Apple Inc (AAPL) Grabs a Particle; Google Inc. (GOOG) Out?

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is not one to run a victory lap when it executes an acquisition, but last month the company did expand its empire and just might squeeze out its “thermonuclear” rival, Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG). Though this acquisition happened last month, the deal was revealed this week that Apple Inc (AAPL) has purchased a company called Particle, which is an HTML5 and Web app developer.

Cook, Page

Particle has boasted about a strong partnership with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL),but it has also developed apps for the Android operating system by Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG). It was founded in 2008 and has had some investment backing from celebrity Justin Timberlake. It developed the social music service Robo.to and has been heavily involved in HTML5 development with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), but has also worked with Google Ic. (NASDAQ:GOOG), Motorola, Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) and Sony.

Particle wrote on its Web site, “Particle brings positive and energetic relationships with Google and the Chrome team specifically, as well as great Apple relationships and execution experience around iAds, iTunes Extras, and Apple.com. We have participated in and piloted much of the technology which will display the next generation of advertising and deliver media content for the next decade.”

Considering the past relationships not only with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), does this acquisition automatically mean that Particle will cut off ties with Google Inc. (GOOG) and its Android operating system and Chrome browser and OS for tablets? Does Particle lose out on this, or does Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) lose some HTML5 opportunities? Does this help Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) get a corner on HTML5 development, and does this reduce competition? How will investors like billionaire fund manager David Tepper of Appaloosa Management LP react to this, if they haven’t already known about it? What do you think, even if you don’t know the purchase price?