Battle of the Titans: How the Fight to the Death Between Apple and Google is Transforming our Lives (Previously Published as ‘Dogfight’)

By Fred Vogelstein

The story behind the bitter rivalry between Apple and Google – and how an an epic battle is reshaping the way we think about technology. This book, previously published as ‘Dogfight: How Apple and Google Went to War and Started a Revolution’, explores the real reasons beneath the world’s biggest deathmatch.

The rise of iPhones, smartphones and tablets has changed the world. At the centre of this are Apple and Google, two companies who have steamrolled the competition. In the age of the Android and the iPad, these corporations are locked in a battle that will play out beyond the marketplace, in the courts and on screens around the world.

Fred Vogelstein has reported on this rivalry for more than decade and has rare access to the boardrooms where company dogma translates into ruthless business; to outsize personalities like Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt; and inside the deals, transactions, lawsuits and allegations. Apple and Google are brazenly poaching each other’s employees. They bid up the price of each other’s acquisitions for spite, and they forge alliances with major players like Facebook and Microsoft in pursuit of market dominance.

‘Dogfight’ is not just a story about what devices are going to replace our TVs, phones, laptops, and music players. It’s about who will control what we see on those devices and where that content will come from. This is the future of media, entertainment, communication and information around the globe.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Nov 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9780007448418

Reviews for Battle of the Titans

[terrell_sanzone · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this book as a giveaway on Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I entered the drawing but am happy to say that I have found this book interesting, witty and quite informative. Not only are many questions answered but there were quite a few tidbits which I hadn't even thought to ask. For geeks like us this book gives great insight to how things are done in this highly competitive field. I enjoyed it so much I had my boyfriend read it and he is recounting things to me as he makes his way through the pages. Wonderful read!

[scottcholstad · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Rarely has a book incensed me the way this one has. First of all, let me announce that I am an iPhone lover and Android hater. No need to take pot shots at me. Just the facts. If you don't like it, read something else. Anyway, I thought this book was going to be a reasonably objective look into the war between Apple and Google on smart phones and tablets. Boy, was I wrong. The author lets us know right away where he stands. He starts by mocking Apple and Steve Jobs as they get set to introduce the iPhone to the public, making them look like total dunces and then pulling one over on the public's eyes with a brilliant demo. Then, poor Google. They loved the iPhone. They loved Apple. So imagine how hurt they were when Jobs and Apple got wind of their development of the Android and didn't appreciate it, of how badly their feelings were hurt. They even went for walks with Jobs assuring him that they weren't going to go ahead with Android -- only to do it. And this was somehow justified by the author. The author also went out of his way to explain that Apple has never sued Google, just the phone and tablet manufacturers. Okay. Nonetheless, Apple has the patents and it's winning. This is a hatchet job disguised as journalism and it pisses me off. It also pisses me off that I spent good money on this damn book thinking I was getting one thing when in fact I was getting something else. If I wanted to read something by a Google cheerleader, I would have bought something else. So too, if I had wanted to read of a Jobs smear job on Google, I would have bought that -- but I didn't. I wanted something balanced. This was not. So I didn't finish it. I made it to the seventh chapter before giving up. I'm trying to get my blood pressure down now. I can't believe what a crock this book is. What a Google lover this author is. How open software trumps closed systems every time, which isn't necessarily the case -- look at the facts. Of all of the books I've not recommended, this comes in at the top of my list. Most definitely not recommended!

[terrell_solano · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this book as a giveaway on Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I entered the drawing but am happy to say that I have found this book interesting, witty and quite informative. Not only are many questions answered but there were quite a few tidbits which I hadn't even thought to ask. For geeks like us this book gives great insight to how things are done in this highly competitive field. I enjoyed it so much I had my boyfriend read it and he is recounting things to me as he makes his way through the pages. Wonderful read!