Google buys Motorola!

yawnstretch

http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/15/breaking-google-buys-motorola-for-12-5-billion/

godtabh

Just about to post that.

Thats a massive step by Google. $12.5b is a big amount of money. I wonder what it will mean for the mobile world

DarkDusk

Now hopefully we will get good motorola phones, not the ****ty ones that are out now:p

aidan_walsh

Will be very interesting to see if this means that Google is going to make more of a move into the development of their own phones, whether this is a talent acquisition for Android as software or just a patent buy.

quad_red

The writing is on the wall that what is now 'mobile' space will eventually become the majority of the personal computing space.

The iPad and the inevitability of iOS across iPhone/iPad/mac is the death of Google (and MS) unless they get their **** in gear.

So Apple vs Google + Motoroal vs MS + Nokia.

KrisW

If you were in Seoul this morning and you listened carefully, and you might have learned some very, very rude Korean words...

Bad time to be an Android OEM. I think there were lots of "Plan B" dossiers being compiled over the weekend once they got wind of this. Motorola will get favourable treatment, advance access to OS plans, fast-track bugfixing, influence over software roadmaps, and the others will get...

...well, that's where those rude Korean words come in.

vicM

mmhh..interesting, was just reading somewhere yesterday Motorolla was planning to sue other Android OEMs over some patent infringement.

Could this be Android arming itself with some IP after the Nortel ones fell through (Or went to its main rivals)??

Edit: Just read the link, yeah, Protecting themselves with some IP alright..

Professey Chin

quad_red wrote: »

The writing is on the wall that what is now 'mobile' space will eventually become the majority of the personal computing space.

The iPad and the inevitability of iOS across iPhone/iPad/mac is the death of Google (and MS) unless they get their **** in gear.

So Apple vs Google + Motoroal vs MS + Nokia.

Lolz. Apple wont cause the death of anyone. The same thing that happened with Windows will happen again. Apples control of their hardware and software will always make sure they stay in the niche (albeit making massive profits from it)

blaz

KrisW wrote: »

If you were in Seoul this morning and you listened carefully, and you might have learned some very, very rude Korean words...

Bad time to be an Android OEM. I think there were lots of "Plan B" dossiers being compiled over the weekend once they got wind of this. Motorola will get favourable treatment, advance access to OS plans, fast-track bugfixing, influence over software roadmaps, and the others will get...

...well, that's where those rude Korean words come in.

http://www.google.com/press/motorola/quotes/

“We welcome today’s news, which demonstrates Google’s deep commitment to defending Android, its partners, and the ecosystem.”
– J.K. Shin
President, Samsung, Mobile Communications Division
“I welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners.”
– Bert Nordberg
President & CEO, Sony Ericsson
“We welcome the news of today‘s acquisition, which demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android, its partners, and the entire ecosystem.”
– Peter Chou
CEO, HTC Corp.
“We welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners.”
– Jong-Seok Park, Ph.D
President & CEO, LG Electronics Mobile Communications Compan

AntiVirus

quad_red wrote: »

The writing is on the wall that what is now 'mobile' space will eventually become the majority of the personal computing space.

The iPad and the inevitability of iOS across iPhone/iPad/mac is the death of Google (and MS) unless they get their **** in gear.

So Apple vs Google + Motoroal vs MS + Nokia.

cuckoo :pac:

bd250110

This is an interesting move by Google, it's going to be tricky to pull off. Google know nothing about hardware and that is going to be a major culture shock to Google and Moto, integrating them will not be easy, swift or cheap. Google needs to be very careful that the Moto acquisition does not become a distracting sideshow. IF they can pull it off the droids coming from Moto in 18+ months should be great devices. Apple and Palm showed that taking the concept from idea to reality, controlling both hardware and software can create great products and be incredibly profitable.

blaz wrote: »

http://www.google.com/press/motorola/quotes/

“We welcome today’s news, which demonstrates Google’s deep commitment to defending Android, its partners, and the ecosystem.”
– J.K. Shin
President, Samsung, Mobile Communications Division
“I welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners.”
– Bert Nordberg
President & CEO, Sony Ericsson
“We welcome the news of today‘s acquisition, which demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android, its partners, and the entire ecosystem.”
– Peter Chou
CEO, HTC Corp.
“We welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners.”
– Jong-Seok Park, Ph.D
President & CEO, LG Electronics Mobile Communications Compan

I am really skeptical about all of these quotes. They read like the same quote over and over again, it just seems a bit implausable that all Android OEMs would make almost identical quotes in isolation. I think this may give WP7 a second wind, if HTC and/or Samsung were to put their considerable weight behind WP7 (or webOS) things could look drastically different for Android. Moto is not really in the first tier of Android OEM's.

