Without being asked, Google decided to whip out an email to TechCrunch anyway and comment on the Apple vs. HTC patent lawsuit announced yesterday:

“We are not a party to this lawsuit. However, we stand behind our Android operating system and the partners who have helped us to develop it."

This is interesting in light of suggestions that the real target of Apple's patent offensive isn't HTC but rather Android and Google. While some maintain it isn't like Apple (or at least the crunchy, hippy Apple they hold dear) to use patents offensively, when combined with HTC (read: Google) as target, could it begin to make more sense?

With Nokia, Apple merely counter-sued, to go on the attack against HTC has led to speculation that, because of Google, it's personal.

The Apple/Google relationship has been the subject of a lot of chatter lately as the once closely-tied partners have become increasingly competitive. As Gizmodo pointed out yesterday, Google CEO Eric Schmidt sitting on the Apple board -- whether or not he recused himself from iPhone discussions -- and then turning around and releasing Android and Chrome OS, when coupled with allegations that Steve Jobs told employees he believed Google was trying to "kill the iPhone", more than hints at a possible motivation.

9to5Mac also notes the lawsuit was filed one month to the day after Google enabled multitouch on the Nexus One, which was 6 months after Eric Schmidt resigned from the Apple board.

Sure, Steve Jobs made it a point to defend Schmidt at the recent Apple shareholder meeting, and Google keeps saying things are "stable", but the best of friends can become the bitterest of rivals. Given the current patent system, Apple has a right to defend their technology -- in the case of Google, they could have far more incentive too as well.

If that's the case, then Apple hasn't changed at all -- when's the last time we heard about feeling screwed and not retaliating?

Given the rumors surrounding Apple and Google lately, and the iPhone and Microsoft Bing, it's no wonder Mobile World Congress 2010 has raised both topics again, earning a smile from Steve Ballmer, and yet another "stable" comment from Google.

First up, Reuters has comments from Vic Gundotra, Google mobile engineering lead:

"Apple is a very close and valuable partner and we're very excited about the relationship we have with them today. We have no reason to believe that's going to change." [...] "We don't want to comment on those rumours. We think that relationship is stable."

"Stable" being the same word repeated twice by Google CEO, Eric Schmidt recently when he was similarly asked about the state of the Apple/Google relationship.

Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer played things more coyly according to Reuters:

When asked about the reports, Ballmer said "I wouldn't comment either way," but smiled, and repeated the phrase when the reporter remarked that Ballmer looked happy.

This once again highlights the broad but internally conflicted scope of Microsoft and Google's businesses. Ballmer and Schmidt no doubt want WinPho7s and Android to compete well against the iPhone, but they both also want the revenue from iPhone search traffic -- something Google reportedly pays $100 million a year for already.

When Steve Jobs introduced the iPad, he showed off the Apple designed but Google fed Maps application, and the Google-ownd YouTube app. He even named Google during the Maps demo. Much has been made about a falling out between Google and Apple, how Steve Jobs dislikes Eric Schmidt, and how the iPhone would turn to Microsoft's Bing for default search and maps going forward.

if the iPad, running iPhone 3.2, is any indication, nothing much has changed yet. Of course, Eric Schmidt said during the Google conference call that their relationship with Apple was "stable", and Apple COO, Tim Cook said during Apple's call that while they compete in some areas, they partner in others.

So everything quiet on the Apple/Google front, or just quiet before the storm?

Of course, there was no sign of Google Voice integration, but we're sure they'll figure out an up-scaled WebApp in no time...

AppleInsider reports that during Google's quarterly earnings call, CEO Eric Schmidt was asked about Google's relationship with Apple, and responded:

"I, as a former board member, have a special spot for Apple in my heart, but I will tell you Apple is a very well run company. They have a lot of very good stuff coming. We have a couple of very good partnerships with them, and we also compete with them in a couple of areas. My guess is that is a pretty stable situation for awhile."

And in regards to the rumor Apple is talking with Microsoft about making Bing the default iPhone search engine:

"We are not going to speculate on the marketshare of Apple mobile products. That is for Apple to discuss with you. As far as I can tell, our business structures with Apple are quite stable. I am not going to speculate on any deals of any kind -- rumored, true, not true, you name it. We are not going to talk about it."

So the "stable" card gets played twice. Well vetted in comparison to the sensational claims of Steve Jobs hating Eric Schmidt.

Meanwhile the two mega corporations still seem to be, if not locked on a collision course, then certainly ricochetting off each other with increasing frequency. Analyst Yair Reiner phrases it well:

"Apple seeks to be the "special box in a world of generic services," while Google aims to become the "special service in a world of generic boxes."

And the New York Times blog shows it, alongside Microsoft and Yahoo -- in handy blue-dotted fashion -- in the graphic up top. [via Giz]

Are frenemy partners and managed coopetition "stable"? Are Apple and Google? Let us know your thoughts.

Back in July, Apple stealthily acquired Placebase, a mapping company that provides a service similar to Google Maps, but with more robust customizations and set of APIs, called Pushpin, for layering data sets over maps.

Google and Apple have been steadily moving from friends to frenemies of late, with the advent of Android and CloudOS, the whole Google Voice and Google Latitude rejection brouhaha, and Google's CEO leaving Apple's board. TiPb's conjectured that Apple might see Google as trying to take over everyone else's platform as well, so it makes a certain amount of sense (especially given their history with the Mac) to have in-house backups for all the services Google currently offers for the iPhone. A billion-dollar data center might factor into that as well...

Given that Apple wrote the iPhone Maps app themselves, and just used Google for the backend, a switch to Apple Maps might even be transparent to the end user. TiPb's also discussed Apple's philosophy that the interface is the app, which again shows why Apple might be hesitant to give UI over to Google through Google Voice or Latitude -- they can't swap that out as easily.

Regardless, it will be interesting to see what an Apple Maps might look like...

(via 9to5mac and Computerworld)