Google calls Apple "valuable partner"

Steve Jobs is trashing Google internally according to rumors, but Google is having none of it. Company reps told the press at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week that Google considers Apple "a very close and valuable partner," and that they believe that the relationship between the two companies "is stable."

Of course, they were responding to rumors that Microsoft's Bing search engine would replace Google on the iPhone, and common sense will tell you that it'll be a cold day somewhere very warm before Apple chooses to partner with Microsoft over Google. If push came to shove, Steve would probably create his own search engine before partnering up with anyone in Redmond.

But maybe the Google folks are also playing politics a little here -- Steve is not an unreasonable man, and he is known for being direct, especially in personal communication. Jobs can complain all he want in an internal meeting, but in public, it's probably best that Google takes the high road. Apple and Google may eventually have to show down over cell phones, but until they absolutely have to, it's probably better if they both play as nice as possible.

[via Ars]

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Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/idCNLDE61E1CF20100215?rpc=44

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Steve Jobs is trashing Google internally according to rumors, but Google is having none of it. Company reps told the press at the Mobile...

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dennis636223

Google search on the iphone isnt going anywhere. Google pays apple millions just to have google's own apps (maps, google search, youtube) on the iphone. Steve just hate how everything he refuses to innovate on (for instance, flash on the ipad or iphone) Google does the exact opposite. Closed OS vs Open Os on mobile phones. Paid services vs Free services. And all this is slowing sales for apple believe it or not. Apple's expected Q4 sales of last year were shy by 1.8% in the iphone. This was because other carriers offered phones that would compete primarily android devices. Take a look at the sales of the droid. A whomping 160,000 thousand in sales. Sure its not the millions the iphone has sold (mainly due to the iphone being available world wide, somewhat), but that number is a lot considering its with one carrier and only available in the US. If that number didn't exist, the iphone could have exceeded its expected mark. Google is not going anywhere. At least not for a while. Apple just hate to loose to the competition.

February 20 2010 at 4:47 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Aek

Bing on iPhone? Yeah, right.

But then if they some how lose their minds and go for it I sure hope there'll be an opt-out option where I could continue to use Google.

February 18 2010 at 2:08 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Brian-Keith Lane

Yahoo search is on my iPhone

February 17 2010 at 9:14 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

tdowling

This seems like a very "friends close / enemies closer" thing

February 17 2010 at 7:48 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

qwerty613

Well, it has been snowing in the Carolinas and DC a lot lately....

"it'll be a cold day somewhere very warm before Apple chooses to partner with Microsoft over Google."

February 17 2010 at 6:41 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

SIP

Are TUAW stuck in some time vacuum or something? I'm sure I already read this elsewhere some days ago.

February 17 2010 at 6:21 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Eideard

So, what is the justification for repeating rumors that were never confirmed?

February 17 2010 at 6:19 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply