WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Google Inc. chief executive Eric E. Schmidt will join Apple Computer Inc.'s board of directors, creating a bond between two technology powerhouses that compete fiercely with Microsoft Corp, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday.

    Schmidt, a multibillionaire who helped elevate Google into a powerful force on the Internet, has joined a list of high-profile names on Apple's board, which includes former vice president Albert Gore Jr., Intuit Inc. Chairman William V. Campbell and Genentech Inc. chief executive Arthur D. Levinson, the report said.

    "Apple is one of the companies in the world that I most admire," Schmidt said in a statement released by Apple on Tuesday. "I'm really looking forward to working with Steve and Apple's board to help with all of the amazing things Apple is doing."

    Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said Schmidt will bring insight and experience to help guide Apple in the future, according to a statement.

    Apple and Google do not really compete in the marketplace, said technology analyst Rob Enderle, and there are clear areas where the two firms might work together in the future, according to the report.

    Apple, which got its start with Macintosh computers and is enjoying a resurgence with its iPod music players, is building a large presence on the Internet with the iTunes music and video service. Google is one of the most powerful brands in many types of Internet services but has little presence in the music market.

    Schmidt's presence on the Apple board "provides a way for the two firms to collaborate rather than compete at a future point in time," Enderle was quoted as saying. Enditem