Elsewhere I have seen a comment that Google have either made, or ruined Android, at this point it's impossible to say.

saa

Oh really Motorola haven't been very prominent in the phone market here, the last Motorola phone I owned took AAA batteries.

KrisW

blaz wrote: »

http://www.google.com/press/motorola/quotes/

“We welcome today’s news, which demonstrates Google’s deep commitment to defending Android, its partners, and the ecosystem.”
– J.K. Shin
President, Samsung, Mobile Communications Division
“I welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners.”
– Bert Nordberg
President & CEO, Sony Ericsson
“We welcome the news of today‘s acquisition, which demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android, its partners, and the entire ecosystem.”
– Peter Chou
CEO, HTC Corp.
“We welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners.”
– Jong-Seok Park, Ph.D
President & CEO, LG Electronics Mobile Communications Compan

The exact-sameness of those quotes should tell you something. These companies are repeating the text Google asked them to, without making any effort to hide it. They're not happy. They were already unhappy about Google playing favourites with the OEMs; this move will add to that discomfort.

Bloomberg: Google undermines Samsung-led handset makers

Nobody has successfully licensed an OS while also owning a major customer for that OS. I don't think Google have the maturity to manage it either.

TechnoKid

This will probably drive manufacturers to different operating systems.. WP7 and MeeGo. I think MeeGo will be adopted if Google favors Motorola too much . WP7 also has a better chance thanks to the deal.

Atomic Pineapple

This is simply a patent purchase, nothing will change at Motorola at all, its simply Google arming themselves with 17000 more patents with 7000 more pending.

I doubt you will see any interaction between Google and Motorola at all.

Venom

draffodx wrote: »

This is simply a patent purchase, nothing will change at Motorola at all, its simply Google arming themselves with 17000 more patents with 7000 more pending.

I doubt you will see any interaction between Google and Motorola at all.

+1

Google don't really need to own a hardware company to make a Google phone ad they have already done so with the Nexus series of devices where the lack of patients has always been a big problem for Android.

@TechnoKid no company is gonna jump on Meego as its a dead OS.

Tea 1000

DarkDusk wrote: »

Now hopefully we will get good motorola phones, not the ****ty ones that are out now:p

Motorola have one of the best phones currently on sale - the Atrix 4G. However, none of our networks bothered importing it, so everyone here has the opinion of Motorolla being out of date.

quad_red

Mega Chin wrote: »

Lolz. Apple wont cause the death of anyone. The same thing that happened with Windows will happen again. Apples control of their hardware and software will always make sure they stay in the niche (albeit making massive profits from it)

Ok. Android is costing Google allot of money, even now. And whilst patents are obviously a large part of the package, I've seen nowhere state definitely that Google won't try and leverage control of both the hardware and software (even if they do keep to their word and keep Motorola largely a separate company).

And given Apple's continuing mammoth growth, why are you so sure that they will remain niche players.

Actually, how are they now a niche player? They sell 20% of the world's mobile phones while earning 66% of the profits from the sale of mobiles. It's growth continues to be mammoth in the cell phone area. With the iPad it's made the tablet market viable and massively profitable after years of failure.

Perhaps I was a bit bombastic but you're being a bit dismissive!

Mega Chin wrote: »

Lolz. Apple wont cause the death of anyone.

Nokia, Sony Ericcson, LG and Motorola are all operating at a loss. Aren't Samsung and RIM borderline? Sounds like Apple's pressure could cause someone's end.

AntiVirus wrote: »

cuckoo :pac:

Insightful.

TechnoKid

Venom wrote: »

+1

Google don't really need to own a hardware company to make a Google phone ad they have already done so with the Nexus series of devices where the lack of patients has always been a big problem for Android.

@TechnoKid no company is gonna jump on Meego as its a dead OS.

