In a recent interview, Eric Schmidt discussed Google’s relationship with Apple.
The Google chairman told tech blog AllThingsDigital that the clash between Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android would help shape the tech landscape of the future.
"The Android-Apple platform fight is the defining fight in the industry today,” said Schmidt. “The world has never seen a platform fight like the one now underway.”
“The sheer volume of mobile device sales dwarfed any platform battle that came before it in the technology industry, including Microsoft vs. Apple in the desktop computing market,” he added.
Schmidt revealed that he had seen surveys indicating that four Android devices sold for every one Apple device.
When probed about Apple ditching Google to create its own maps, he commented that: "Apple should have kept our maps, they're better maps."
He explained to AllThingsDigital that 'Apple has learned that maps are hard' and said that Google has spent over five years investing in its maps app, while Apple has been in ‘catch-up mode’.
"We invested hundreds of millions of dollars in satellite work, airplane work, drive-by work, and we think we have the best product in the industry," he said.
It is expected that Google will release an official Google Maps iPhone app by the end of the year, when asked about this, Schmidt said: “If we made one, they would have to approve it. They haven’t approved all of our apps in the past.”
When asked in the interview if he would rather be CEO of Apple, Amazon or Facebook, the Google chairman replied with: “Which one has the most cash?”

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