Analyst: Apple-Microsoft merger due within 10 years

US analyst claims rivals will have no choice but to join forces to take on Android, Google and Facebook

A US analyst has predicted that tech giant rivals Microsoft and Apple may merge within the next 10 years in an effort to fend off competition from Google, Android and Facebook.

Money Map Press analyst Keith Fitz Gerald told Fox Business that the deal is both "unthinkable" but "absolutely possible".

"Here's the thing, this is one of those unthinkable but absolutely possible deals – I think that Apple and Microsoft may not only have to work together in the next few years but may even see a merger in five or 10 years from now because they're going to have to take on the Googles, Android and Facebooks of the world," he said.

"It's absolutely speculation, but if you look at what's happened and what Apple wants to accomplish with the mobile market and you look at the One Microsoft initiative [as well as] the cross pollination of devices, content is king; security is king. You've got users between the millennials and the senior citizens who have to have easy-to-use, functional stuff that is transparent between devices."

According to Forbes' Global 2000 rankings of the world's largest companies, Apple sits at number 15 with a market value of $416.6bn while Microsoft is placed at number 41 with its value reaching $234.8bn.