Apple acquires Google's HTML5 aide

The ongoing war between Apple and Google continues to rage on, as it has surfaced that Particle, the web design and creative consultancy firm that the former has reportedly acquired has, until now, been a key supplier to Google.

Particle, which specialises in HTML5 and the WebKit rendering, has taken down its website, replacing it with a static holding page, after reports revealed that it has been acquired by Apple. However, the cached version of the website reveals that the consultancy firm counted Google, as well as Motorola and Sony, as its key clients.

“Google leans on Particle as a leader in HTML5 and open web standards, involving us in a variety of Google Chrome initiatives and experiments, and often inviting us to speak at Google sponsored events,” the firm had written on its site.

Reports that Apple had acquired the firm became prevalent after it was spotted that some of the start-up’s staff had amended their LinkedIn profiles and moved to the larger firm.

Particle has also created online services that serve as concept pilots such as social video-interview site Interview and Robo.to, a social video network which was partly funded by singer Justin Timberlake.