Steve Jobs felt Android was a 'stolen product'

Steve Jobs felt that Android was a rip-off of Apple's iOS and wasn't going to settle any lawsuits with Google or its partners no matter what.

As details emerge from Walter Isaacson biography on Jobs--the Apple co-founder's decision to put off cancer surgery--his hatred of Android may be overlooked. Isaacson's bio launches on Monday and he will detail some of the book Sunday on 60 Minutes. The Jobs biography is published by Simon & Shuster, a unit of CBS, owner of CNET.

The Associated Press details Jobs' view of Android and his relationship with former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Schmidt was on Apple's board, but resigned after Android lost. Jobs felt betrayed. According to AP Jobs said:

"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."

It's worth noting that Apple has more than twice the cash hoard since that Jobs quote. Meanwhile, there are no signs that Apple will back off its Android lawsuits.

Jobs made it clear he wouldn't settle for any amount of money. AP's Michael Liedtke tweeted some choice Android excerpts.

The comments shed light on Apple's series of lawsuits against HTC, Samsung and others over Android. The big question is whether these lawsuits will be settled under Apple CEO Tim Cook.

This story was originally published at ZDNet's Between the Lines.