Google to acquire Motorola Mobility

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krycor

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Supercharging Android: Google to Acquire Motorola Mobility

Supercharging Android: Google to Acquire Motorola Mobility

Since its launch in November 2007, Android has not only dramatically increased consumer choice but also improved the entire mobile experience for users. Today, more than 150 million Android devices have been activated worldwide—with over 550,000 devices now lit up every day—through a network of about 39 manufacturers and 231 carriers in 123 countries. Given Android’s phenomenal success, we are always looking for new ways to supercharge the Android ecosystem. That is why I am so excited today to announce that we have agreed to acquire Motorola.

Motorola has a history of over 80 years of innovation in communications technology and products, and in the development of intellectual property, which have helped drive the remarkable revolution in mobile computing we are all enjoying today. Its many industry milestones include the introduction of the world’s first portable cell phone nearly 30 years ago, and the StarTAC—the smallest and lightest phone on earth at time of launch. In 2007, Motorola was a founding member of the Open Handset Alliance that worked to make Android the first truly open and comprehensive platform for mobile devices. I have loved my Motorola phones from the StarTAC era up to the current DROIDs.

In 2008, Motorola bet big on Android as the sole operating system across all of its smartphone devices. It was a smart bet and we’re thrilled at the success they’ve achieved so far. We believe that their mobile business is on an upward trajectory and poised for explosive growth.

Motorola is also a market leader in the home devices and video solutions business. With the transition to Internet Protocol, we are excited to work together with Motorola and the industry to support our partners and cooperate with them to accelerate innovation in this space.

Motorola’s total commitment to Android in mobile devices is one of many reasons that there is a natural fit between our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers everywhere.

This acquisition will not change our commitment to run Android as an open platform. Motorola will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. We will run Motorola as a separate business. Many hardware partners have contributed to Android’s success and we look forward to continuing to work with all of them to deliver outstanding user experiences.

We recently explained how companies including Microsoft and Apple are banding together in anti-competitive patent attacks on Android. The U.S. Department of Justice had to intervene in the results of one recent patent auction to “protect competition and innovation in the open source software community” and it is currently looking into the results of the Nortel auction. Our acquisition of Motorola will increase competition by strengthening Google’s patent portfolio, which will enable us to better protect Android from anti-competitive threats from Microsoft, Apple and other companies.

The combination of Google and Motorola will not only supercharge Android, but will also enhance competition and offer consumers accelerating innovation, greater choice, and wonderful user experiences. I am confident that these great experiences will create huge value for shareholders.

I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers.

Posted by Larry Page, CEO
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Interesting given the spat with patents
 
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Uncle Ballmer is not a happy man I'm sure. Steve^2 will react. Apple's got enough cash to buy just about anybody I guess and M$ should have a sizeable patent portfolio of their own ... especially with Nokia in their camp. I N T E R E S T I N G !
 
I hope I am not speaking too soon...but I am excited about this. Motorola does fantastic hardware and now with the financial injection of Google they will reach heights never achieved before. AND NOW I MIGHT GET GINGERBREAD FOR ME DEFY! lolz.

Go Go Moto! :-)

OckieMoto
 
ocleroux said:
I hope I am not speaking too soon...but I am excited about this. Motorola does fantastic hardware and now with the financial injection of Google they will reach heights never achieved before. AND NOW I MIGHT GET GINGERBREAD FOR ME DEFY! lolz.

Go Go Moto! :-)

OckieMoto
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This is a desperate attempt by Google because they know what is coming with WP7 and Nokia and then they will be doomed :D

http://www.winrumors.com/nokia-and-...es-motorola-deal-hints-at-windows-phone-gain/
 
Wow, I'm astonished Google are distracting themselves with this (proposed) acquisition. Smacks of reaction and even rashness by Messrs Page & Co. BHOF Tip#3 when gowing fast: "stick to the knitting". Maybe they're after the patent portfolio and plan to sell off the husks in a few years? Still, $12 bazillion is a helluva lot of money to protect a zero-revenue operating system! I think Larry's been spooked by MS-Nokia and this is a panic buy. But it's all speculation now 'cause it'll take a few years for the rinse cycle to end. Once the deal's inked expect some ooh-ahh Motoogle phones and tablet announcements that will inevitably push most upper-brand Android IHVs back to Microsoft.

In other news just in, Windows Phone marketshare falls to 2%.

Interesting times ahead.
 
