Mirror Universe: Apple and Microsoft United Against Google

PCWorld, ReadWrite Enterprise, and 9to5mac all have interesting "what-if" articles up that describes a mirror universe where Apple and Microsoft unite to fight off the advances of an all-powerful Google.

Admittedly a lot has happened over the last year or so: Google entering the smartphone space with Android and the desktop with Chrome OS, the strained relations over Google Voice, the shattered directorate as Google CEO Eric Schmidt left the Apple Board while Arthur Levinson stayed on Apple and left Google.

PC World thinks Apple's device could make up for the long delays in Windows Mobile 7 while Microsoft could provide the equally long-missing enterprise credibility for the iPhone.

9to5mac, for their part, points out that Microsoft's Bing could also supply many of the search and mapping related features the iPhone currently relies on Google for.

Could their enemy's enemy be their friends, even when Apple and Microsoft have had such a longstanding, classic rivalry of their own? And in this mirror universe, is it Steve Jobs, Steve Ballmer, or Eric Schmidt who wears the goatee of evil?

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.