Google and Flipboard have announced a new partnership that brings Google+ integration to the popular social magazine app. It joins a wide variety of social networks already available via the app including Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram. It’s an important turn of events of Flipboard because Google has not yet opened up its Google+ API. This means that the partnership provides the Flipboard app with a feature that its rivals won’t be able to match.

Rumor has it that Google does want to open the API to other developers but is not yet willing to do so because it lacks “good noise controls.” In other words, this partnership is mutually beneficial. Flipboard adds a unique feature and Google has the chance to test out its API in real app without releasing it into the wild.

The announcement comes ahead of Google I/O, the company’s major yearly conference. The timing suggests that we won’t see an opening of the Google+ API at the conference this year.

It also raises questions about Google Currents, the company’s old social magazine. Google has been putting the axe to many projects as of late. A successful integration of Google+ with Flipboard may spell doom for Currents. Only time will tell.

Does the addition of Google+ to Flipboard excite you, or do you think it’s just a minor addition? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Phandroid