Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Improves Android, Chases Apple's (NASDAQ:APPL) iPad

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) made some necessary improvement in its Android software for tablet computers, and resumes its chase against Apple's (NASDAQ:APPL) iPad for tablet market share, a segment dominated by Apple at this time.

Included in the fixes by Google for Android were the ability for Android to run better on larger screens used by tablets, stronger computer power, and for Android app developers to make more money with their creations.

If they did it right, the interface should be much faster for Android users. Google also added built-in video conferencing.

As for the the number of apps offered by Google, they now number of 100,000, still far behind the over 300,000 offered by Apple at this time.

For app developers, they will now be empowered to sell consumer products from within their Android apps, something Apple has offered for over a year.

Google also developed and launched an online applications store for devices using Android, which will expand the customer base of app developers. Prior to that, Android apps could only be accessed through client software on devices.

Now we wait to see if Google can do to the tablet market what they did to Apple in smartphones.

It appears this battle will be a much tougher one for Google, especially if, as expected, Apple releases an iPad 2 later in the year which is a generation ahead of Android.

Google closed Wednesday at $612.00, gaining $0.96, or 0.16 percent. Apple closed at $344.32, down $0.71, or 0.21 percent.