Google buys Motorola Mobility

[ssk_the_gr8]

It changes the mobile market completely.just think.

it's now Nokia + WP7 vs Motorola + Android vs Apple + iOS

GOOGLE WILL BUY Motorola's handset business for $12.5bn, the two companies have announced.

The pair have entered into a definitive agreement under which Google will acquire Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share in cash, or a total of about $12.5 billion.

Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open, the two companies insisted, adding that Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

In 2007, Motorola was a founding member of the Open Handset Alliance that worked to make Android an open and comprehensive platform for mobile devices.

Meanwhile, in 2008, Motorola made Android its sole operating system across all of its smartphone devices. Google said on its blog today, "Motorola's total commitment to Android in mobile devices is one of many reasons that there is a natural fit between our two companies."

Google buys motorola mobility for $12.5bn- The Inquirer

[MetalheadGautham]

Z.O.M.G.W.T.F.

This is THE news of THE DECADE

[Liverpool_fan]

Won't change much anything IMO. Android is still open source and can be easily deployed by any handset manufactureres.

Android is still open but now it will definitely favour Moto.

Dude that will be suicide.

[MetalheadGautham]

Android does not change one bit. But now we know google will use this newly bought asset to launch lots of googleware - hardware powered by the internet and google

[ssk_the_gr8]

Originally Posted by Liverpool_fan

Dude that will be suicide.

it will not be complete bias... but motorola will definitely benefit from inside knowledge

[Liverpool_fan]

Yeah tablets, cellphones. What not.

[Sam]

12.5 B$ thats a whole lot of cash.

this is definitely a good move. now Google can bring out their own mobiles & tablets. also no more "when will my mobile get Android ***?" questions. finally expecting timely updates.

[Liverpool_fan]

Official Google Blog: Supercharging Android: Google to Acquire Motorola Mobility

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.

This makes a lot of sense.

[vaithy]

What everybody missing is, so far in the Android World WAR-AKA WW-III, Google &its allies are so much bruised by legal woes.. But Motorola has different story to tell.. They actually invented the Mobile phones and its design, has first to have the load of patent wireless technologies, on which google is weak..
When google lost the Nortel bid to Apple consortium, everybody thought that Google was idiot, not offering enough bid money...But Nortel was actually a 'shell' company and only assets everybody think is its patents poilo in wireless.. at that same time Goolgle has negotiated the deal with Motorola..With nortel it don't get anything other than its 'shell' patents. but with Motorola it has its MobileHardware business, Patents polio, as well as its customers...so this deal is Win- Win situation for Google and motorola..

[lywyre]

Well. That is a bouquet of 17,000+ of mobile related patents. Apple is certainly going to sweat.

We should all remember that Motorola was a pioneer of Cellular Technology and holds a lot of patents related to the technology. These patents are more important than say, the placement of a button or the aspect ratio of the screen or some cosmetic ideas like the ones Apple sues other manufacturers for.

This is a buyout and not a merger, so we will still be buying Motorola mobiles and not Google mobiles, but Android without MotoBlur. Plain Android, sweet . Droid X2 with Icecream - Yummy.

Apple was all out to destory Android, and we can't say Microsoft was not there too. Now HTC, Samsung, LG and the lot have a pretty solid backing from Google. Google has already stated that patent lawsuit is killing evolution. So, from that standpoint, Google may not sue Apple or MS (Nokia), but they are certain to use it (the patent lot) as a defence.

[vgowtham97]

Oh!Really good news.I need a 2.3 update for my Defy.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by lywyre

we will still be buying Motorola mobiles and not Google mobiles, but Android without MotoBlur. Plain Android, sweet

if this comes true, Motorola will rocket to top position (smartphone & specially in US) in a few months.

[lywyre]

Yes that is true.

Larry has also said that Motorola will still have to do the same work as other manufacturers to bid for Nexus. So the next Nexus can still be anyone LG, Samsung, HTC or Motorola or whoever.

[baccilus]

Checkmate for Apple, the great big patent troll.

[noob]

Android is still open but now it will definitely favour Moto.

totally wrong view. look at it this way.

Google got 16K+ patents and 6500+ pending approval. this will slow down MS and Apple a lot who want Android to die.

Quotes from Android partners

“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 Company

[ssk_the_gr8]

Originally Posted by lywyre

Yes that is true.

Larry has also said that Motorola will still have to do the same work as other manufacturers to bid for Nexus. So the next Nexus can still be anyone LG, Samsung, HTC or Motorola or whoever.

if it is so then it's even better for the android world.

[baccilus]

Some believe that ultimately android will become closed source. This might be a step in that direction.

