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For Google’s iPhone keyboard, search will be key

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iPad keyboard
That's great and all, but couldn't it be swipier?
Screenshot: Evan Killham/Cult of Mac

The world’s biggest search engine is planning a new way to get its software onto Apple products, The Verge is reporting. It’s a Google iPhone keyboard that developers hope will trump the stock iOS one.

Third-party keyboards are nothing new, but very few actually have a shot at replacing Apple’s as the go-to typing tool either because of pointless features or shoddy design. But we think that if anyone’s going to give it a running start, it’s Google.

Apple’s cloud deal with Google could be worth $600 million

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Hacker who tried to extort Apple for $100k is spared prison
Apple may be hooking up with its long-time rival Google.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple may be hopping into bed with long-time tech giant frenemy Google, migrating part of its iCloud business over from Amazon Web Services (AWS) to Google’s Cloud Platform.

Apple will reportedly pay Google between $400 and $600 million as part of the deal, which could be around twice the estimated amount Google’s cloud business did in total revenue last year.

Googlebot ditches iPhone disguise to become an Android

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iPhone Android Samsung
See ya, Safari! Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Googlebot, the giant webcrawler that Google uses to scan webpages and update its index, is ditching its iPhone disguise to become an Android.

Rather ironically, the tool has been masquerading as an Apple device running iOS 8.3 for years, but it will soon become a Nexus 5X running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow to become more efficient.

New Android app design guidelines ripped from iOS playbook

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More of your Android apps are going to look like this.
More of your Android apps are going to look like this.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
More of your Android apps are going to look like this. Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
More of your Android apps are going to look like this. Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Your Android apps are going to get an iOS-style makeover soon, thanks to new design guidelines from Google.

Mostly concerned with the bottom of Android apps, Google is looking to have its developers place a bar across the bottom of their apps that will let users navigate between different sections of the app, just like iOS currently does.

Inbox by Gmail gets new Smart Reply feature on the web

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inbox-by-gmail-gets-new-smart-reply-feature-on-the-web-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201603Inbox-Smart-Reply-web-gif
Smart Reply on the web.
GIF: Google
Inbox-Smart-Reply-web
Smart Reply on the web. GIF: Google

Google Inbox’s awesome Smart Reply feature, which was launched on mobile back in November, is now available on the web.

The feature is already being used for 10 percent of all replies on Android and iOS — and it’s just as good in your browser.

Chrome update sports a boatload of new features

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Google

Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Prepare for even better browsing on mobile. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Prepare for even better browsing on mobile. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Google’s mobile Chrome web browser gets a new update today, which — according to the Chrome team — has “more than a barge full of performance and stability fixes.”

We’re not sure how many software fixes a barge would hold, but we feel confident in saying it’s a whole lot.

Apple’s biggest rivals come to its legal defense

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Tim Cook's tech friends are coming to Apple's defense.
Tim Cook's tech friends are coming to Apple's defense.
Photo: ABC News

The FBI’s demand that Apple build a backdoor into a terrorist’s iPhone has done the seemingly impossible by getting Microsoft, Google and Apple all on the same team.

Many of the country’s top tech firms have revealed that they will file friend-of-the court briefs in defense of Apple’s position that no company should be compelled by the government to break its own security and thus put the public safety of millions of users at risk.

Zuckerberg backs Apple in fight against FBI

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quotes on Apple
He doesn't agree with Tim Cook.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Wired.com

Apple has added Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to its growing list of elite tech allies that support that company’s fight against the FBI’s demands to create a back door on iOS to unlock the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone.

During an appearance today at the the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Zuckerberg said that adding backdoor access to devices is neither effective nor the right thing to do.

Google CEO supports Tim Cook in battle against FBI snooping

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Google CEO Sundar Pinchai thinks Apple is doing the right thing on Encryption. Photo: Google
Google CEO Sundar Pinchai thinks Apple is doing the right thing on Encryption. Photo: Google

Google and Apple don’t always see eye-to-eye, but in the matter of encryption, they’re total allies.

Today, Google CEO Sundar Pichai today tweeted words of support to Apple in the aftermath of Tim Cook’s open letter, explaining why Apple was defying a federal order to provide backdoor access to a terrorism suspect’s iPhone 5c.

