On the day after reports linked Google with a new cell phone being developed by Dell Computer, the Web giant during its (disappointing) earnings call took time to share all kinds of love for
Apple's iPhone. Indeed, Wednesday's rumors notwithstanding, it's still an open question whether Google aims to partner or compete with Apple.
For one thing, Eric Schmidt, Google's
CEO, is on Apple's board of directors. For another, Google has put a lot of effort into making iPhone-specific applications, although industry watchers wonder if this is just a proxy for Google's
forthcoming mobile operating system, Android. Recently, the search giant revealed that it now gets more mobile Web traffic from the iPhone than any other handheld device.
Without
mentioning his position on Apple's board, Schmidt explained the importance of the Apple device for Google. "The iPhone is the first of a whole generation of products that will be much more search
intensive," Schmidt said. "With those search opportunities comes ad monetization."
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