardware and software), where Google is just starting to get big with Android, and MS is becoming a minor player with winmo.


I'm not sure where Tulkas is going with his post, except to say that Microsoft's Research group pretty much covers everything that's going on right now, and producing a concept from that group is relatively easy to do for them. Concepts like the Courier number in the hundreds. Their problem is that they never actually produce anything from Research for consumer use.

[henry]

let the blood start flowing i for one like it that way(cheaper stuff)