Google takes a subtle swipe at Apple in new Android ad

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google-takes-a-subtle-swipe-at-apple-in-new-android-ad-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201602Android-Monotune-ad-png
"Be together. Not the same."
Photo: Google
"Be together. Not the same." Photo: Google
“Be together. Not the same.” Photo: Google

Google takes a leaf out of Samsung’s marketing playbook in its latest Android ad, with a subtle swipe at Apple and the lack of choice you get when you choose iOS.

“Monotune” is part of the company’s “Be together. Not the same.” campaign, and it’s nothing short of brilliant.

Apple to build $25 million office in India

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India
Apple wants to dramatically improve its 2 percent share on the smartphone market in India.
Photo: Tim Cook/Twitter

Apple has set its sights on taking over the smartphone market in India and its planning to bring more than just retail jobs to the country in the process.

The company confirmed today that it is planning to invest $25 million in a new office complex this year in Hyderabad that will bring 4,500 jobs to the area during the construction process.

Google cracks down on shady, fake download buttons

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You'll probably see more of this screen until things get fixed.
You'll probably see more of this screen until things get fixed.
Photo: Google

If you use Google’s Chrome web browser, you’re now even safer from sneaky advertisers that try to get you to download their crummy software with fake download buttons.

Chances are you’ve seen these around, even on some large sites like Sourceforge and CNET, and might have clicked on one or two by accident, as intended.

Google’s new addition to its Safe Browsing initiative will block sites that have these deceptive download buttons on them.

Google wants its Nexus phones to be more like the iPhone

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The official Google phone is coming.
The official Google phone is coming.
Photo: Google
Google could make its own iPhone rivals. Photo: Google
Google could make its own iPhone rivals. Photo: Google

Google’s flagship Nexus 6P delivered significant design improvements last year, putting its hardware on par with the best devices from rival manufacturers. But Google wants the Nexus lineup to be even more like the iPhone.

To make that happen, the company will reduce its reliance on third-party manufacturing partners like Huawei and LG and assume greater control over Nexus hardware, according to one report.

WhatsApp, Gmail both hit huge active user milestone

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WhatsApp and Gmail had a big day today. Photo: Jay Wennington/Unsplash
WhatsApp and Gmail had a big day today. Photo: Jay Wennington/Unsplash

If you think everyone and their sister has a Gmail account or uses WhatsApp these days, you wouldn’t be too far off.

Both tech giants, one a messaging app, the other an email service, have hit some serious milestones today.

Chrome update gives iOS users a speed boost

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Chrome for iOS  just got faster.
Chrome for iOS just got faster.
Photo: Google

Good news for iOS users who prefer Chrome: Google’s browser is now as fast as mobile Safari.

Chrome has switched to the WKWebView engine, which first became a feature in 2014 with iOS 8, allowing third-party browsers access to the same rendering engine as Safari.

WhatsApp to begin sharing your data with Facebook

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New features found in the latest WhatsApp beta. Screenshots: Javier Santos
New features found in the latest WhatsApp beta. Screenshots: Javier Santos

WhatsApp made millions of smartphone users happy with week when it announced it will be ditching its annual subscription fee, but its next move might not be so popular.

According to a hidden option found in the latest WhatsApp beta for Android, the service is planning to share user data with Facebook “to improve [your] Facebook experiences.”

Google paid Apple $1 billion to keep its search bar on the iPhone

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Got a new iPhone? Set it up right.
Breaking news: There's big money in search.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Breaking news: There's big money in search. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Breaking news: There’s big money in search. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Android and iOS may be mortal enemies in some ways, but Google clearly realizes the value of having Apple’s hundreds of millions of customers use its search engine.

So much so, in fact, that in 2014 Google paid Apple a massive $1 billion to keep its search bar on the iPhone.

Ford exec: Apple and Google can succeed at building vehicles

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Ford is embracing the Silicon Valley vision of cars.
Photo: Ford
Ford is embracing the Silicon Valley vision of cars. Photo: Ford
Ford is embracing the Silicon Valley vision of cars. Photo: Ford

Compared to some of the other automotive naysayers, Ford has been outspoken about the fact that Silicon Valley might (shock horror!) actually be able to successfully disrupt the car industry.

Now a Ford exec says his company actually welcomes the competition from companies like Google and Apple.