Arthur said:
Wow, I'm astonished Google are distracting themselves with this (proposed) acquisition. Smacks of reaction and even rashness by Messrs Page & Co. BHOF Tip#3 when gowing fast: "stick to the knitting". Maybe they're after the patent portfolio and plan to sell off the husks in a few years? Still, $12 bazillion is a helluva lot of money to protect a zero-revenue operating system! I think Larry's been spooked by MS-Nokia and this is a panic buy. But it's all speculation now 'cause it'll take a few years for the rinse cycle to end. Once the deal's inked expect some ooh-ahh Motoogle phones and tablet announcements that will inevitably push most upper-brand Android IHVs back to Microsoft.

In other news just in, Windows Phone marketshare falls to 2%.

Interesting times ahead.
Click to expand...

I dont think Google had much choice in the matter. With the onslaught of patent claims hitting the Android OS from Microsoft and Apple it forced their hand. Add to that the fact that Sanjay Jha in his speech on 9 August hinted in his Oppenheimer conference keynote that they are planing to sue other Android OEM's, the OHA had to make a plan.

Google did mention that Motorola will stay a separate entity, so this all points to patents. Also seeing that all the other OEM's from the OHA welcomed the deal milliseconds after it was made public makes me think this was a pre approved by them as well.
 
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Elimentals said:
I dont think Google had much choice in the matter. With the onslaught of patent claims hitting the Android OS from Microsoft and Apple it forced their hand. Add to that the fact that Sanjay Jha in his speech on 9 August hinted in his Oppenheimer conference keynote that they are planing to sue other Android OEM's.

Google did mention that Motorola will stay a separate entity, so this all points to patents. Also seeing that all the other OEM's from the OHA welcomed the deal milliseconds after it was made public makes me think this was a pre approved by them as well.
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i concur. unfortunately when the system is poked, you can't just sit in the corner and cry that the other companies aren't playing by the rules.
it's sad that google has to resort to the patent race. mainly because the market will have to absorb the inefficiencies of pointless lawsuits, counter-productivity, squandering of capital and ridiculous licensing practices.
oh well. hopefully now ms and apple will back off a bit.
 
murraybiscuit said:
i concur. unfortunately when the system is poked, you can't just sit in the corner and cry that the other companies aren't playing by the rules.
it's sad that google has to resort to the patent race. mainly because the market will have to absorb the inefficiencies of pointless lawsuits, counter-productivity, squandering of capital and ridiculous licensing practices.
oh well. hopefully now ms and apple will back off a bit.
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Seeing that Doctor Martin Cooper was working os the Director of Research and Development at Motorola when his team invented the cell phone and the fact that Motorola is sitting on the largest portfolio(17 000+) of all the OEM's I have to wonder what the DOJ is going to say about this move.
 
Elimentals said:
I dont think Google had much choice in the matter. With the onslaught of patent claims hitting the Android OS from Microsoft and Apple it forced their hand. Add to that the fact that Sanjay Jha in his speech on 9 August hinted in his Oppenheimer conference keynote that they are planing to sue other Android OEM's, the OHA had to make a plan.

Google did mention that Motorola will stay a separate entity, so this all points to patents. Also seeing that all the other OEM's from the OHA welcomed the deal milliseconds after it was made public makes me think this was a pre approved by them as well.
Click to expand...


I am not so sure the other mobile makers are all that happy.
http://www.winrumors.com/microsoft-...platform-with-equal-opportunity-for-partners/
and that leaves WP7 the only real OEM independent mobile OS for the future.

If I was LG, Samsung. HTC, etc. I would ha been quite upset with Google, hinting towards WP7 for future market share. IMHO this is a clear indication that Android has reached a glass ceiling when it comes new innovation and knows that WP7 would provide the future base for competition and market share. Or has MS created the same with partnering Nokia ?
Interesting times ahead.... :D

Look at these comments about users in SA that has actually discovered and used WP7:
http://www.techcentral.co.za/microsofts-mango-is-unexpectedly-sweet/25131/

There are so many critical comments (especially on myBB) from people that condemn WP7 and have actually never used it :wtf:

I have no problem with Android and iOS; they are currently market leaders in die mobile OS scene. But, one has to objectively analyse WP7, and it is good, very good - it will grab some market share.
 
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Seems I might need to bring my prediction, that the handset manufacturers will have fragmented Android in 5 years time, forward.

It was based on the fact that every manufacturer, using the same 'open' operating system, will have to differentiate itself to stay competitive and this can only be done by extending the OS, potentially to the point where it requires multiple development cycles for app developers.

This acquisition destabilizes this even more. Google, itself, is now a handset vendor and will be sorely tempted to favor Motorola This will seriously dent the confidence of other manufacturers to put all their eggs in the Android basket.

What would you do if you were Samsung, LG or even HTC, potentially playing second fiddle to Motorola?

As Motorola, what would you do now that you 'own' Android?
 
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