Schmidt: Google, Apple Relationship Improving

Could it be that two of the biggest tech titans are ready to make amends?

Though Apple and Google might not be best friends just yet, their icy relationship is apparently thawing out, according to Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt. The firms are in "constant business discussions on a long list of issues," Schmidt told reporters at the annual Allen and Co media conference in Sun Valley, Idaho on Thursday, according to Bloomberg.

Schmidt did not go into details about the nature of the meetings, but said he respects Apple. "These are two proud, well-run, different companies," Schmidt said.

While Schmidt talked to reporters, Apple CEO Tim Cook happened to walk by, Bloomberg reported. Google's chief business officer, Nikesh Arora, shouted to the Apple executive, "Tim, everybody here wants to take your picture!" Cook complied, but did not speak to reporters.

"We got Tim to smile ? always a good thing." Schmidt reportedly quipped.

Though Schmidt previously held a spot on Apple's board of directors, the relationship between the two companies fizzled thanks to growing competition in the smartphone market. Apple has attempted to distance itself from Google in recent years, most notably ditching the search giant's Maps app, which was previously pre-installed on iOS devices, in favor of its own less-than-perfect product.

More recently, Cook took a jab at Android during his keynote at the company's June Worldwide Developer Conference. Cook pointed out that Android fragmentation was alive and well, whereas more than 90 percent of iOS users were using the most recent version of Cupertino's mobile OS. To drive home this point, Apple added a pie chart to its developer website that highlights what percentage of people are using the different versions of iOS, the large majority of which are on the most recent iOS 6.

Meanwhile on the mobile front, shutterbugs at the conference managed to capture photos of Schmidt using what appears to be the forthcoming Moto X phone (click the photo above), which users will apparently be able to customize themselves with colors and engraving. The Moto X is expected to be released this fall.

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Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2421700,00.asp?kc=PCRSS05039TX1K0000762

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