The Thursday unveiling of the forthcoming Android 2.2 operating system - codenamed `Froyo' - at the Google IO conference, in San Francisco, will further intensify the existing competition between Google and Apple.

During the unveiling of Android 2.2 `Froyo,' which is being largely seen as an ambitious upgrade to Google's increasingly popular Android OS, the company's VP of Engineering Vic Gundotra said in the keynote that the Android has essentially been framed as a moral campaign against "a future where one man, one company, one device, one carrier would be our only choice" - thereby hinting at Apple.

In addition, Gundotra also highlighted the Android Froyo demonstrations by mentioning the OS' key attractions, like dramatic speed gains, tethering and Wi-Fi hotspot capabilities; making subtle references to the Apple iPhone and iPad.

Apple will likley take its turn to show itself as `one up' on Google at its forthcoming WWDC conference. Though a large part of the conference will pertain to the next iPhone version, Apple CEO Steve Jobs will probably aim some little jibes in the direction of Apple's rivals, especially Google.

Though the market appears to be big enough for both Apple and Google survive successfully with their respective mobile platforms, there appears to be little doubt that the Apple-Google scuffle - one of the fiercest, and healthiest rivalries in the personal technology arena - will eventually turn out to be most consumer-benefiting rivalry of recent times!