Google / iTunes Collaboration?

The Street.com is reporting that Apple may be preparing to announce a deal with Google that would make the iTunes Music Store available through the Google website. Information on when this might happen, as well as just how it would be implemented, are not available.

I have to say this really surprises me, though I guess it shouldn't. I've always thought of Google as being firecely independent, just like Apple. A pairing of the nation's top online music store with the number one search engine would certainly be noteworthy to say the least, but what would be the advantage? The iTunes Music Store works just fine for me as it exists today, and is largely cross platform. Perhaps I'm missing something...?