August 04, 2009

Google and Apple used to be the best of friends, but they're looking more warily at each other these days. Apple's rejection of Google Voice apps for the iPhone was followed relatively swiftly by Google CEO Eric Schmidt stepping down from Apple's board of directors. That wasn't a tit-for-tat action, but it reflects how the two companies are starting to see each other as competitors. And now, it looks like the U.S. government is taking sides.

To be blunt, the FCC's bizarre investigation into the iPhone App Store makes no sense. It doesn't spur competition and doesn't really help consumers; the only entity it seems designed to help is Google.

In the tech world, of course, you can cooperate and compete at the same time. For years, Apple and Microsoft have competed with their operating systems while Microsoft makes a top-selling suite of Mac office software. Google and Microsoft don't see eye to eye on search, but Google makes sure their products work with Microsoft's Windows OS.

It's hard not to see Google's hand in the FCC's pointless investigation into the iTunes App Store. Almost nobody likes Apple's seemingly random application approval process, but there's nothing illegal or anticompetitive about it. Apple's entire business strategy is based around total control, both of information and of the user experience. That strategy results in some great products and some infuriating corporate policies, but they're all of a piece.

Source:-www.pcmag.com