There are reports that the CEO of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Tim Cook, and Larry Page, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s CEO, engaged in a “phone conversation last week, and are expected to talk again in the coming weeks”, according to Reuters. These discussions are related to mobile patents and intellectual property disputes between the two rivals.
The reports also indicated that lower level executives from both of the rival companies have also been engaged in talks regarding the issues. These reports come just days after Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) won a major lawsuit against one of Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)”s biggest distributors of their Android based mobile products, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (KRX:005930). So far, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has not called Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’ to the carpet in the courtroom, but has chosen instead to take on Google’s distributors, such as Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (KRX:005930), HTC, and Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc (NYSE:MMI).
The late co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, called Google’s mobile platform, Android OS, a “stolen product”, and up until his recent death, his main purpose in life seemed to be the destruction of Google’s flagship mobile product. It’s also interesting to note that Jobs felt betrayed by Google’s former CEO, Eric Schmidt, who pushed the company to build Android as direct competition to Apple, while he held a position on Apple’s board.
When Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) debuted the iPhone, it strongly supported Google programs, such as Search, Maps, and YouTube videos. However, in recent years and in line with the ongoing dispute, Apple has taken major steps to move away from Google and develop its own applications apart from those offered to Android users.
Could these talks be the signal that an end is coming to the long dispute, and that perhaps a cross licensing agreement could be reached between the two tech giants? Such an agreement was reached between Apple and Microsoft, and if Google could be persuaded to work with Apple to come to a peaceable agreement regarding the technology, The two could be an unstoppable force in the mobile market. Only time will tell what will happen between the two companies.
