Google and Motorola Align for Mobile Search
Having said that, this is good for Google and Android and its ecosystem. That's why HTC, LG, and Sony all released statements praising the deal. bit.ly/qfmMVt Google isn't going into competition with them. Google is buying them protection to defend against Apple, Nokia, and other patent holders and legal thugs.
The net result is that Android can now explode even more than it has already. I imagine -- I hope -- there were other companies in other fields -- cars, appliances, TV, devices of all sorts -- that were waiting for some security so they could add connectivity to their devices, using Android.
Google wins because, as I've been saying, the real war here is over signal generation: Google, Facebook, and to an extent Apple and telcos and others want us to generate signals about ourselves -- who we are, where we are, what we want, who we know, what we're looking for, where we're going -- so they can better target their content, services, and advertising. Mobile is a great signal generator.
But I've also been saying that mobile will become a meaningless word as we become connected everywhere, all the time. Who's to say or care whether we're connected with a phone as we walk, through our car, on our couch via the TV, in the kitchen via the iFridge, or at the desk (remember that?). Mobile=local=me.
I disagree with those who say that Google had hardware envy vis a vis Apple. Google went into the hardware business and was smart enough to get out. I imagine that Google will operate Motorola as an independent entity; it won't become Googley. Indeed, I can imagine Google spinning off the product arm, keeping the rat poison.
So this is a good if unfortunate deal to have to be done. That's my take.
