Google plans own Chrome OS netbook, what will Apple and Microsoft do?

Jonny Evans
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December 17, 2009
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Google’s becoming ever more active of late, developing its own-branded Android smartphone and introducing that mobile OS to other manufacturers - now, TechCrunch is claiming, the company intends introducing its own own-branded Chrome OS netbook.

Google’s plans for the Nexus One smartphone emerged early in the week. Setting out its argument, TechCrunch observes these notes from the Chrome OS FAQ:

“The Google Chrome OS team is currently working with a number of technology companies to design and build devices that deliver an extraordinary end user experience. Among others, these companies include Acer, Adobe, ASUS, Freescale, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, and Toshiba.”

The report continues to state that “according to multiple sources”, Google has been in talks with manufacturers with a view to building a Google-branded netbook, and these discussions have progressed to the point of technical specifications being assembled and manufacturing plans discussed. The agenda suggests introduction of such a product this time in 2010.

Google is clearly emerging as a huge competitor for Microsoft, but also remains on a trajectory to impact against Apple at some future point. This has led at least one analyst to conjecture a future alliance between Apple and Microsoft to see off Google’s threat.

Discussing Microsoft’s Bing app for the iPhone, Michael Gartenberg, a vice president at Interpret, said that while he suspects there were divisions within Microsoft before launch of the mobile app, he sees it as a wise move.

The analyst thinks the alliance between Apple and Google may have driven the former firm to become too dependent on the latter for search services.

"Google is a different animal than it was two or three years ago when it was simply providing a set of services for Apple and the iPhone and now is competing with Apple in the mobile space," Gartenberg said. "I think it was wise of Apple to approve this application and wise of Microsoft to get this application out there and to use this as an opportunity to show some differentiation from the type of things Google offers,” he said.

Could Hell freeze over once again? Could Apple in future integrate Bing, rather than Google search into Safari?

Comments (10)

Luis Alejandro Masanti (not verified) | December 17, 2009 - 5:58am

What will Apple do?

As usual, Apple/Jobs will have its/his "Eyes on where the puck will be..."

steven55 | January 14, 2010 - 9:07am

Google, Apple and Microsoft are the most powerful companies in all over the worl and they always compete with each other in the technology sphere. That shows and the fact that Google created new mobile phone - Nexus. I work in the iphone development company so I always follow all news and changes about this sphere. Reading your post I have noticed some new things about Google which I have not known before. Well I will definitely find out more information about this subject. Anyway thanks a lot for sharing this useful and informative article and I will be waiting for more interesting news from you in the nearest future.

Regards, Steven Watson from iphone development

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 17, 2009 - 8:27am

Meh! 

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 17, 2009 - 8:27am

Meh! 

DL (not verified) | December 17, 2009 - 10:55am

I cannot imagine Apple switching out the built-in Google search bar in Safari for Bing.  Google's OS and Netbook are meant for web browsing not a lot of actual computer processing:  creation, editing, and organizing of photos, music, documents, etc.  So Google isn't a real threat to Apple but rather an ally of sorts.  IMHO

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 17, 2009 - 2:21pm

well, google pays apple for every search the comes through the safari search box (don't you think it's weird you can't change the search engine there?). If M$ was willing to pay more, then I bet apple would consider it.

Any analyst that thinks Apple and M$ are going to team up against google should think about changing careers. 

David McDougal (not verified) | December 17, 2009 - 1:39pm

This has been a great debate in my home recently.  We are a apple family with two MBP's, iPhones, an iMac and a testing windows machine (I have not opened it in months).  We are also a Google family.  We utilize gmail, docs, calendar, reader, contacts, gtalk, etc.  So why is this a debate.  Simple, I want a device, or devices that 100% integrate my digital life and make things smooth.  Since I am already using Google everything, then a Google Phone makes sense.  I do not use the default apps on the iphone anyway.  Also, since I work with everything in the cloud via dropbox, and google docs why not have a machine that is in the cloud.  

Now, I love my MBP and will never go back to Windows, but I have to say it is a tempting thing to have everything in one place and not have to worry that much about it.  I know there are risks with it all in the cloud, but seriously I am not going stop using local usb drives, and doing backups offline of my data.  If you are not using a local and cloud backup then you are in just as much trouble as being cloud only.

As for using Bing in Safari, ahh well Safari is not really that great of a browser in my opinion.  I use Camino and Chrome 99.99% of the time.  I fire up FF and Safari only to check my design, and seo work in them as needed.  Bing is a great engine, that is maturing quickly.  It has some quirks, but I challenge you to use it 100% for 10 days and then decide.  I am 50/50 right now.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 17, 2009 - 4:50pm

I don't think Google would go far with this. Oh and what would Apple? find a better way to do it than Goggle

cheap computers (not verified) | December 30, 2009 - 11:00am

Google is clearly emerging as a huge competitor for Microsoft, but also remains on a trajectory to impact against Apple at some future point.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 12, 2010 - 11:55pm

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