Apple and Google : It's About To Get Messier
Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 8:38AM 
You know, not that long ago, the "do no evil" tag team of Google and Apple looked like a dream team. These days, of course, "it's complicated," in Facebook-speak.
The conflicting statements to the FCC regarding whether Apple outright rejected a Google Voice app, or is merely still considering it, appears to have been just the tip of the iceberg. Gizmodo reports that Apple quietly bought their own mapping company back in July. There are a few things that keep Apple playing (relatively) nice with Google: Search and mapping.
If Apple could replace Google Maps on the phone, and offer something better (a daunting task), then that would leave only search as the key reason these two should smile at each other in public. You don't suppose that data center in North Carolina has anything to do with search, do you? Or would we perhaps see, wait for it, an Apple/MSFT Bing partnership? Crazy ideas, I know. But who would've thought six years ago when Apple debuted Safari with the integrated Google search box, that we would be here today with both companies competing with mobile phones, browsers, internet apps, and potentially maps, search and even OS'es.
Mark your iCal/gCal: 2010 will be the year that we see a full-on clash of the titans.