“In front of a packed house at the University of Washington’s computer-science building, [Microsoft CEO Steve] Ballmer called out the great work Apple has done on its App Store for mobile applications,” Brier Dudley reports for The Seattle Times. “‘Apple’s done a very nice job that allows people to monetize and commercialize their intellectual property,’ he said.”
“The comment alone may not be a big deal. Microsoft executives from Bill Gates on down have said nice things about the iPhone, for instance,” Dudley reports. “But Ballmer’s statement was deliberate, and it comes as Microsoft and Apple are reportedly close to adding Bing search to the iPhone. BusinessWeek on Jan. 19 reported the companies were in extended talks about replacing Google as the iPhone’s default search service.”
Dudley writes, “So I’m taking Ballmer’s App Store praise as another sign the relationship between Microsoft and Apple is warming.”
Full article here.
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