so, WHY did Google acquire Motorola?

[mammador]

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/google-defends-motorola-purchase-more-than-just-a-patent-sale/80598

Google say it's not about the patents. lol...

But if this the case, then how come Google didn't make its own Nexus phone/tablet? Why weren't the Nexus phone/tablet Motorola devices?

Even if it's not about the patents, Google by default is an Apple (,i.e. it makes phones and an OS).

http://www.motorola.com/us/consumers/DROID-4-by-Motorola/88569,en_US,pd.html This technically is a Google phone lol..

 

[Muyoso]

But if this the case, then how come Google didn't make its own Nexus phone/tablet? Why weren't the Nexus phone/tablet Motorola devices?

This is beyond simple to answer. Because not utterly pissing off and scaring all of their OEM partners is far more important to Google than making an amazing Motorola phone. If Google starts producing its own hardware, other OEM's are going to instantly start hedging against Android. This is why the rumor that there will be multiple Nexus phones this fall so interesting. If every OEM gets to participate in making a Nexus phone, then Motorola releasing an amazing pure Google phone seems far less of a threat to OEM's.

 

[jpeyton]

Google say it's not about the patents. lol...

When you're trying to get regulatory approval to make a $12.5 billion, 12000 patent buyout, what would you say to the press?

 

[zerocool84]

Google doesn't make phones and the OS is free for anyone to use.

 

[Zaap]

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/google-defends-motorola-purchase-more-than-just-a-patent-sale/80598then how come Google didn't make its own Nexus phone/tablet?

Umm....

...because they're an internet company, not a hardware company?

 

[makken]

I wonder who produces the TV box for Google fiber...

 

[Nothinman]

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/google-defends-motorola-purchase-more-than-just-a-patent-sale/80598

Google say it's not about the patents. lol...

But if this the case, then how come Google didn't make its own Nexus phone/tablet? Why weren't the Nexus phone/tablet Motorola devices?

Even if it's not about the patents, Google by default is an Apple (,i.e. it makes phones and an OS).

http://www.motorola.com/us/consumers/DROID-4-by-Motorola/88569,en_US,pd.html This technically is a Google phone lol..

It might not be totally about the patents, but it's obviously a large consideration with as douchy as Apple's being with all of their litigation.

Product development and acquisitions take a significant amount of time, but I like the idea of Google making more mobile devices. I would never call them Apple even if they start developing the hardware in concert with Android because it won't be as locked down as Apple's ecosystem and the hardware hopefully won't even be locked down as much as Motorola's devices in the past.

 

[mammador]

Umm....

...because they're an internet company, not a hardware company?

but who is to say they have not made a strategic shift?

It just seems odd that after a year, it's still not known why they bought Motorola.

 

[cl-scott]

I would personally say it's probably mostly about the patents, but if Google wanted to start making its own phones, then getting the supply chain established is no small task, and buying Motorola to get access to their existing supply chain would save probably a couple of years worth of contract negotiations.

That might also be useful if Google wants to make non-cell phone based Android devices. The Nexus Q and maybe Google TV oriented products for example. It wouldn't take that much effort to retool Motorola to make devices like that compared to starting from scratch.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

but who is to say they have not made a strategic shift?

It just seems odd that after a year, it's still not known why they bought Motorola.

It is known. They bought Motorola for the patents. But not so they can file suit against everyone and anyone, but so they can defend themselves and the andriod device makers.

It's in Google's best interest to protect it's device builders.

 

[mammador]

It is known. They bought Motorola for the patents. But not so they can file suit against everyone and anyone, but so they can defend themselves and the andriod device makers.

It's in Google's best interest to protect it's device builders.

12 billion US just for patents?

even though it may have been just for the intellectual properties, Google still has to manage Motorola. Any phone that Motorola produces presumably must have approval from the Google top management.

 

[cheezy321]

It is known. They bought Motorola for the patents. But not so they can file suit against everyone and anyone, but so they can defend themselves and the andriod device makers.

It's in Google's best interest to protect it's device builders.

Except they already went on the offensive and sued apple. Google is just like any other company, don't put them up on some 'special' pedestal.

 

[Nothinman]

Except they already went on the offensive and sued apple. Google is just like any other company, don't put them up on some 'special' pedestal.

How is that offensive when Apple's already sued several of their device manufacturers? Apple may have been doing it indirectly right now, but they're still attacking Google.