Google/Apple projects

Google and Apple have "many more" projects in the works, according to Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who spoke at a technology conference in San Francisco, but declined to provide any details. According to MarketWatch, Schmidt was addressing a question concerning rumors that Apple and Google were working on a tablet-style personal computer. Without commenting specifically on the rumor, the report said, Schmidt said Google and Apple are "doing more and more things together. We have similar goals, similar competitors." Already, Google's search features are to be standard on the iPhone, the much-anticipdated consumer device Apple plans to release in June. Schmidt was appointed to Apple's board of directors last August; he later declined declined stock options offered to new directors and said that he would instead buy shares on the open market. Last October the CEO also called Apple "the most remarkable second act ever seen in technology."

"I don't want to comment on rumors," he said, then added: "I will tell you that Google and Apple are doing more and more things together through the normal course of communications," Schmidt told conference attendees. "We have similar goals and similar competitors."

Meanwhile, Google's heavily rumored Switch phone could break the mold of phone service in the US, according to Electronista: "Claiming that the alleged phone is real based on both the source and recent Google buyouts, Simeonov says that the web developer has found a way to get normally hostile carriers to allow the Switch to be sold for multiple US cell providers. Instead of forging exclusive deals, Google would take on the burden of marketing its device. The networks would only have to fulfill the orders," according to the report.

by MacNN Staff