MeeGo isn't a dead OS. The mobile phone system might die in the future but there's still a lot of interest in it. In case you didn't notice, Intel put their weight behind it so it certainly won't drop soon.

http://meegozone.com/endorsements/

https://meego.com/about/public-support-meego

talk.maemo.org/forumdisplay.php?f=45

Each of those websites shows that there's either (a) public support or (b) companies supporting it.

AntiVirus

quad_red wrote: »

Actually, how are they now a niche player? They sell 20% of the world's mobile phones

On planet cuckoo they may sell 20% of the worlds mobile phones but on planet earth they have about 3%

Venom

quad_red wrote: »

Ok. Android is costing Google allot of money, even now. And whilst patents are obviously a large part of the package, I've seen nowhere state definitely that Google won't try and leverage control of both the hardware and software (even if they do keep to their word and keep Motorola largely a separate company).

And given Apple's continuing mammoth growth, why are you so sure that they will remain niche players.

Actually, how are they now a niche player? They sell 20% of the world's mobile phones while earning 66% of the profits from the sale of mobiles. It's growth continues to be mammoth in the cell phone area. With the iPad it's made the tablet market viable and massively profitable after years of failure.

Perhaps I was a bit bombastic but you're being a bit dismissive!



Nokia, Sony Ericcson, LG and Motorola are all operating at a loss. Aren't Samsung and RIM borderline? Sounds like Apple's pressure could cause someone's end.



Insightful.

Nokia, SE and Motorola have a very bad rep worldwide for either piss poor hardware or system OS and suffered for it by getting dumped by Smartphone buyers. Rim is a very small player globally from a phone buyers point of view and again is stuck with an OS no one is interested in.

Samsung is not only the biggest smartphone maker in the world but supplies most of the hardware Apple uses in its devices so I doubt there hurting.

Apples share of the both phone market and app market have taken a huge hit in the last year and are nowhere close to having 20% of the market anymore.

Venom

TechnoKid wrote: »

MeeGo isn't a dead OS. The mobile phone system might die in the future but there's still a lot of interest in it. In case you didn't notice, Intel put their weight behind it so it certainly won't drop soon.

http://meegozone.com/endorsements/

https://meego.com/about/public-support-meego

talk.maemo.org/forumdisplay.php?f=45

Each of those websites shows that there's either (a) public support or (b) companies supporting it.

Intel can claim to support Meego till the cows come home but since they haven't released any phones using it and nor are any other companies showing any interest its dead in the water. Nokia dropped it like a rock and they were the main supporters of it ffs.

TechnoKid

Intel don't release phones to sell, they only show prototypes. Do you think Intel would have their own site, say they're "going to put their weight behind it" and continue to look for companies to support it.... for pr?

quad_red

AntiVirus wrote: »

On planet cuckoo they may sell 20% of the worlds mobile phones but on planet earth they have about 3%

Aha. I was looking at share of smart phone market. Which is currently at almost 25%.



They've a market share in the total market of 5%. A 118% increase in a year.

Venom

TechnoKid wrote: »

Intel don't release phones to sell, they only show prototypes. Do you think Intel would have their own site, say they're "going to put their weight behind it" and continue to look for companies to support it.... for pr?

Yeah I do as they had to say they will still support Meego to save face when Nokia dropped it and switched to WM7.

KrisW

Motorola's patents are in primarily in video compression, wireless hardware and mobile network technologies.

Many of these patents are essential for implementing GSM- or 3G-compatible mobile phones. Because of this, they're already licensed to others on "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory" (FRAND) terms.

Basically, this means that they're of no use in a patent battle; you can't withhold a patent that is required to comply with a standard, and you can't charge one licensee way more than the others, just because you might have a beef with them.

(Apple's recent loss to Nokia involved FRAND patents, but here Apple were disputing that they needed to license them at all, despite them being part of the GSM patent pool)

I'm not even 100% sure that Google knows why Google bought Motorola, but you don't pay 12.5 billion to take control of one of your customers, and then just let them buy from anyone.

god's toy

saa wrote: »

Oh really Motorola haven't been very prominent in the phone market here, the last Motorola phone I owned took AAA batteries.

Yep here too, think it was the A130 in my case... ah the analog days.