TECH: Apple vs. Google: The Secret War

If you have a smartphone, chances are you've got either an iPhone (iOS) or an Android operating system. These two mobile tech monsters have long held alliances, with Apple approving just about every Google app created for its infamous App store over the past few years.  Apple even used Google Maps as its primary GPS application in all its operating systems all the way up to iOS 5.  Matter of fact, between 2006 & 2009, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt sat upon Apple's Board of Directors. In recent years, however, the climate of the relationship between Apple & Google seems to be slowly changing.

From the get go, Apple recognized Google as the world's most established GPS & information network and worked together with them to ensure all Apple products had the best Mapping & search engines around.  Google also recognized Apple as a powerhouse in the areas of Music (iTunes), mobile phones (iPhone/iOS) & as possessor of the most loyal computer user base around today. It seemed that this was a match made in heaven: Apple's flawless & beautiful looking Operating systems and Google's ever-growing technological brain combined to make the iPhone hold up as the most sought-after mobile device on the market to this day.  That was until Google started making their own forays into Mobile devices themselves, beginning with the development of a proprietary open-source Operating system (Android) which offered app developers more freedom than Apple could dream of.  In my opinion, it was this move that sparked this whole silent conflict and Apple/Google relations have been slowly moving downhill ever since.

Smile to your face.. (img courtesy: The Trading Report)

Google stayed busy over the first few years of their new Mobile excursion, creating apps such as GooglePlay, which bears direct comparison with Apple's App Store.  GoogleMusic was also added under the GooglePlay banner, which would allow users to purchase & upload music and access it on their mobile devices, much like iTunes. As you can see here, a little toe stepping began on Google's part and I'm not too sure Apple was filled with joy about it.  The late Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs even went so far as to publicly call the Android OS a "stolen product".

As the two companies began to move on, new Apple CEO Tim Cook, who stepped in upon Jobs' passing and Larry Page filling the shoes of former Google CEO Schmidt, the chasm between the two superpowers began to grow even further.  Today, Apple has begun taking shaky steps to move away from Google's products, from developing their own GPS mapping software (Apple maps) to replace Google's Maps app which has been customary for iPhones since their inception, to removing Google's YouTube app from the iPhone's starting lineup as well.  These changes have not been without criticizm, however, as iOS users around the globe have been complaining of serious issues with the Apple Maps application including inaccurate maps, flawed GPS directions, even missing landmarks.  Apple CEO Cook having recieved numerous complaints about his new mapping software even went so far as to publicly advise iOS users to utilize "other GPS apps" until the bugs in Apple maps are worked out.

Google CEO Page (L) & Apple CEO Cook (R)

So why push so hard to develop your own apps when the actual overall functionality of your device suffers? My guess is Independence.  Both company CEOs have decided to meet to discuss probable patent issues and disputes, even though at this point no set date has been agreed upon by both parties.  Copyright issues between the two giants even took to a Chicago Courtroom back in June when Motorola Mobility (a Google company) filed a complaint which stated certain features of Apple's devices infringed upon it's patents.  The case was thrown out with prejudice by a federal judge who said neither side could prove damages.

So what does this all mean?  Things are changing in the world of mobile devices, and old alliances are now on rough terrain.  And while Apple & Google are still clinging to their last threads of their alliance for the purpose of their users, it is almost certain we will see more distance created between the two companies as time moves along and the tech climate continues to change.  All we can hope is that it will not be us, the end users, who suffer the hardship of this battle as it continues to rage behind the scenes.