Craig Federighi, Apple Inc. Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Speaks on Stage During an Apple Event in San Francisco
Craig Federighi, Apple Inc. Senior Vice President of Software Engineering speaks on stage during an Apple event in San Francisco, California. Reuters Reuters

Apple's Steve Jobs once said that he will spend every penny of the company's $40-billion to address the Android gap. In fact, the former CEO considered Android a problem and once vowed on "destroying" it. He was willing to go "thermonuclear on a "stolen product." What really went down?

The infamous quote probably made rounds already for a period of time. In fact, it was included in Jobs' biography following his death in 2011. According to the Motley Fool, Jobs undoubtedly harbored loathing for Google based on the quote.

As per Apple's former main man exact words: "I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple's $40 billion in the bank, to right this wrong. I'm going to destroy Android, because it's a stolen product. I'm willing to go thermonuclear war on this."

For many years, Apple's "thermonuclear war" on Android raged on with the company focusing its efforts on Android's OEMS instead of opposing Google directly - the most high profile of which was its rivalry against Samsung. More importantly, Apple pushed forth its Android efforts using patent disputes through the Rockstar Consortium. The venture is backed by Microsoft as well with 5 prominent tech companies under it. Rockstar was able to outbid Google acquiring Nortel's massive patent portfolio in a 2011 auction. It won the $4.5 billion offer. Apple came up with $2.6 billion of that allowing it to own more of Rockstar.

However, if there has been something evident throughout the years amidst the patent wars it is the unchanging game of the smartphone industry. The patent war has little effect on the performance of underlying competitive dynamics of these companies. In the end, Apple along with Google announced that they would be pushing for patent reform. Whereas Apple and Samsung resolved their patent disputes.

Analysts believe that Apple's initiatives against Android will not be beneficial in the long run thus it is finally giving up. Patent disputes were not for money-making purposes rather it was to prevent Android devices from selling in the market. It was also a way to prevent popularity of the devices. This is not happening as Android players like Xiaomi is taking the market by storm. The Chinese firm's CEO even claimed they aim to be the top smartphone maker across the globe. The Guardian quotes Lee Jun: "Within five or 10 years, we have the opportunity to become the number one smartphone company in the world."

Apple countered this saying that it is easy to claim to want to be on top than doing it. However, experts note that Apple will have little effect on Android players thus it's best for the company to stick to its best and most effective strategy: creating products with unmatched value. Steve Jobs once noted: "And if we succeed, they'll buy them. And if we don't, they won't. And it'll all work itself out."

Apple may have to really live up to what its former CEO said as Google does not appear to slow down on its efforts to bump up Android and related technologies. A patent application reveals that the company is working on a Google Translate chat application. See patent application here.