Google acquires Motorola Mobility

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eXDee

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#88418 16-Aug-2011 00:36

http://investor.google.com/releases/2011/0815.html

Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today announced that they 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, a premium of 63% to the closing price of Motorola Mobility shares on Friday, August 12, 2011. The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies.The acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a dedicated Android partner, will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

Predictions on what this will mean for the future of Android? I reckon google wants to get some tighter control over hardware and lead by example perhaps.

More Info:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/supercharging-android-google-to-acquire.html

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Ultimate Geek

#507067 16-Aug-2011 00:46

Wow. Didn't see that coming! The other manufacturers using Android won't like that at all. Its bound to push them in other directions, maybe Windows Phone? On the other hand, we might see some Apple-like integration of HW and SW/OS in the future. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

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Snowflake

#507071 16-Aug-2011 01:31

yep. can see samsung and htc dopping android and moving towards windows phone. would save them both a bunch in patent suit defenses too. can't help but think google has done microsoft and nokia a big favour here

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Ragnor

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#507074 16-Aug-2011 01:55

Regs: yep. can see samsung and htc dopping android and moving towards windows phone. would save them both a bunch in patent suit defenses too. can't help but think google has done microsoft and nokia a big favour here

It's actually super smart Motorola has a massive number of patents, I think this is very much an easy way for Google to gain a huge amount of patents to use defensively and nullify the Apple and Microsoft patent nonsense.

It's mutually assured destruction now, I think you will inevitably see a cross licensing deal like AMD, Nvidia and Intel have.

I can't imagine HTC or Samsung are very happy right now about google now owning a hanset manufacturer though!

insane

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#507077 16-Aug-2011 02:42

Android is the best thing which has ever happened to Samsung mobile and HTC, so although they may be slightly less than impressed by this move, it will help them to sell Android phones going forward.

Also gives Apple a bigger target to go after which will hopefully take some court room heat off Samsung and HTC.

wmoore

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#507079 16-Aug-2011 02:46

Ragnor:
Regs: yep. can see samsung and htc dopping android and moving towards windows phone. would save them both a bunch in patent suit defenses too. can't help but think google has done microsoft and nokia a big favour here

It's actually super smart Motorola has a massive number of patents, I think this is very much an easy way for Google to gain a huge amount of patents to use defensively and nullify the Apple and Microsoft patent nonsense.

It's mutually assured destruction now, I think you will inevitably see a cross licensing deal like AMD, Nvidia and Intel have.

I can't imagine HTC or Samsung are very happy right now about google now owning a hanset manufacturer though!

Google will pick up around 17,000 patents from Motorola. With another 7,500 pending. I don't believe Samsung and HTC will drop android.

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jbard

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#507084 16-Aug-2011 03:57

I think this purchase has been for the patents more than anything else.

As for other manufactuers moving to another OS, no way.

This can only be good for android and therefore good for any manufacturer who uses android.

NZtechfreak

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#507095 16-Aug-2011 07:32

Regs: yep. can see samsung and htc dopping android and moving towards windows phone. would save them both a bunch in patent suit defenses too. can't help but think google has done microsoft and nokia a big favour here

Doesn't seem like that at all, seems like buying 17,000 patents only helps Android to me. That, and all Android's hardware partners were consulted beforehand and approve of the deal...

Quite a giggle the suggestion that Samsung are going to drop the OS that made them the top manufacturer, or that HTC are going to drop the OS that brought them into the big time.

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billgates

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#507100 16-Aug-2011 07:53

Google just paud $12.5 billion for patents and people said that MS paid too much they when they bought Skype. Few days ago Motorola CEO mentioned that they will look into using their broad IP and start charging $$$ for infrimenents so this could also be one of the reasons as to why Google bought them to save their Android OEM partners.

Microsoft vs Motorola hearing in the ITC next week over Motorola infringing on MS technology. Should get interesting now.

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kiwitrc

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#507113 16-Aug-2011 08:29

NZtechfreak:
Regs: yep. can see samsung and htc dopping android and moving towards windows phone. would save them both a bunch in patent suit defenses too. can't help but think google has done microsoft and nokia a big favour here

Doesn't seem like that at all, seems like buying 17,000 patents only helps Android to me. That, and all Android's hardware partners were consulted beforehand and approve of the deal...

Quite a giggle the suggestion that Samsung are going to drop the OS that made them the top manufacturer, or that HTC are going to drop the OS that brought them into the big time.

Yep, Android Vendors welcome Google move

Linuxluver

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#507115 16-Aug-2011 08:38

eXDee: http://investor.google.com/releases/2011/0815.html
Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today announced that they 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, a premium of 63% to the closing price of Motorola Mobility shares on Friday, August 12, 2011. The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies.The acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a dedicated Android partner, will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

Predictions on what this will mean for the future of Android? I reckon google wants to get some tighter control over hardware and lead by example perhaps.

More Info:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/supercharging-android-google-to-acquire.html

Im thinking they want the patents Motorola holds in order to defend against the extortion attempts being made by Apple and the Microsoft / Oracle anti-competitive nexus.

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nitrotech

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#507118 16-Aug-2011 08:51

Dear Google, now that you've taken over this company can you please get rid of the god-aweful moto-blur - thanks in advance

oxnsox

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#507127 16-Aug-2011 09:15

Next step is for Microsoft to take over Nokia to give their platform the same kind of leverage in the patent wars. That'd effectively kill it all off and folk can get back to making great hardware without arguing over who thought of using headphones or an on/off switch.

Debin

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#507130 16-Aug-2011 09:20

Don't think it'll change much, as Google say Motorola will just run as it is now, ie we'll still get Motoblur, but maybe Google will force Motorola to update their phones more often!

Great time to be a patent lawyer right now!

lchiu7

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#507136 16-Aug-2011 09:32

Just makes me happy I bought a Xoom :-)

And I wonder then what the Nexus 3 is going to be? It takes apparently 9 months for a manufacturer to produce a new phone so the Nexus 3 was probably in the pipeline when this purchase was made but due diligence would have taken much longer before so it's not inconceivable that Motorola was already building the new Nexus phone.

This deal can only be good for all Android manufacturers. The blog posting says Motorola will be treated as a separate business unit and have to compete like all other manufacturers so Samsung et al should not feel disadvantaged.

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NonprayingMantis

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#507149 16-Aug-2011 09:57

1) Buy Motorola Mobility
2) ???
3) Profit

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