Apple and Google were not rivals right from the get go, and when Apple first rolled out the iPhone in 2007, Google has yet to announce its plans to make a splash in the smartphone market. Some say that Google betrayed Apple’s trust by introducing the Android operating system, but I will leave that up to the fanboys of both sides to sort things out. All I can say is, I am glad that Google did roll out Android to the world, allowing us to have a choice in terms of smartphone operating systems instead of sticking to just Symbian and Windows Mobile (back then). What you see above is allegedly a design from Google circa 2006, clearly resembling more of a Blackberry form factor than a full touchscreen device, leading some quarters to claim that this is “evidence” that Google stole Apple’s designs.
What do you think of the Google concept phone above? Did Google really return to the drawing board after seeing just how the iPhone’s design might be the future? I guess it is interesting to dissect, but it should be all water under the bridge by now as both Android and iOS are thriving in the market at this moment.