[Liverpool_fan]

Originally Posted by baccilus

Some believe that ultimately android will become closed source. This might be a step in that direction.

Wait..Unless they move to a *BSD how the hell they will be closed source? The Android kernel is still in actuality Linux, even though it's a fork and will be still subjected to the GPL 2 restrictions in it. No way they can close source it. Those "Some People" saying that are talking crap and spreading FUD.
Of course quite a few components of Android is closed source and remain so. At worst they can make all the userspace tools, etc. as closed source as in WebOS but no way they can be completely proprietary either, not legally at least.
Secondly the Android ecosystem benefits tremendously on the open source licenses, it will be a suicide to close everything (as in moving in WebOS way).

[azzu]

Still in shock , one hell of a news..
dunno abt the android and patenting stuff..
but hoping now that Motorola could really release some cool phones with change in management (like defy ,rokr , e8 etc...)

[suyash_123]

good move by google....
Atleast he can come out of some Patent related issues in mobile and Android decision by this!!

But still i think it must have brought java earlier (Oracle is Ruining the java) or else Buy oracle!!!

[ico]

Originally Posted by baccilus

Checkmate for Apple, the great big patent troll.

this.

[ssk_the_gr8]

Originally Posted by baccilus

Some believe that ultimately android will become closed source. This might be a step in that direction.

not possible with the linux kernel in use

[Revolution]

Nice news.
I have seen ppl of India prefer Google products.
So.they might be begin to like motorola than Nokia from now ?.....

[socrates]

These articles give some food for thought
Googorola: all about patents, but is it good for Android? | News | TechRadar UK

Nokia: Googorola deal makes us right to choose WP7 | News | TechRadar UK

[sygeek]

At the moment this means nothing much, really. This is largely a deal to acquire software patents and has no near-term implications for advertising. Google insists Motorola will exist as a separate unit and will continue to make mobile phones and tablets under the Motorola badge. In other words, don't expect Google phones and tablets -- for now.

I'll just quote some interesting comments pointed out by HN users:

If there is one company I trust to not screw this up it's Google and I think they have a good shot at getting this right. I'm sure their partner companies are going to be a bit ansy to start but they all compete on hardware / price anyhow which this doesn't change. A few points that pop to mind:

A. They already had to compete with Motorola, so they haven't lost or gained a new competitor.

B. They don't pay for Android so Motorola hasn't gotten some new financial edge. Google just has to ensure that all companies still get source releases at the same time. What they do with them is up to them. (aside: I expect we will see MotoBlur disappear with some of its key features rolled into future Android releases)

C. This will allow Google to protect Android much better which is very beneficial to their bottom lines, especially if it keeps patent licensing costs off of their products.

D. Google just has to be sure they don't play favorites but from what I have seen up until now they have been good about that.

E. This may have just brought the competition for who gets to build the next Nexus to an end. (unless the next Nexus is already basically "done" at another partner company)

I think they can get this right... and now hopefully we can get a whole line of nice Motorola hardware with current Android and unlocked boot-loaders, etc. I might have to reconsider the Droid 3 again (more like Droid 4 one day, since 3 is already in the wild as is)

Reply:

To add:

a) there will be at least 1 company focused on android which will be protected with the cloth that is Google's legal team.

b) Google can make Motorola better

c) Google can make hardware to go with their software.

d) Google can finally make Motorola phones running android open.

e) We can finally see what it means for a hardware company to exist with a motto: "Don't be Evil". Sure Google is not perfect, but all other companies have the motto: "Money first, morals second."

f) Google can make an incredible experience which would become the de-facto standard for Android phones. Finally killing off HTC sense.

TL;DR Google gets involved in patent wars, buys motorola mobility for the protection of the [Android] ecosystem, and extending it as well.

[noob]

read this article ..its simply BEST

The Land Rush: Why Google Won’t Bless Motorola As Its Favorite Android | TechCrunch


its a gr8 deal..patents + free hardware business

Actual deal costed only 12.5-3 = 9.5 bn $

Moto has 3bn$ cash in reserves...

[socrates]

Only time will tell. All companies make pious statements when they take over another company. Have heard this BS from another take over artist who then would strip &/or kill the taken over company. Of course I am not suggesting this, in this case but we should not be taken over by these comments. Being a little a skeptical & considering other opinions might be a good idea, for they could have a bit of truth in it. Time will tell who is EVIL.

[socrates]

Schmidt admits Motorola buyout is also for hardware
Not just a patent snatch and grab. Schmidt admits Motorola buyout is also for hardware | News | TechRadar UK

[Sam]

^^ anyone can guess that. why will Google dump a world class mobile company?